hi all
i agree with those voting for "On Writing." i, too, often enjoy what creative folks say about the creative process and sk's version is quite good imho.

I am a big fan of Stephen King and i love almost all his works but if i have to pick the best (according to me) then i'll have to go with "The Stand"

I would say "The Stand"... as long as it is, it's worth every page!

Been a fan of Steven King since i was a teenager and read Salems Lot and was scared to go to bed. for weeks.
I think my most unusual King moment was when i read the Stand. I actually read it at the time when it was set, and i was stuck in bed with the flu.
it really made me think. I have read most of his earlier novels and his writing style has got better, well he does have a lot of practice, but his turn of phrase and the things he says just keeps me coming back for more.
Off the top of my head i have read
the shining
misery
it
cujo
carrie
christine
dreamcatcher
salems lot
pet sematary
the stand
firstarter
a couple of the short story books loved rita hayworth and the shawshank redemption.
insomnia
geralds game
thats all i can think of of the top of my head, think i read the dark tower storys years ago and.
so are any of the new ones worth having a go off, somebody suggest a new one for me please.
sunday

I've probably read close to all of his books but, The Shining and a short story from Nightmares and Dreamscapes (I think) called Dolan's Cadillac are two of my favorites. I'd have to say that his best book ever is The Long Walk. Kinda surprised I haven't seen more people mention it on here. It seems like alot of his newer stuff isn't as gripping as his older stuff, with the exception of Cell.

I'll have to put my vote for 'The Stand' here also. It's not just my favourite Stephen King book, but one of my all time favourites (period)

Think i would choose "Christine" as one of my favourites.I have read all his early stuff but not much lately - perhaps I've outgrown him! Loved the film "the Green Mile" ,haven't read the book though.
Judging from all the replies it looks like "The Stand" is favourite at the moment.

My all time favorite is, of course, The Stand. Next, would be Gerald's Game. The only King book I didn't especially like was Bag of Bones.

The Stand is also my favorite.

It is such a great read.

I also like, It and 'Salems Lot.

hard to narrow it down but..
the stand
needful things
misery
the shining
the green mile
shawshank redemption(short story)
on writng
not in any particular order, oh and i really couldn't get on with the dark tower books!

I'm generally not a Stephen King reader, read a few, 'the Dark Half' was vivid, quite liked that but The Stand is awesome.. one of my all time favourite books. I watched the TV series first and loved it.. then read the book.. saw the series again later and it was *pale*, I did NOT like it.. esp the way the series butchered Nadine Cross's character. Love Abigail Fremantle.. reminds me of someone I know...

I think Stephen King is one of my favourite authors and I particularly enjoyed 'It', having read it several times. When time is short, I also like to go through the short stories from 'Four past midnight' or 'Skeleton crew'.

Not that I've been through them all but I love 'The Shining'

Can't get into a horror story on pages but I love a good scary movie(not the slasher type, the sci-fi or supernatural kind). My fave King movie is The Langoliers. I may just have to get the book and give it a try.
MM

Oh gosh! I have several favorites! I hope it's ok if I list more than one! Sorry!
1."The Shining"
2."Pet Sematary"
3."The Stand"
4."The Green Mile" series
5."The Cell"

I have read just about everything he's written and own most of them including under pseudonym of John Swithen and Richard Bachman.It, Misery, Insomnia, and Green Mile are at the top. I read Lisey's Story recently and if you haven't yet, please do! It is a bit removed from his usual in that it is a very poignant story and I didn't want it to end. Have to admit, right now anyway, it took over number 1 spot for me. Forgot to put Dolores Claiborne on list-loved it too.I've gone on long enough. It's pretty obvious I am a true "Kinghead". Don't know if that's a word, but it seems to fit me.

I'm with you, jordandog. I just call myself Constant Reader, like he does.
I'd have to put The Stand at the top, followed by The Shining, Talisman, Insomnia, Green Mile, It, um, well many others actually.
It's easier to say which ones I didn't like. Top of the that list is Tommyknockers and most of the others in the middle of the heavily drug-saturated era. They're just too depressing.

I just finished Lisey's Story too, and quite liked it. It reminded me of Rose Madder, with the escapism concept and ideas of sort of reclaiming yourself. But a much sweeter story. He's mellowing in his old age.

I'm a snorty ol' poop some days when it comes to King. I used to really enjoy him (I think, way back then, I was one of the few who not only found his stuff expressly well-assembled 'page-turners' but I also sensed/saw that he was often an amazingly talented writer, too - most folks were all about the 'page-turner part, it seemed). Aside from having the worst ending following a brilliant set-up (just my opinion, mind you), I too was a large fan of "The Stand". Loved "The Shining". Couldn't get enough of the various short stories. But, then....
Out comes "Pet Sematary". Um, that was "it" for my "King Period". It's not unusual for him to put youngsters in peril in his books (tykes beseiged by St. Bernards, teens dealing with peevish cars, proms that get squirrely in no time flat, and so forth) but he went into a description of a little boy's decomposing corpse in "Sematary". I'm no squeamish prude, mind you, but that whole passage went beyond a creepy cheap thrill and became just a little too -um- "detailed with enthusiasm" for this gentle reader.
Which is not to say anything exactly bad about King. Just that I reached my personal limit there (and still think he's a pretty darned talented writer, if one pays attention).

Oddly enough, being a huge fan of his movies, I have not actually read that many of his books. The ones I have read and enjoyed are "Pet Cemetary", "Everything's Eventual", and "Gerald's Game".
Krissy

I guess my favorite would have to be "THINNER"

Its hard for me to pick just one but of the Dark Tower Universe, Wizard and Glass is my favorite.

Non-dark tower? The Dead Zone

I didn't want to start a new Stephen King thread, so hopefully it's alright posting this here.

As someone who has never read one of his books, what would you recommend to start with? I have watched three films based on Stephen King novels: The Shawshank Redemption which I thoroughly enjoyed and it is one of my favourite films now; The Green Mile which I thought was a well-made film and excellent acting; and Hearts in Atlantis which I don't remember much of, but I think I liked, although it is nowhere near as good as the other two I've seen. Oh, I just looked up other films and it turns out Secret Window, which I have seen, is also based on a King novel.

Should I start with the books of these films, since I am familiar with the story, or something totally new?

Thanks in advance!

Actually, The Shawshank Redemption and Secret Window aren't really books, they are novellas (long short stories) If you look for them, Shawshank is called "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," and is in King's book Different Seasons.
"Secret Window, Secret Garden" is the name of the other, and is in the book Four Past Midnight.

I personally think King's books are way better than the movies, although I did enjoy The Green Mile, I think because it is so faithful to the novel.
Any of them will do to start with.

I too own all of Stephen King's books. The Dark Tower series is my favourite ...

On Writing is an amazing book of reference for me. Bag of Bones chilled me to the core. Insomnia is a masterpiece, I read it many years ago and will probably get around to doing so again before the years end!
There are so many that just stick out in my mind, The Shining, Rose Madder (wow!), The Dark Half.

Has anybody here read Lisey's Story?