Stephen King talks about politics, religion & writing

[epiphany65]

For those of you who who are unhappy about the abundance of political threads here lately this won't be an oasis for you. For those of you unhappy about the abundance of political threads and who also think that Stephen King is the McDonalds of literature, this will be twice as bad. But horror and science fiction writers have often written in allegory about politics and social issues (from "Animal Farm" to Star Trek) and King says he has done that, sometimes overtly, I think. In this interview he discusses "The Stand", the issues surrounding the writing of it and how he looks at current issues like politics and religion. I found it really interesting and insightful. In one part he says "I've always been a political novelist, and those things have always interested me. "Firestarter" is a political novel. "The Dead Zone" is a political novel. There's that scene in "The Dead Zone" where Johnny Smith sees Greg Stillson in the future starting a nuclear war. Around my house we kinda laugh when Sarah Palin comes on TV, and we say, "That's Greg Stillson as a woman."

Interview link:
http://www.salon.com/books/int/2008/10/23/stephen_king/index.html

http://images.salon.com/books/int/2008/10/23/stephen_king/story.jpg

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

EPIPHANY

Well, everyone has a political philosophy. Most are some version of 1) YOU PULL THE WAGON AND I RIDE or 2) MONEY TALKS & BEGGARS WALK.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Thank you!

<--King fan.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

SELENA

King hasnt written squat since CHRISTINE.

 

[CharleyH]

For those of you who who are unhappy about the abundance of political threads here lately this won't be an oasis for you. For those of you unhappy about the abundance of political threads and who also think that Stephen King is the McDonalds of literature, this will be twice as bad. But horror and science fiction writers have often written in allegory about politics and social issues (from "Animal Farm" to Star Trek) and King says he has done that, sometimes overtly, I think. In this interview he discusses "The Stand", the issues surrounding the writing of it and how he looks at current issues like politics and religion. I found it really interesting and insightful. In one part he says "I've always been a political novelist, and those things have always interested me. "Firestarter" is a political novel. "The Dead Zone" is a political novel. There's that scene in "The Dead Zone" where Johnny Smith sees Greg Stillson in the future starting a nuclear war. Around my house we kinda laugh when Sarah Palin comes on TV, and we say, "That's Greg Stillson as a woman."

Interview link:
http://www.salon.com/books/int/2008/10/23/stephen_king/index.html

http://images.salon.com/books/int/2008/10/23/stephen_king/story.jpg

LOL - The Stand. Great concept.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

"I'm particularly interested in the idea that in the New Testament, you're suggesting a moral code that's actually enlightened. Basically what Christ preached: get along with your neighbor and give everything away and follow me. So we're talking pretty much about communism or socialism, all the things that the good Christian Republicans in the House of Representatives today are railing about in light of this bailout bill. Of course, Christ never preached give away everything to Wall Street, so they might have a point."

Love it. LOL

 

[epiphany65]

Thank you!

<--King fan.

You're welcome. I'm glad someone enjoyed it. I read "Carrie" many years ago. I had to get my mother to sign a note for our school's librarian before she'd let me take it out because i was only 12 or 13 at the time. But I was never really into his other stuff till I downloaded an audiobook of "The Stand". After that I was hooked. For any of you not into him I'd still highly recommend his book "On Writing". It's part memoir, part manual on how to write, and it's chock-full of great advice:

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Stephen-King/dp/0671024256

 

[Selena_Kitt]

You're welcome. I'm glad someone enjoyed it. I read "Carrie" many years ago. I had to get my mother to sign a note for our school's librarian before she'd let me take it out because i was only 12 or 13 at the time. But I was never really into his other stuff till I downloaded an audiobook of "The Stand". After that I was hooked. For any of you not into him I'd still highly recommend his book "On Writing". It's part memoir, part manual on how to write, and it's chock-full of great advice:

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Stephen-King/dp/0671024256

On writing rocks. (Written long after Christine, JBJ )

I think I read Carrie when I was 10? My parents pretty much let me read anything I wanted. A lot of it went over my head at the time, but it's really his voice and storytelling that hooked me.

 

[epiphany65]

On writing rocks. (Written long after Christine, JBJ )

I think I read Carrie when I was 10? My parents pretty much let me read anything I wanted. A lot of it went over my head at the time, but it's really his voice and storytelling that hooked me.

I don't think you meant it literally, but -- his voice really grates on my nerves. A few weeks ago I listened to a recording of him reading "LT's Theory of Pets" for an audience in London and I found that thick Maine accent really distracting.

 

[cloudy]

Reading Duma Key right now, and though I've just started, it's classic Stephen King so far.

The Stand is one of my favorite novels.

