[bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Stephen King
- From: "Amy Goldring Tajalli" <agoldringtajalli@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 13:15:28 -0400
Dear Lissi and Cindy,
Steven King when he is good is brilliiant as he is in Carrie and The Stand and
even Dead Zone it was after Christine and one or two others that I quit. Not
even teenages use the f word that much and that inappropriately. I was less
offended that I was bored and found it less than good writing. And after a
while I was less than tempted by the descriptions. I saw the film of The Green
Mile and wanted to read it much as I want to read Malamud's original for The
Natural. I have never been disappointed by a book when I have seen the movie
first. I cannot say the reverse is true. For those who have seen Intruder in
the Dust, the book will not disappoint nor will the movie for the readers.
That is not true of most of the films allegedly based on Faulkner novels. To
get back to Steven King, I must confess to cowardace as I have never seen
Misery and the ads & previews of the movie have kept me from reading the book.
As for spoken word recordings. I discovered those in grammar school as they
helped me get rid of a stammer and lisp I had - those and a father who worked
with me and had a memory full of poetry he could and did recite. I never would
have passed my doctoral exams had it not been for the recordings of
Shakespeare's histories. Caedmon's spoken word collections of Poets reading
their own poetry is still available on tape and I hope will be on cd. Also
available are such recordings as two of Faulkner reading Faulkner. They can
also be found both at Caedmon. com and Recorded Books.com though you might have
to double check those.
Thanks, Cindy, for the description and recommendation of King reading King or I
might never have even tried to find them. Many authors should never read their
own works or, like Faulkner, should be forewarned about the speed and accent
with which he reads. Vachel Lindsay should be read by someone with a deep,
rolling voice, preverably a bass or baritone. I say that based on his own
instructions for readers that are in the margins of many of his poems.
Unfortunately, he has a high tenor Tennessee twang that is like the scratching
of a badly played violin. Edison recorded Tennyson but only a few bits and
pieces remain and they do not match any of the descriptions of his reading. If
you get a chance to listen to the recordings Dylan Thomas made they are not to
be missed. Only Richard Burton matches Dylan's own readings. Many of those are
now available on disc including Dylan's reading of A Child's Christmas in Wales
which include some of his poems as well.
The plays are not as easy to follow which may be why so many people don't
listen. You have to either know the play or have a script handy because you
are listening to performances and the speakers are not identified not are any
of the stage directions of playdivisions. For those who are sighted you need a
script with large enough print to meet your needs. For those without sight a
Braille script is almost essential unless you know the play well enough to
follow just with the actors' voices. They are worth the effort as
Shakespeare's plays were never intended to be read or studied. The best way to
learn or "study" Shakespeare is with the BBC/Masterpiece Theatre productions of
the Complete Shakespeare Plays. I could be wrong but I doubt if you need sight
to appreciate them as Shakespeare's words give us the scenes which could not be
created on the Globe (or any period) Theatre during daylight and there were no
nighttime productions. Essential the recordings are the same as both they and
the BBC productions are complete amd unabridged.
Forgive me. I do tend to run on with my enthusiasms and I have loved these
recordings for a long time. It is seldom I meet anyone else who has listened
or would want to listen to them. And I do not exaggerate when I say that
without them I doubt if I could have passed my Shakespeare exam. Actually,
without Spoken Word recording I probably would have done very badly even in
high school and I am sighted. I just did not like the way literature was
ruined in school. How can you learn to appreciate Steinbeck when one of his
short novels is studied one chapter per week. And what was done to poetry is
often a crime.
Okay, I'll shut up.
Amy
omst
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 1:28 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Stephen King
> Dear Lissi,
>
> I found all that you said here about Stephen King
> really interesting. Thanks for sharing.
>
> Cindy
>
> --- Estelnalissi <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Dear Amy,
>>
>> The Green Mile was originally published in serial
>> form of I think 6 parts. Web Braille has it, but the
>> parts are named individually which is confusing. The
>> book is deeply moving and emotional.
