Different Seasons

it was great!

This is my all time favourite book.

remember the movies the shawshank redemption? stand by me? apt pupil? they all started novellas written by king. 4 novellas in this collection and well worth the read. king seems to me to be better at the short rather than long form. excellent!

Contains Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, the Body (aka Stand By Me), Apt Pupil and the Breathing Method. Some of Stephen's finest writing in these stories, particularly Shawshank and the Body. I think of those two stories whenever I drive through Maine. The only one I didn't care for was Breathing Method, but I've only read it once when I was 15 so mayhaps I should...more

Contains Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, the Body (aka Stand By Me), Apt Pupil and the Breathing Method. Some of Stephen's finest writing in these stories, particularly Shawshank and the Body. I think of those two stories whenever I drive through Maine. The only one I didn't care for was Breathing Method, but I've only read it once when I was 15 so mayhaps I should give it another chance as an adult. Even with Breathing Method being a bust the other three more than make up for it.   hide

What an amazing collection!! By far some of the best King has written. Even though these are not tales of "horror" they certainly have horrific moments. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption: Such a well written story. No wonder the movie is so great. It is a solid tale. I won't waste too much of the review here. The movie follows the story very closely. Some...more

What an amazing collection!! By far some of the best King has written. Even though these are not tales of "horror" they certainly have horrific moments. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption: Such a well written story. No wonder the movie is so great. It is a solid tale. I won't waste too much of the review here. The movie follows the story very closely. Some characters are added and combined to the film, but the overall story is almost exact. Watch the movie and read this!! Apt Pupil could very well be one of the most haunting and horrifying stories I've ever read. It feels a bit like a Bachman book, but even better. One monster brings out a long dormant monster in this Nazi horror story. The decline of sanity in the characters is truly disturbing. The Body: so good. The movie is another faithful adaptation, but the story has a little more going for it. Wonderful! The Breathing Method: is King's "horror story" of the collection. Though I still don't think of it as such. Here we see some indirect ties to the Dark Tower. There is an idea here that King goes on to explore in depth later in his writing. Overall, the tale is good. And quite likable. Overall, if I had to classify a running theme throughout each of these 4 novellas, it would be friendship. Andy & Red in Shawshank, Todd and Dussander in Apt Pupil (even though it is sickening, it is still a thriving friendship!), Gordie & Chris in The Body, and McCarron and Miss Stanfield in Breathing Method. Each story fully explores these friendships, as well as others. What it means to love, give love, feed off one another, and take care of someone is all covered within these pages. Such a great collection!   hide

Not my favorite Stephen King read, but when three out of the four stories have been made into movies, I suppose someone liked them! Of course, the one I liked best was the one that has not (yet?) been made into a movie. This was a two-for-one story, the first about a man who is a member of a mysterious club in which tales are told; the second is one such tale. These "short" stories fall...more

Not my favorite Stephen King read, but when three out of the four stories have been made into movies, I suppose someone liked them! Of course, the one I liked best was the one that has not (yet?) been made into a movie. This was a two-for-one story, the first about a man who is a member of a mysterious club in which tales are told; the second is one such tale. These "short" stories fall more under the novella category. Each one could stand on its own, though there is some cross over for the careful reader.   hide

Not my favorite King collection of novellas. The "Shawshank Redemption" was very good except the movie followed the book so closely that it felt to me like this story was written *after* the movie. "The Spy" was the creepiest, and best of the four for it's twisted characters and interwoven plot. "The Body" was less about the gore of a corpse and more of a coming-of-age story about a pack of...more

Not my favorite King collection of novellas. The "Shawshank Redemption" was very good except the movie followed the book so closely that it felt to me like this story was written *after* the movie. "The Spy" was the creepiest, and best of the four for it's twisted characters and interwoven plot. "The Body" was less about the gore of a corpse and more of a coming-of-age story about a pack of boys on the adventure of a lifetime. And "The Breathing Method" was someone spooky but most hopeful... if a story can be both.   hide

A fantastic collection of four novellas, three of which have been made into movies; The prison-classic "The Shawshank redemption" is the opening novella in the "Hope springs eternal" season. The "Summer of corruption" season story is called "Apt pupil" about a boy who becomes obsessed with the horrors of the Holocaust and blackmails a fugitive Nazi war criminal to spill the more gruesome...more

A fantastic collection of four novellas, three of which have been made into movies; The prison-classic "The Shawshank redemption" is the opening novella in the "Hope springs eternal" season. The "Summer of corruption" season story is called "Apt pupil" about a boy who becomes obsessed with the horrors of the Holocaust and blackmails a fugitive Nazi war criminal to spill the more gruesome details. But soon the tables are turned and suddenly things are much more complicated...recently made into a film starring Ian McKellen and Brad Renfro "Fall from innocence" season story "The body" is a coming of age tale of 4 young boys on a weekend trip to the woods, looking for the body of a kid that has been reported missing. It was made into the classic "Stand by me" some years back. "A winters tale" - enter the world of a strange and very private gentlemens club where stories are told in front of a roaring fire, whose hearth bears the inscription "IT IS THE TALE, NOT HE WHO TELLS IT". On one dark and stormy night, one of the members - a doctor - tells of a most extraordinary childbirth he witnessed. Fantastic tales all and well worth a look.   hide

A collection of great short stories, and at the time they came out were so shockingly different from Kings standard at the time. I had read this book before any of the stories became movies. I am very glad it worked out that way. While the movies were good, reading and conjuring up my own visuals while reading these stories was an awesome get away without having Hollywood draw me their own...more

A collection of great short stories, and at the time they came out were so shockingly different from Kings standard at the time. I had read this book before any of the stories became movies. I am very glad it worked out that way. While the movies were good, reading and conjuring up my own visuals while reading these stories was an awesome get away without having Hollywood draw me their own pictures to each story.   hide