 

[starrkers]

On writing rocks. (Written long after Christine, JBJ )

I think I read Carrie when I was 10? My parents pretty much let me read anything I wanted. A lot of it went over my head at the time, but it's really his voice and storytelling that hooked me.

Add me to that chorus.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

ON WRITING EATS SHIT.

King uses the whole book to whine about his childhood and poverty and addictions. BOO HOO

But some of his magazine articles about writing arent bad.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I don't think you meant it literally, but -- his voice really grates on my nerves. A few weeks ago I listened to a recording of him reading "LT's Theory of Pets" for an audience in London and I found that thick Maine accent really distracting.

I actually like his speaking voice, too (although I did mean his writing voice.) I've listened to lots of his audio that he's recorded himself and enjoyed them immensely. Who else could do a Maine accent so well?

(Duma Key's not bad... at least it moves faster than Lisey's Story, which took me FOREVER to get into, then finally got good!)

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

All King knows is fucking monsters.

 

[epiphany65]

I actually like his speaking voice, too (although I did mean his writing voice.) I've listened to lots of his audio that he's recorded himself and enjoyed them immensely. Who else could do a Maine accent so well?

(Duma Key's not bad... at least it moves faster than Lisey's Story, which took me FOREVER to get into, then finally got good!)

I haven't read Lisey's Story, but I listened to Duma Key and liked it a lot. Once it got going I was hooked. Bag of Bones is another fave.

 

[cloudy]

I haven't read Lisey's Story, but I listened to Duma Key and liked it a lot. Once it got going I was hooked. Bag of Bones is another fave.

You ought to give Lisey's Story a try. It's sloooooow to start, but once it gets going, it's great.

 

[loganforester]

All King knows is fucking monsters.

Have you read anything he's wrtten since Christine? Which btw would make my list of the 10 worst King novels.

I'm a bit behind on his writing, I'm just reading Lisey's story now and yeah finding it slow. Glad to hear that it picks up later on.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

LOGAN

Yes. I read IT and was bored. Ditto for THE SHINING. I read THE STAND. TOMMYKNOCKERS....zzzzz.

CARRIE is excellent. Ditto for CHRISTINE. And I liked THE LANGOLIERS. Plus THE GREEN MILE.

I generally read one book each day.

 

[Boota]

Putting down Stephen King seems like a national past time sometimes. Personally, I think he rocks. Not everything is gold, but with the amount he puts out, even now that he is "retired", not everything, realistically, could be. Still, he is a great storyteller. The term literature is for English professors to jerk off to and for less popular writers to soothe their wounded egos with because they are serious. Give me a storyteller any day.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

BOOTA

King says, himself, he was bombed when he did much of his writing. I think its evident when comparing his first books with the later ones.

 

[DeeZire]

ON WRITING EATS SHIT.

King uses the whole book to whine about his childhood and poverty and addictions. BOO HOO

But some of his magazine articles about writing arent bad.

He only uses half the book to reminisce. The rest is informative in an informal way. I thought the section where he shows the original and the edited versions of some passages was interesting. His suggestion to cut 10% from the first draft and his aversion to adverbs in dialogue slugs could be considered invaluable advice to aspiring writers.

While not the best book ever written on writing, it has to be one of the most enjoyable.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Give me a storyteller any day.

 

[Safe_Bet]

Wow! I just had a mega WTF moment!

I glanced at the Forum directory and under the last post column it said:
Stephen King talks about...
by Selena_Kitt

My curser was over the "by" so it looked like:
Stephen King talks about...
Selena_Kitt

I had the thought of "Wow, Selena's REALLY getting famous if Steven King is talking about her!

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Wow! I just had a mega WTF moment!

I glanced at the Forum directory and under the last post column it said:
Stephen King talks about...
by Selena_Kitt

My curser was over the "by" so it looked like:
Stephen King talks about...
Selena_Kitt

I had the thought of "Wow, Selena's REALLY getting famous if Steven King is talking about her!

LOL!!! Now THAT would be funny!

I did once find myself sandwiched between him and Nora Roberts on the Fictionwise "top selling authors" list. But I'm sure he doesn't even know Fictionwise exists and certainly doesn't know I'm alive. (Nora Roberts and I, on the other hand, have had go 'rounds on different blogs in the blogosphere. She's a prude. )

 

[suelove58]

I always try to pick up SK's books when they appear. Some of his stories don't do anything for me but I've enjoyed many more than I've been disappointed with. My faves are the oldies Salem's Lot and The Dead Zone (I had a few problems with Martin Sheen as the President in The West Wing having seen the Dead Zone TV film years before! ) but, of his more recent books, I did enjoy Cell and Duma Key.