>>
>> In some respects, King is a perpetual adolescent who
>> revels in blood, guts and spewing bodily fluids. He
>> writes this because it's fun for him and a
>> considerable portion of his readers like the spooky,
>> icky stuff, too. But, he can also be very mature,
>> perceptive and sensitive. His characters literally
>> walk off the pages. Being a chicken, I by pass most
>> of King, knowing I'm missing some good reading. I
>> like his short stories, The Green Mile and The Girl
>> Who Loved Tom Gordon, best.
>>
>> King listened to books on tape way before audio
>> books became popular with sighted readers. He used
>> to pay his kids to read books on tape. He'd listen
>> to them as he walked the roads in Maine. Soon his
>> kids were hooked on reading out loud and he didn't
>> have to pay them. He was one of the first authors to
>> be deeply committed to mass marketing of audio books
>> and he insisted that his books be unabridged.
>> Remember at first how most mass market audio was
>> abridged. Well, not his.
>>
>> What I'm building up to here is that through my
>> local library I've been literally thrilled to hear
>> him reading his books. Part of the pleasure is that
>> you can hear that absolute glee he feels retelling
>> his stories. He reads as if the story was brand new
>> to him. He's as excited, creeped out or moved as
>> much as he imagines his most appreciative readers
>> are as they listen. Like Dickens, he's absolutely
>> ecstatic about reading his books aloud and I find
>> his enthusiasm contagious. You can literally hear
>> him smiling and like me you might find yourself
>> smiling back.
>>
>> One more thing I admire about Steven King is that,
>> unlike some prolific best selling authors, he
>> doesn't have a boatload of researchers and ghost
>> writers doing the lion's share of the work cranking
>> out a slew of books. He writes long hours. He
>> doesn't sweat the small stuff. His drafts are rough,
>> needing a deal of line editing, but the content,
>> structure, all of it, are expressions of his
>> imagination experience delight in the horrific and
>> his values. When so much of our entertainment is
>> hatched by a group mind operating in direct response
>> to market analysis, I admire authors who are one man
>> or one woman, shows, more than ever!
>>
>> King writes books he'd like to read himself and has
>> a massive niche in the reading population. If horror
>> stories were roller coasters, King's might be one of
>> the fastest, highest and one with the steepest
>> plummets. That's how it looks to me, but I don't
>> read much horror.
>>
>> Scot, are you listening? You are the horror
>> officianotto on the list. How would you put King in
>> perspective?
>>
>> Woo. Considering I only really liked a handful of
>> his books, I had a lot to say about Steven King. I
>> admit I think he's a cool person. It's not about
>> right and wrong, but what floats your boat or sinks
>> it. Yeah choice!
>>
>> Always with love,
>>
>> Lissi
>> "My story is finally out there in the ether, a
>> self-sufficient organism beyond my control, changing
>> shape in every new mind that absorbs it."
>> From The Night Listener, a novel by
>> Armistead Maupin
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Amy Goldring Tajalli
>> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 1:28 PM
>> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Stephen King
>>
>>
>> Pratik,
>>
>> I quit reaking Stephen King after he started to
>> sound like a teenage boy who just learn to swear.
>> He was using four (and five, and 6-) letter swear
>> words as though the had to get them out of his
>> system. Now I am not a prude but I like swear words
>> where they are necessary and effective aand even
>> Lenny Bruce stopped using them when he finally got
>> people to understand the point he was making. You
>> would be amazed how long the "F" word has been in
>> the English language and how little it has changed.
>> The only thing that changes is it frequency and I
>> hope we have reached the point of oversaturation - I
>> certainly have. If you can recommend books like I
>> have been reading about recently in these pages I
>> could be really tempted to go back to his works.
>> The only one I have not packed away is The Stand and
>> I have both editions and have read both. Can you
>> tell me which book includes "The Green Mile" ? If
>> the movie does it credit it is a little gem.
>> I have little time for reading anymore since I
>> have been a volunteer but If I every find the time
>> to finish Les Mis I will be looking for other
>> reading material [other than the bookshare material]
>> . And I still want to follow up with the Tolkien
>> validating I agreed to as well as books relating to
>> the period and subjects of Genji. I am amazed and
>> how some of you get to do so much scanning and
>> validating while still having lives outside of that.
