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Summary: Stephen King's most introspective novellas
Review: I recently watched both "The Shawshank Redemption" (with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) and "Stand By Me" (with River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton and Corey Feldman) and this prompted me to dig out my old copy of Different Seasons. Most people are surprised when they learn that those movies were based on novellas by horror master, Stephen King, but he shows that he's not just into scaring the heck out of you.The story cycle bases one novella per season, and each follows characters on a journey, whether it's one of hope, descent into corruption, coming of age, or life through offspring. "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" takes place over decades, as a prison inmate retains his spirit and soul, while breathing life into a dark institution, and whose patient nature finally leads him to freedom. The story is told in first person from the point of view of old Red, the guy who can get you things, about Andy Dufresne, a young banker jailed for the murder of his wife and her lover. One of King's great strengths is creating a believable voice for his characters, and as you read this tale, it is like Red is talking to you. Other King strengths are providing back story and creating a world in which these characters live, one with a past, present and future, and it makes them three dimensional. One of King's flaws is going off on tangents and digressions a bit too often, but he always comes back to the story. 'The Body' (basis for 'Stand By Me') is a coming of age story about four small town boys on the cusp of entering Junior High School. On the Friday before Labor Day, they set off to find the body of a missing boy. One of the four boys, Vern Tessio, overheard his brother talking to a friend about the dead body. The characters fall into several categories: Gordon LaChance, who narrates the story as an adult, is the dreamer/writer whose older brother died earlier that year. Chris Chambers is athletic, tough but smart. wise beyond his years and the white sheep in a family of black sheep. Teddy Duchamp is the psycho wiseguy who wears thick glasses and hearing aids as the result of his war veteran father putting his head to a stove. Vern Tessio is the least intelligent, but plays a key symbolic part as the one tells the others about the body and also is the first to spot it. Along their journey, the boys encounter adventures, such as Milo Pressman the junkyard operator and his dog, Chopper. There is a run across a high trestle as a train bears down on them, a swim in a culvert full of leeches, and a night in the dark woods with screaming wild animals. When they eventually reach the boys, they have a run in with a group of teenage hoods from their town. A major difference from the movie, is that this story details the aftermath of the confrontation after the boys return to town. King does a nice balancing act with his adult narrative and pre-adolescent dialogue, making each voice unique and fleshing out each boy's character to make them multi-dimensional. All four experience growth, but Gordon and Chris take this growth with them as they get older. Don't let people drag you down. There's a lot more to this story than just kids looking for a dead body.
My bumps here are again that King goes off on tangents and digressions, some to fill in background and history for the characters, but sometimes really straying far from the course. At one point he takes nearly a page to say that someone is dead, where 'The kid was dead. The kid wasn't sick, the kid wasn't sleeping.' Would probably have sufficed. I won't go into a lot of detail about the other two stories. 'Apt Pupil' is about a boy who discovers a Nazi war criminal living in his town, and blackmails the old man into telling him stories about the war in exchange for not blowing the whistle on him. The stories the boy hears slowly lead him into senseless acts of violence. In 'The Breathing Woman' a 'disgraced woman is determined to triumph over death.' These four stories combine to make an interesting cycle, and demonstrate that Stephen King has writing talents that stretch beyond his horror work.
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Summary: What a Movie? Where can I read the book!!
Review: It was a great movie so i decide in my free time to see how good the book is i always see how King is a great writer i have never seen any of his wrok but when i saw ShawShank Redemption it was great now i would love to read it! dan
Rating:
Summary: A great book
Review: Reta hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, was a great short story by stephen king. I enjoyed reading this book and even watching the movie. I was suprised how much the book grabed my attention and how I didn't ever put it down.
Rating:
Summary: A great book
Review: Reta hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, was a great short story by stephen king. I enjoyed reading this book and even watching the movie. I was suprised how much the book grabed my attention and how I didn't ever put it down.
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Summary: My review on the Shawshank Redemption
Review: Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption written by Stephen King is a book that will keep you reading until you finish. The idea of a man being sent to prison for committing murder is a horrible thing. What he goes through while in prison is an experience that no one should go through. The use of this quote as an opening line sets up Red's role in the book. "There's a guy like me in state and federal prison in America, I guess-I'm the guy who can get it for you." This quote is one of the best quotes in the whole book because we see the role Red is going to play in the book. When Andy Defruense is sent to prison he meets up with Red, the man who can get you anything. While Andy is in prison he spends most of his time by himself. Since he knows all about financial issues he ends up doing some of the guards and wardens taxes. He also takes to running the prison's library. This book is very well and is an all around good book. All the excitement that Andy has to face while is prison is great such as the end, which you must read to find it out. The way he plans everything out and is able reform some people to stop them from certain things is always great. There is really no part of the book that is bad; it is just full of great writing. In the end this book is a great book that is a short and easy read for a reader of any level.
Rating:
Summary: My review on the Shawshank Redemption
Review: Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption written by Stephen King is a book that will keep you reading until you finish. The idea of a man being sent to prison for committing murder is a horrible thing. What he goes through while in prison is an experience that no one should go through. The use of this quote as an opening line sets up Red's role in the book. "There's a guy like me in state and federal prison in America, I guess-I'm the guy who can get it for you." This quote is one of the best quotes in the whole book because we see the role Red is going to play in the book. When Andy Defruense is sent to prison he meets up with Red, the man who can get you anything. While Andy is in prison he spends most of his time by himself. Since he knows all about financial issues he ends up doing some of the guards and wardens taxes. He also takes to running the prison's library. This book is very well and is an all around good book. All the excitement that Andy has to face while is prison is great such as the end, which you must read to find it out. The way he plans everything out and is able reform some people to stop them from certain things is always great. There is really no part of the book that is bad; it is just full of great writing. In the end this book is a great book that is a short and easy read for a reader of any level.
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Summary: a "must read" for fans of the green mile
Review: Sorry, I'm rating this book even though I've yet to read it. I've only just recently seen the movie, but I'm definitely buying the book. Stephen King's best work is not in the horror stories for which he is famous for. Don't get me wrong, I love the horror also. His best work is in stories like "Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile". These are not horror stories. Though parts of the stories will horrify you and really make you think. They'll also make you laugh and ball your eyes out. Many people I've recommended "The Green Mile" to do not believe that Stephen King is the author. These are two stories that will touch you in a way that you will not believe possible. The movie "Shawshank Redemption" is PHENOMENAL! I'm really looking forward to reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: The best Stephen King has ever come up with.
Review: When I read the short story I thought it was great. Then came the movie & I wondered, "How in the world can they make a movie out of that?" Since I'm such a fan, I decided to watch it, even though I was sure it would be a flop. I have to honestly say, I watch it over & over & over... It was cast perfectly & in my opinion, Shawshank Redemption is the best movie ever, bar none. I watch it at least one a week, sometime more. If there were 10 stars, I'd give them to Shawshank Redemption.
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