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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I would love to read the updated edition of this because I know that there are a few things in it that Mr King feels differently about now. Which is only natural, given that it was written more than half his life ago. What it is, though, is an autobiography of King’s writing: all the influences that created the writer that took the world by storm and pretty much owned a genre for more than a decade. He focuses mainly on the period 1950-80, or the things he grew up on or was aware of. He pushes backwards in history a few times and discusses some classical horror literature and themes but he focuses mostly on what was published post-war/ during his life up-till-then.
It is written with a confidence that borders on arrogance: however, King appears to know his stuff here so I can forgive the more-than-occasional broadside or the occasional inaccuracy. What I really enjoyed about this book, though, was the sense that King loves Horror. He talks with authority and knowledge about films, shows and, most importantly, books, but he also talks with love. He talks about watching hours and hours of terrible films just to find a well-done scene, or a great shot, or a great line (a lesson many fans of all genres could relearn these days).
King writes as a fan: a fan who knows his topic (and who has taught it at a tertiary level) and remains that wide-eyed kid in the library or the bookshop or the front row who can’t wait for the next thrill to arrive.
It is written with a confidence that borders on arrogance: however, King appears to know his stuff here so I can forgive the more-than-occasional broadside or the occasional inaccuracy. What I really enjoyed about this book, though, was the sense that King loves Horror. He talks with authority and knowledge about films, shows and, most importantly, books, but he also talks with love. He talks about watching hours and hours of terrible films just to find a well-done scene, or a great shot, or a great line (a lesson many fans of all genres could relearn these days).
King writes as a fan: a fan who knows his topic (and who has taught it at a tertiary level) and remains that wide-eyed kid in the library or the bookshop or the front row who can’t wait for the next thrill to arrive.
Worth it for the suggestions of other great works of horror, but a little too Garth Marenghi.
It’s very rambling at times and I’m still not sure if I like Stephen King the person as much as I like him as a writer (the jury’s still out on the writing, even, as I’m still in his 80s work and yet to read anything quite so great as Carrie… which he seems embarrassed by…) or if it was just the reader of the audiobook (William Dufris) who makes King’s frequent headstrong, cocksure attitude come across as plain arrogant and patronising. There’s also the fact that the book is so old - maybe if I’d read this even as a teenager in the early 90s (10 years after it came out) the many “obscure references” he drops would’ve made me feel like I was peaking behind the curtain but now they seem like obvious parts of our culture and King just comes across (with Dufris’ voice, especially) as the worst hipster in the world.
But it still overwhelmed me as a personal guide to horror, even after all I’ve read/heard/watched on the subject, giving me so many new directions to pursue that I’ll be raking through its pages (I’ll probably buy the print version) a *lot* in future, like Kim Newman’s Nightmare Movies but going further back to 50s movies and literature I’ve never been too interested in in a way that makes me want to put that stuff at the top of my agenda. Even with King’s personality in the way, it’s an invaluable if messy best of list.
But it still overwhelmed me as a personal guide to horror, even after all I’ve read/heard/watched on the subject, giving me so many new directions to pursue that I’ll be raking through its pages (I’ll probably buy the print version) a *lot* in future, like Kim Newman’s Nightmare Movies but going further back to 50s movies and literature I’ve never been too interested in in a way that makes me want to put that stuff at the top of my agenda. Even with King’s personality in the way, it’s an invaluable if messy best of list.
This was way more about 30yo Stephen than horror, imo, and I found both his writerly persona and the vocal performance by William Dufris to be grating. I thought I would enjoy this, as I have a lot of respect for On Writing, but the difference in perspective at the ends of his career where he was writing is so vast. I also hated the 2010? forward he wrote for this edition, as it was covering contemporary horror cinema and I found that I have WELL formed, opposing opinions to Mr. King. Skip.
4.5 stars.
D'habitude, je ne lis pas beaucoup d'histoires courtes, car je préfère largement un roman à ces dernières. Mais quand on parle du King, tout est différent ..
Sur 20 histoires courtes, certaines m'ont fait me poser des questions, d'autres provoquer un léger frisson, et les dernières m'ont tout simplement effrayée.
Les 5 meilleures histoires selon moi sont : Comme une Passerelle, La Presseuse, Petits Soldats, Poids Lourds, Desintox Inc.
Un magnifique recueil des débuts du King.
D'habitude, je ne lis pas beaucoup d'histoires courtes, car je préfère largement un roman à ces dernières. Mais quand on parle du King, tout est différent ..
Sur 20 histoires courtes, certaines m'ont fait me poser des questions, d'autres provoquer un léger frisson, et les dernières m'ont tout simplement effrayée.
Les 5 meilleures histoires selon moi sont : Comme une Passerelle, La Presseuse, Petits Soldats, Poids Lourds, Desintox Inc.
Un magnifique recueil des débuts du King.
2.5-3 stars (3 surtout pour l'effort).
J'ai acheté ce livre récemment, car trouvé en librairie, alors que jusqu'à présent, je ne voulais pas l'acheter ou m'y intéresser (le pouvoir des librairies..)
Au final, il n'aurait pas été nécessaire à ma collection; il y a certains passages intéressants, concernant la littérature d'horreur ou la vie de Stephen King; mais tout ce qui concerne les films ne m'a absolument pas parlé.
J'adore la littérature d'horreur, mais je n'ai jamais pu m'intéresser à son équivalent cinéma. J'ai donc lu plus de la moitié de ce livre distraitement.
Malgré tout, j'ai appris plusieurs faits et anecdotes, ainsi que découvert quelques auteurs qui pourraient être lus dans le futur.
J'ai acheté ce livre récemment, car trouvé en librairie, alors que jusqu'à présent, je ne voulais pas l'acheter ou m'y intéresser (le pouvoir des librairies..)
Au final, il n'aurait pas été nécessaire à ma collection; il y a certains passages intéressants, concernant la littérature d'horreur ou la vie de Stephen King; mais tout ce qui concerne les films ne m'a absolument pas parlé.
J'adore la littérature d'horreur, mais je n'ai jamais pu m'intéresser à son équivalent cinéma. J'ai donc lu plus de la moitié de ce livre distraitement.
Malgré tout, j'ai appris plusieurs faits et anecdotes, ainsi que découvert quelques auteurs qui pourraient être lus dans le futur.
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.5 stars. If you’re looking for a good, solid intro to the horror genre, this is a great place to start. Especially if you’re already a King fan.