Resolution52 – Brian Utley

Every time someone finds out that Stephen King is my favorite author, I somehow always feel the need to begin with, “but, in my defense…..” Regardless, I should probably clarify something right away; my top three favorite books were not written by Stephen King, in fact, if I had to make a list, I’m not sure he would even make the top ten.  That said, let me tell you why he is, number one, my all time favorite writer, and that number two, meeting him and getting his autograph is on my bucket list, and three, if writers had groupies, I would definitely follow him around on tour  in hopes that he would throw a bookmark or something at me from on stage.

As a lover of most things written, I too have a need to better myself through the reading of great classic works of literature.  I feel an obligation to tick down the classics list and mark them as read on my Goodreads account.  But, I’m gonna be honest with you, sometimes a read like that can be tough to take in.  It doesn’t always get me excited to find the social commentary or hidden messages written between the lines. These days, as I read on my own and not as a student, although I still find it necessary to better myself through the books I choose, sometimes I just….don’t.  And in my old age, so help me, it gets exhausting even considering bettering myself, let alone doing it. The last few reads have been pretty serious stuff.  Stuff I needed to analyze and make applicable to my life. It’s akin to knowing I should be watching that film that won all the awards on like the mass genocide of a nation, but instead I just really feel like watching Dumb and Dumber.  And don’t get me wrong, the last few reads were a real treat, but this time I just wanted to read something I knew I would enjoy, without the need to find some meaning in the subtext.  So I turned to my old friend Stephen, who just came out with a new book called, 11/22/63, a novel that questions the morality and dangers of trying to change history and what life would be like if JFK had never been assassinated.

Honestly, it wasn’t my most favorite of his books, but I still very much enjoyed it and read it in only a few sittings (it’s almost 900 pages). The thing about Mr. King is not only does he have the most crazy awesome imagination, but he is seriously the most talented writer. The way he weaves a story and his ability to keep you turning the pages is unlike any other.  I mean this guy writes 800+ page books and I just keep on reading. To me, he is the epitome of what it means to be a true story teller. My only beef with him is his hardbacks are so heavy I can’t take them in the bath with me.

In a nutshell, and in his own words, I like King because “sometimes a cigar is just a smoke and a story’s just a story.” At the end of the day, most of the time, I just want to be entertained, and that’s what he does for me.  So if its King for me, or Twilight or whatever for you, I say, whatever floats your boat. For heavens sake, I’ll even listen to pop music here and there if it makes me want to tap my feet.  Because in the end, if it’s good, it’s good. Who am I to judge?

Author’s Note**** A few of my favorites that you might want to check out are, in no particular order: The Stand, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, (which is included in the book Different Seasons along with other great novellas like Apt Pupil and The Body((movie adaption, Stand by Me)) Just After Sunset, (particularly the novella, The Gingerbread Girl), Needful Things, It, On Writing, Salems Lot, The Shining, and most recently, Under The Dome.  Seriously though, there’s not a story of his I haven’t enjoyed.

Book Thoughts 11/22/63, Jenny Dalton, Stephen King