>>
>> What is a life, anyway?
>>
>> Amy
>> omst
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "k4zq" <k4zq@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: "books ` list" <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 12:41 PM
>> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Stephen King
>>
>>
>> > Pratik,
>> >
>> > Steve wrote an account of his son's Little
>> League team's run for the Maine
>> > state championship which is one of the best
>> sports novelettes I've ever
>> > read.
>> >
>> > He also has written a memoir called "On Writing"
>> which I think is essential
>> > for anyone really interested in the art of
>> writing fiction.
>> >
>> > Peace,
>> > Ernie
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Pratik Patel" <pratikp1@xxxxxxxxx>
>> > To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 11:07 AM
>> > Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Stephen King
>> >
>> >
>> >> Hello,
>> >>
>> >> Steven King can be an incredible writer when
>> he puts his mind to it. A
>> >> part of his Dark Tower series is amazing. He
>> loses it when he stretches
>> >> things too much. A book such as "Hearts of
>> Atlantis," which doesn't
>> >> contain
>> >> the strangeness of some of the other books,
>> really brings out King's
>> >> strengths. His short stories are wonderful as
>> well.
>> >>
>> >> Pratik
>> >>
>> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
>> Behalf Of k4zq
>> >> Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2006 2:34 AM
>> >> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Stephen King
>> >>
>> >> Cindy,
>> >>
>> >> Steve felt sorry for Cujo, too.
>> >>
>> >> Peace,
>> >> Ernie
>> >>
>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From: "Cindy" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
>> >> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> >> Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 6:32 PM
>> >> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] OT: Stephen King
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>>I read Cujo and Misery, and I think he's a good
>> >>> writer, at least in those books. I really felt
>> sorry
>> >>> for Cujo. It wasn't his fault he went mad.
>> >>>
>> >>> I also read a book of his short stories and
>> thought
>> >>> they were well-written. Certainly more so than
>> some of
>> >>> the popular authors, both mystery and other
>> fiction,
>> >>> that I've read for bookshare.
>> >>>
>> >>> Cindy
>> >>> --- Evan Reese <mentat1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>> If it put you to sleep, why are you going to
>> read
>> >>>> the book?
>> >>>>
>> >>>> As far as King goes, the two I read were
>> Carrie, and
>> >>>> The dead Zone. Carrie was only okay, and
>> since it
>> >>>> was - I think - his first novel, I cut him
>> some
>> >>>> slack on that one. But I was especially
>> >>>> disappointed with The Dead Zone. He didn't
>> really
>> >>>> do anything interesting with the precognition
>> angle
>> >>>> compared to what Frank Herbert or Mike
>> resnick did
>> >>>> with it. Besides, evil is so banal anyway.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> From: k4zq
>> >>>> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>>> Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 2:30 PM
>> >>>> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: A Submission
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> The Synopsis put me to sleep. 'Bout as
>> good as
>> >>>> Cliff Notes. However, I've read a couple of
>> books
>> >>>> before, although, not too many, so I think I
>> can
>> >>>> muddle through.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Be careful what you say to me. I got that
>> reject
>> >>>> button, you know.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Sorry about Steve, Evan. Apt Pupil is just
>> a good
>> >>>> addition for education in the dark side.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Peace,
>> >>>> Ernie
>> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> From: Evan Reese
>> >>>> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>>> Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 11:57 AM
>> >>>> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: A
>> Submission
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> It was just the left half of the dust
>> jacket!
>> >>>> What do you mean long? It fit in the
>> submission
>> >>>> form, so maybe you aren't getting enough
>> sleep. I
>> >>>> just read through it again in a minute or so.
>> If
>> >>>> you're having this much trouble with a
>> synopsis, you
>> >>>> may not want to tackle a whole book just yet.
>> <grin>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> I read to of King's works, and I wasn't
>> >>>> impressed with his writing ability.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> From: k4zq
>> >>>> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>>> Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 8:00 AM
>> >>>> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: A
>> Submission
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Evan!
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Was that synopsis the entire book?
