phidgt's reviews
465 reviews

I can't remember exactly when I first read "Carrie", but it had to be around 1986-ish. This was the year that "It" was first published and the year that I became one of King's "Constant Readers".  I basically devoured his back catalog of books at that time.

"Carrie" is Stephen King's first published work dating back to 1974. So, how does this 47 year old book hold up? Quite well, actually. It's a quick read compared to many of King's other works, clocking in at 199 pages and, while most people know the story, for me, it was interesting to reread it and see the progression of his writing style. For example, the character development, which King is a master at, is a bit lacking. In my opinion, the story feels rushed; the elegant attention to detail that will become the cornerstone of many a Stephen King novel is only hinted at. However, it is still a very good story.

This book was originally written in 1973, but wasn't published until much later, in 2006 when it was "rediscovered in the attic" by Stephen King. It is also credited as being the last book that King published under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman.

It's a simple crime story of a conman wanting to make his last big money score by kidnapping a baby for a million dollar ransom. It's fast-paced, suspenseful and not your typical King fare. What makes this such a good story is King's ability to create such "real" characters. Blaze is a massively tragic figure and you can't help but feel sorry for him. Considering how old the book is, it retains its readability and isn't really dated. I'd recommend as a very good King starter book.

I would describe this book as a good serial killer starter book for anyone who wants to dip their toes in the genre of true crime. You get an introduction to early profiling as law enforcement tried to understand these types of crimes. The author does describe some of the more grisly aspects fo the murders, so it's definitely not for the squeamish.

I entered into this book with a bit of trepidation. Reading about the abuse of animals is a topic I tend to stay away from. Thankfully, Christopher McDougall doesn’t focus a lot of the attention there. It’s enough to say that Sherman was rescued from an unfortunate situation and with much love, care and attention, he is able to recover physically. I feel that this book’s focus is more on Sherman’s mental recovery and, in a way, the mental recovery for some of the people around him.

There’s quite a bit to unpack in this book. Christopher McDougall and his wife end up moving from Philadelphia to their dream house which ends up being deep in the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country. Just this could be a whole book. So, then the McDougall’s decide to rescue this donkey and nurse him back to health. However, due to the severe neglect that Sherman had suffered he still isn’t fully recovered; Sherman had forgotten how to donkey. 

Enter the world of burro racing. Apparently, this is an extremely popular and competitive sport in quite a few towns in Colorado (I had no idea) and they have a World Championship, which the McDougall’s think is just the thing Sherman needs. It also just happens that training to run alongside Sherman turns out to be much needed medicine for his human friends.

Add in some quirky characters; both human and animal, the Amish, and the ability of Christopher McDougall to make you laugh out loud, and you have one heck of feel good story.

“All I can say is what you already know: some days are treasure. Not many, but I think in almost every life there are a few. That was one of mine, and when I'm blue -- when life comes down on me and everything looks tawdry and cheap, the way Joyland Avenue did on a rainy day -- I go back to it, if only to remind myself that life isn't always a butcher's game. Sometimes the prizes are real. Sometimes they are precious.”

Ever since I read "Joyland" the first time through, it has been my go-to recommendation for first time Stephen King readers. There are a couple of reasons for this. It's short in comparison to many of King's books; you can easily read it in a weekend, and it doesn't follow King's typical "horror" genre.

"Joyland" is the perfect example of why Stephen King is my favorite author. He is the master storyteller, plain and simple. This is one of those books to enjoy on the front porch with a glass of your favorite libation on a summer evening as the sun is just setting. 

It's a coming of age story about 21 year old Devin Jones, working his way through college, nursing a broken heart who gets a summer job working at a beachside carnival. Since this is Stephen King there's a little mystery to solve about a ghost. I generally don't like to know a lot about the novels I read beforehand, so that's all I'm going to give you. There are plenty of reviews that will go on and on ad nauseam. If you're looking for a book to escape into for a little while, something that won't require a massive commitment or you think Stephen King is all scare and gore, give this one a shot. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.