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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I really love these short stories. Also, the preface by King is a gem!, June 23, 2007
If you are buying this book for the movie tie-in to 1408, you might be disappointed because the trailer for the movie and the plot of the short story really don't seem to mirror each other, so I have a feeling the two don't resemble each other down to the smallest detail. Word is that King gave approval to the movie version, so perhaps it maintains the emotional resonance of the short story which is, by the way, as spooky and eerie as you'd expect, so much so that it is easy to forget how well King writes.
In addition to the stories, one of my favorite parts of this book was the preface and author's notes on the stories, by King. Budding writers in this genre of horror or psychological suspense/horror should focus carefully on his writing advice. He doesn't give it lightly and he also doesn't mince words. You may primarily buy this book for the great and riveting tales within, but you may also find yourself equally fascinated by what King writes about...ssbout HOW to write and his own perspective on his craft. He confesses that he has been surprised that some stories which he considered less than stellar have won awards, showing that he is still capable of being surprised by his readers and reviewers. I expect that is part of the thrill of what he does, discovering what touches readers and what does not.
In the preface, for example, he brings up an important subject, the evolution of the short story and its possible demise. He writes so deftly about such a serious subject! I happen to be equally concerned, coming from a time when short stories filled so many magazines I read, from Atlantic to Redbook to Saturday Evening Post. I grew up reading them in magazines my parents had around the house. Try to find a typical, mass market magazine that contains short stories anymore, especially by writers whose words will become classic. Pretty hard, isn't it? Sad - at least to me and, based on what he wrote, to King as well.
He also touches on an E-book he wrote and his concern about how well it did. He was both fascinated and...yes, horrified. You'll have to read this book to find out why.
Anyway, this book is well worth reading, perfect for those who only have limited time and who find the idea of an entire book on one subject too daunting. I have a feeling you'll read this one straight through, even if you THINK you're going to only dip into one or two of the short stories. You'll be hooked and enthralled before you know it.
Some of the stories pay homage to other writers and if you are queasy when it comes to reading graphic details, consider yourself forewarned. I found the first story "Autopsy Room Four" to be particularly hard going but stuck it out - and I'm glad I did. Its genesis was an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, something I'd never have known if King hadn't pointed it out. Once he did, I actually remembered the particular episode with Joseph Cotten and- like King - agree that it was one of the spookiest Hitchcock episodes out there.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The King tells some Tales., July 17, 2007
When hearing about the new movie, I had to pick up the book and was privelaged to take a gander and all the short stories. Here are the short reviews on each:
Autopsy room 4 - a tense, and engaging story of a man who is confined to the prison of his body. He thinks he is still alive even though his is in an autopsy room. Sometimes funny in its approach to the subject. Reminds me of Hitchcock. (5 stars.)
All that you love will be carried away - Depressing but interesting journey of a man's last thoughts that involve bathroom quotations.
(4 stars)
The man in the black suit - Intensly creepy and memorable. The description alone of the man makes for an uneasy feeling. It got under my skin, alright. (5 stars)
Death of jack hamiliton - while running away from the cops, one of the dillinger gang boys gets shot and this is his tale of passing on. Curiously interesting. (4 stars)
1408 - A psychological approach of a hanuted room. Way different than the movie. Movie added a lot more content. In my opinion, movie was better than the actual original short. (3 stars.)
That feeling, you can only say in french - Deja vu overload. It turns your mind around a bit. Don't really know where it goes. (2 stars)
Riding the bullet - Sooner or later, we all have to go. But which will go first, the mother or the son. In this dark tale, a driver leaves the descision up to the son. (5 stars)
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Strong Collection, November 25, 2007
This book is a collection of 14 shorts stories by Stephen King. The longest story is a prequel to the Dark Tower series and will doubtless be of interest to fans of that series. In recent months, a number of people have likely bought this collection to read "1408" so they can see the story that the movie was based on. I confess that this was my motivation and it's certainly worth reading. Because it is a true short story, it doesn't involve nearly as many twists and turns as the movie, and ends more cleanly.
The title of this collection comes from what may well be the finest story of the lot. It's a quirky tale of a young man with the ability to affect other people using symbols and writing. He narrates the story himself, sounds like the village idiot, and has just about the strangest job imaginable.
L.T.'s Theory of Pets is a second standout. It's a story of marital difficulties, pet incompatibility, and the art of storytelling. It's quite good and much better than any description of the plot could ever do justice to. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll enjoy it.
Autopsy in Room 4 may be the most suspenseful story. It features a paralyzed man on an autopsy table and you don't have to be the most imaginative person in the world to see how frightening that prospect would be.
Reviewing a collection of short stories can be tricky because there are so many stories in the book and each one is its own experience. Three or four are truly outstanding, and most of the rest are still quite good and well worth reading. There were two or three that didn't grab me but the beauty of a short story is that you don't invest that much time so the weaker stories don't take much out of your enjoyment of the book. I'd recommend thins book to all fans of King or the short story format.
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