>> Thought
>> >>>> I'd never get through it.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> I'll go see if somebody already has it,
>> and if
>> >>>> not, I'll get it, then I can consult with you
>> on it
>> >>>> if I need.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Btw, If you Ain't familiar with "Apt
>> Pupil,"
>> >>>> it's an excellent contribution to your
>> development
>> >>>> as purely evil.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Peace,
>> >>>> Ernie
>> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
>> >>>> From: Evan Reese
>> >>>> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>>> Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 10:25
>> PM
>> >>>> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] A
>> Submission
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Well, I finally got it up there. The
>> book
>> >>>> is called Transcension by Damien Broderick.
>> It is
>> >>>> Science Fiction. I hope the validator reads
>> the
>> >>>> comments I put in the form. All of the
>> chapter
>> >>>> headings, as well as the title and author on
>> the
>> >>>> title page, are in lower-case letters. I
>> hope
>> >>>> whomever doesn't decide that they are errors
>> and
>> >>>> "fix" them.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Ironically, after all the recent talk
>> about
>> >>>> validators reading through submissions, I
>> hope
>> >>>> whoever does this one does the minimum,
>> unless they
>> >>>> are familiar with the book. There are a
>> number of
>> >>>> other peculiarities in the book which might
>> be taken
>> >>>> as errors if someone doesn't notice their
>> >>>> consistency. For example, the chapter
>> headings with
>> >>>> Arabic numbers are followed by a space, a
>> colon,
>> >>>> another space, and then the chapter name,
>> whereas
>> >>>> those chapters starting with roman numerals
>> are
>> >>>> followed by a colon without the space. I
>> really
>> >>>> enjoyed the book, but it was a lot of work to
>> get
>> >>>> into shape.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> For any who are interested, here is
>> the
>> >>>> synopsis from the dust jacket:
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Damien Broderick has been a leading
>> >>>> Australian SF writer since the seventies,
>> winning
>> >>>> numerous awards. His novel The Dreaming
>> Dragons was
>> >>>> named one of the 100 best SF novels. His
>> recent
>> >>>> nonfiction book, The Spike, is a
>> mind-stretching
>> >>>> look at the wonders of the high-tech future.
>> Now in
>> >>>> Transcension, he brings to life one of the
>> high-tech
>> >>>> futures he imagined in The Spike, a
>> 22nd-century
>> >>>> Utopia pervaded by nanotechnology and ruled
>> by a
>> >>>> benign but coldly objective AI. Transcension
>> may be
>> >>>> Broderick's best book yet.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Amanda is a brilliant violinist, a
>> >>>> mathematical genius, and a rebel. Impatient
>> for the
>> >>>> adult status her society only grants at age
>> thirty,
>> >>>> but determined to have a real adventure
>> first, she
>> >>>> has repeatedly gotten into trouble and found
>> herself
>> >>>> in the courtroom of Magistrate Mohammed
>> Abdel-Malek,
>> >>>> the sole resurrectee from among those who
>> were
>> >>>> frozen in the early 21st century, the man
>> whose mind
>> >>>> was the seed for Aleph, the AI that rules
>> this
>> >>>> Utopia.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Mathewmark is a real adolescent,
>> living in
>> >>>> the last place where they still exist, the
>> >>>> reservation known as the Valley of the God of
>> One's
>> >>>> Choice, where those who have chosen faith
>> over
>> >>>> technology are allowed to live out their
>> simpler
>> >>>> lives. When Amanda determines that access to
>> the
>> >>>> valley is the key to the daring stunt she
>> plans, it
>> >>>> is Mathewmark she will have to lead into
>> temptation.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> But just as Amanda, Mathewmark. and
>> >>>> Abdel-Malek are struggling to find themselves
>> and
>> >>>> achieve their potentials, so is Aleph, and
>> the AI's
>> >>>> success will be a challenge to them and all
>> of
>> >>>> humanity.
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> No virus found in this incoming
>> message.
>> >>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>> >>>> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database:
>> >>>> 268.11.5/426 - Release Date: 8/23/2006
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>
>> >>
>>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> >>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>> >>>> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database:
>> 268.11.6/427
>> >>>> - Release Date: 8/24/2006
>> >>>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
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