In Which We Discuss Christine

I first read Christine in 2008.  Since then, I have described it as 300 pages of plot in a 700 page novel.  I'm not totally sure if I feel that way any more.  A second read through has allowed me to take my time and absorb the plot more without being so impatient to get to the end.  I enjoyed it more, but it's still not in my top ten.

The book reminds me a little of my grandfather; he named his car Christine.

I started making a playlist using the songs quoted in the book, but accidentally returned the book to the library before I finished it.  It's a very good playlist; I particularly enjoyed Woody Guthrie's Take You Ridin' in my Car.

James Smythe seems to have had a similar opinion to myself on this one, though, as always, he's expressed it rather better.

I finished Christine almost a week ago, and it's taken me this long to write this much.  The next book is Pet Semetary, which I've also read before, probably about the same time as Christine.  I picked that up from the library a few days ago and still haven't started - it's been a busy week.

In Which We Discuss Books I Read in my 26th Year, Week 14/52

Firstly, some news.  I'm on a final written warning at work due to absence.  Mostly it's because I took two months off in the middle of summer due to depression.  The straw that broke the camel's back was the recent five days I took off when I had such a bad cold that I nearly fainted one day, after not being to eat.  All very sad.

I thought of this when writing this post because it lasts for a year.  I'm already 14 weeks, or nearly three months, into being 26.  So maybe it won't be that long until I'm 14 weeks into 27, with a clear record again.

I listened to The Vagina Monologues rather than read them.  I really don't enjoy Eve Ensler's performance, not as much as I did seeing it performed last year.  I listened to it in the car with my new boyfriend.  He quite enjoyed it.  He grew up outnumbered by sisters, so he's already well broken in.

I read Perks of Being a Wallflower because it's been sitting on my kindle for ages and because the film got such good reviews.  It was awful.  Halfway through, it came as a shock to learn that the narrative character was supposed to be a highly literate, intelligent sixteen-year-old and not a slightly simple eight-year-old.  Writing like someone who doesn't communicate well can be used to great effect - for example, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - but not when the character in question is being raved about by other characters for their writing skills.

Last Continent is another one I listened to.  A Discworld book, which I've read before.  I appear to be listening to all of the Discworld books, in no particular order.  I've since moved on to Monstrous Regiment, so you'll see that pop up in a week or two.  Nigel Planer gives an excellent performance, and his accent doesn't wander nearly so much as the Egyptian one he attempted for Pteppic's father in Pyramids.

Christine was part of my Stephen King Chronological Reading Project.  I really need to get a move on and write a proper post for that, I finished it two days ago.

I first read Christine in 2008.  At the time, I felt it had about half as much plot as the pages actually required.  I read it with less impatience this time, and enjoyed it a little more.  The next one will be Pet Semetary, which I've also read before, and which I'll pick up from the library tomorrow.

Big Girls don't cry is yet another old favourite.  I first read it at fifteen or sixteen and it blew me away.  One particular line has been adopted as my personal philosophy; get the foundations right and the building can go up anyhow it likes.  The line applies to underwear and clothing, but I think of it as applying to all beauty.  Master clear skin, well-cut hair and neat eyebrows, and don't bother to put make-up on everyday, is my philosophy.

Finally, Grimm Tales Made Gay.  Humourous verses based on Grimm's Fairytales.  I read it at work.  Short and amusing.

In Which We Discuss Night Shift and the Stand

Appparently, I never wrote a post about Night Shift.  I'm sure I read it, and checking GoodReads confirms that.  I read it in August of last year.  So, my apologies for never posting.

Edit: Oh hey, I did post, I just didn't finish all the tags.  It's here.

Night Shift is a collection of short stories, some written by King in high school or college.  The collection itself was first published in 1978.  Stephen and Tabitha King had three children by now, Naomi, Joe and Owen.  The two boys grew up to be writers as I mentioned here.

Night Shift is a collection of twenty stories, including two related to 'salem's Lot, Jerusalem's Lot and Graveyard Shift. One that stands out to me is Quitters, Inc, which illustrates a rather extreme anti-smoking viewpoint.

I do like Stephen King's short stories.  This isn't one of my favourite collections, but it's worth a read, as they all are.

At the moment, I'm reading The Stand.  I'm 520 pages through, and that's not even halfway.

The Stand was originally published in 1978.  At the time, about 300 pages were cut.  Later, in 1990, it was republished with those cut sections put back in, and the setting updated to 1990.  This lead to quite a few anachronisms; the one that's stood out to me so far is mention of what I think is a record player.  I was born in 1988, but they did have CDs by then, didn't they?

I actually quite like the stand, more than I did The Shining, and a lot more than I did 'salem's Lot.  It feels like the right length for the story.  There are quite a few books of Stephen King's that feel too long - Christine, for one, and 'salem's Lot - but this isn't one of them, despite being one of the longest single books I've ever read.  The story jumps between quite a few characters, not all of whom connect, and it's sometimes difficult to remember who's who right away.  I think the length works because they're all interesting.

At this point, there are a few references to King's other novels.  There's a government agency which also appears in Firestarter, and Randell Flagg who shows up again in The Dark Tower series amongst others.  More when I've read a bit further through.