The first Stephen King book I read was The Shining. It was a gift from one of my seventh grade Spanish students. He dropped by my apartment one afternoon and just handed me the book. “Ms. Trish, you gotta read this.”
None of my students could remember, much less pronounce, my maiden name – Janeshutz – so to them I was Ms. Trish. This kid’s name was Brian. He was a huge troublemaker in my Spanish class, one of those teacher nightmares you hear about. But on Fridays, when we did our paranormal experiments (it was a private school, you could get away with stuff like this) he was a model student, intuitive, maybe downright psychic. So I figured if it was that Brian who was offering me this book, I’d better read it.
I devoured The Shining that weekend. I barely ate, barely slept, and when I did sleep, I was in the Overlook Hotel. After that, I read Carrie and Salem’s Lot. This guy King was writing about the stuff I wanted to write about, but he was doing it with a master storyteller’s gift – pacing, characters so deep and perplexing, some of them so evil, that I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough. Since then – and that was a long time ago, King and I are the same age – I’ve bought just about everything he has written. I studied his novels, broke them down into scenes, absorbed them.
In one of my astrology books, I dissect King’s birth chart, that creative drive that kept him writing even after he had made zillions. He’s a Virgo with that sun in the third house of communication. This guy MUST write. His moon is in Sagittarius, in the fifth house of creativity. He writes from the deepest part of his psyche, he can’t help himself. Before he writes the first word, he has the big picture – maybe not consciously, but the ending is there, somewhere in his head. His rising is Cancer, so his family and roots are vital to his stability, to his foundations as a writer. Saturn and Pluto in his first house – of self, early childhood – points to deprivation, an absent father figure. There’s a lot more in his chart, but this isn’t an astro post. It’s about King and a book called Haunted Heart, The Life and Times of Stephen King.
I picked it up the night of Jeff Lindsay’s signing for his new Dexter book. It was just sitting there on a shelf, screaming at me. It’s an unauthorized biography, and that word unauthorized, is an attempt to demean it. Once I started reading it, I wanted to savor it, make it last. The author, Lisa Rogan, sees King through the lens of his absent father, his numerous and profound fears, his addictions, his marriage, his muse. I think it’s exactly the book I needed to read because of what’s going on with my own writing at the moment. The insights into the publishing business are as true now as they were then and not much has changed. I needed to know that.
I scanned the index and found a wonderful section about the ghost that inhabited the first house King and his wife bought after the paperback rights for Carrie sold for $400,000, after DePalma bought the movie rights. Sometimes at night when King was writing and the family was asleep, he could feel the ghost nearby. His wife sometimes smelled tobacco smoke as she walked through the house. Figures there would be a ghost. King is a guy who lives with one foot plated here – and another planted there.
Reviewers were not kind to this book. Publishers Weekly, the trade magazine, said no new ground was covered, ho-hum. Some readers disliked the fact that Rogan never interviewed King, only spoke to his assistant. But for me, outsiders often have insights that the authorized biographers miss. Much of this book rings true, especially the parts about writing, the publishing industry, and King’s compulsion to write. Stephen King has managed to change our collective take on all things paranormal. He reached that tipping point long ago.
As he gets older, as I age along with him, it’s fascinating to see where he goes with his stories, where his muse leads him. Even when his latest books are uneven, he’s still an unmatched master of his craft. This biography captures that.
But as it is with all individuals who impact our lives in some way, what can any of us really know about the landscape of that person’s heart? No biography can capture that.
Thanks, Vicki! May all writers enjoy readers like you!
I'm going to have to get this book.
I like some of his books but am a bigger Trish MaGregir fan.
If you love Esperanza read Trish's other books, but Ill warn you that you have to set aside time to read them and reread them.
Thanks, Terri – and Natalie!
1. I loved your post.
2. I completely agree with Nancy re: dark stuff.
3. Appreciated the Green Mile, even though I am a sook and some bits truly have traumatised me.
4. Finally got my tax cheque and can now buy Esperanza. Whoo Hoo! I can't wait. 🙂
wv = relylsi …..I realise. 🙂
I'm also not a reader of Steven King though do love some of the movies based on his books – like The Green Mile and The Langoliers.
I'm also totally enthralled by ESPERANZA. It's the first book I've ever read that has made me want to stop half way through -and begin again – so I really know the story before I move forward. It's awesome!!!
Maggie – they freak me out, too!
I have a hard time reading dark stuff. I did like Green Mile though. But…..I just started this supernatural thriller book last night called ESPERANZA….and I'm hooked already! The idea of brujos is freaking me out! Wow! (wink 😉
I'm a huge Stanley Kubrick fan and love most of his movies especially "The Shining",although I know King wasn't a fan of Stanley's version of his book for some reason,so I'm going to have to read "the Shining" and see what the difference is for myself.
I have a filmmaker friend in England that reviews movies (especially Kubrick's movies) and does a pretty good job on "The Shining",although we don't totally agree,we agree on enough points.
Here's a link to it,your readers might find it interesting;
https://www.collativelearning.com/the%20shining.html
It's worth checking out his other movie reviews as well if you go back to his main page.
Cheers / Darren
WV=prophi (prophetic)?
I'll try that one, Daz. Thanks for the info. I couldn't read IT. Don't know why. Tell your son he has excellent taste – both King and Dexter!
Loved the shining!
Interestingly, King did like Jack Nicholson in role.
Trish,
I was wondering if you've read;
"The Complete Stephen King Universe: A Guide to the Worlds of Stephen King"
It seems to have good reviews here on this Amazon page.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stephen-King-Universe-Worlds/dp/0312324901/ref=pd_sim_b_1
I'm not a big King fan,but then I haven't read many of his books either,only Pet Sematary (which I liked)and "The Stand" (which I couldn't bother to finish)and I still have "IT" sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.
My youngest son is a huge King fan is devouring his books (he is the Dexter fan,also),so I thought I might buy him "The Complete Stephen King Universe" and "Haunted Heart" for Xmas/Chanukah.
Many of King's movies on TV this week because of Halloween. The Shining was on yesterday, along with a few others. Good once-a-year viewing for us who do the monster-mash every once in a while!
🙂 cj
hometown area code "908" the town where I've existed for the last 3+ decades and synchro L N other area code "408" half way around the spectrum,,,, Stephen King's book turned Movie "1408"
oh, geeze, trish, i am moved to tears by your words which i know come from deep within your own heart – i feel them myself – such a beautiful and as nancy says, soulful, post! so generous of you to share king – and yourSelf in such a way – and of the green mile, what else can one say! beautiful post, lady! now off to amazon!!!
Soulful post, Trish. Now I must read it. I've had to stay away from some of King's work because of the darkness he does so well. I'm too susceptible to fear-based thoughts. But I can relate to having someone for whom you look up to when it comes to your craft. I'm interested in knowing more about the publishing business and this book sounds like it gives some insight.
I loved The Green Mile. It's one of his best, for sure.
Your last paragraph says it all, succinctly. We did, or at least I did, get a deep glimpse into the heart of Stephen King via his magnificent book and movie, THE GREEN MILE. It is a classic and will remain forever a classic. One of a kind. It reveals every aspect of a human being: the good, the bad,the exquisite, the ugly. The highest and the lowest. And the story leaves the reader/viewer with a sense of awe. Of inspiration. Of KNOWING that there are souls among us who bring evil and who bring holiness.
I think King's heart has touched upon all of this and in his writings, he opens the doors for us to touch all of this, alongside him. cj