Stephen King: Novels, Novellas or Short Stories?

I only wish there was a way for The Dark Tower to make it to film. It's much too long to even hope for a series of movies that do it justice, but it would be great if they could (it would probably have to be six movies long to hit all the major points).

 

I reread The Stand every so often...that's a fantastic book. May have to read It again (it's been 15 years or so) based on DD's post. As for newer King, I've read Desperation a few times, and it's held up for me.

Short stories...also fantastic. That's where he really breaks out of the horror mold, although his horror stories are excellent. I read "The Woman In The Room," which I believe was in Skeleton Crew, and was tearing up at the end of it. For all the crap King gets and all the editing he could undoubtedly use, he certainly can capture emotions in a simple way.

 

Here's a plug for King's book, "On Writing." He begins with the story of the accident that nearly killed him (when he was struck by a van while walking along the side of a road), and then gets into a lot of the nuts and bolts of writing. It sounds dry, I know, but it really is a good read for anyone with an interest in writing of any kind.

I'd like some people I know to read this book, especially the parts in which King tears apart passive writing. They might as well learn from a master story teller, since it is apparent no one in high school or college got through to them.

Mini-rant over.

 

J.J. Abrams has the movie rights to at least the first book. I predict it ends up in development hell, just from the unbelievably complicated nature of the overall narrative.

 

Rage and The Long Walk are my two favorite short stories.

The Stand and It are probably my two favorite novels.

Worst novel: Insomnia. By far the worst drek I've read by him.

 

Any and all Stephen King for me. The only thing cooler than Stephen King is his house.

 

Non fiction.

 

What's "passive writing?"

 

I had On Writing in mind when I said "non fiction."

It's a thoroughly enjoyable piece of writing.

 

Really? Cause I thought that Red Sox book he wrote with Stewart O'Nan was a trip to Boringtown.

 

I'd say Rose Madder is King's worst novel. Absolutely abysmal. I've read all his stuff at least 3-4 times, except for Rose Madder. Tried to re-read it once, that was it for me.
Looking at his work over the course of his career, I'd agree that his short stories are the best. The novels haven't been as great as of late compared to his earlier work, while the short stories continue to be good reads. I especially liked "The Things They Left Behind," his "9/11" story.

 

Read my clarification above.