Secret Windows

[Mr. Palmer]

This is an absolutely fantastic book. A total treat to read. I love Stephen King's non-fiction outings. And this book is a tour de force.

It might offer material that you've previously read, but I'd still recommend it. The book looks perfectly fine on a bookcase already stuffed with other Stephen King outings.

Read it!

[michal]

I loved the book, and I found the stories in it... well, your word "treat" is an accurate one. It was like eating out without over stuffing yourself. I came back from this book both satisfied, and yet still ready for more.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Yes, I completely agree, and I know that many Sai King fans aren't aware of its existence, I know I wasn't until I joined the MB (thankee Amanda and Kim!).

Intended as a companion volume to On writing it's only available in a book club edition on the secondary market, and unlikely ever to be reprinted, Amazon usually have copies, search it out!

Long days and pleasant nights

[jchanic]

For those members of the Book of the Month Club, it's still available at $9.99.

John

[wally wonder]

i read from this book in the morning. real regular. one thing sk said to a question in the 'evening at the billerica library' piece struck me funny. was asked if he'd ever written anything really scary that kept him up all night. said, yeah, not very often though (he does give an example later). but after the 'not very often though' he says it's because a lot of the time you feel like you've got it in the palm of your hand. he mentions ben mears and his globe. sk says 'a lot of times the really scary stuff feels like that, to me. it feels like you're got it finally, what scared you really bad, you've got it in this thing and it's yours and it can't get out.'

then he goes on to talk about things that get out and gives an example. but that image of the globe struck me, all things considered.

and now, there's this big thick book calling me and by golly, it's worked before, time and again, and if those aren't bugles calling retire, i dunno what is. it's been fun.

[teejay17]

Yeah, I bought it from the Book-of-the-Month Club but I still haven't read it yet. I've been waiting for a rainy day, I guess.
Perhaps I will bump it up to the top of my "To Read" pile.

[latecomerNJM]

Secret Windows ... Craft of Writing; I liked much of the book, but was taken aback by some of the fault-finding SK launched at other writers. It seems out of character for an author with humble beginnings and occasional self-deprecating commentary regarding his own abilities. That said, I have to take issue with his analysis of Shirley Jackson's “The Haunting of Hill House” opening paragraph. He started by saying he had neither the skill nor the intent to “kill it or mount it” like a butterfly; the skill part I won't argue, but regardless of intent, murder it he did. His analysis seems backwards! Since Miss Jackson is not around to comment, I can only give my interpretation and let others decide. The opening paragraph in question (on page 90 of the hardcover edition of Secret Windows... Horror Fiction chapter) follows.

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.
Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more.
Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House,
and whatever walked there, walked alone.
I count three sentences, not the two SK found. Also, the paragraph seems to say Hill House IS alive, and it is insane because it
DOES live under protracted conditions of absolute reality, and cannot dream... SK says Hill House does NOT live under conditions
of absolute reality, and therefore it does not dream, and therefore is insane. Where does that come from in the above text?
Absolute reality for a house is its foundation, its walls, its surroundings, the incessant weather... absolute reality for a lark
is finding food, obtaining a mate, building a nest, not getting eaten by a fox... absolute reality for a katydid is food, mating,
not getting eaten by a lark... the lark and the katydid can dream of better circumstances, perhaps, but the house? Not so much.
Then again, his original Danse Macabre was published in 1981; maybe SK was still under the influence in one way or another... OR, my under-educated self may have missed something entirely. Despite my apparent fault-finding, I generally love SK's works.

[JustMeandMyCats04]

I love this book. . . . I finally found a copy I could afford.

[tomovjunior]

I love this book but I think that there is little fantasy. I mean that is not fully non-fiction, such as Misery.

[danielluiz]

my dream is to have a copy of this book.

[krs72]

I don't know anything about this book.
Can someone tell me about it?

[Jojo87]

This was a wonderful book. I read it few years back. But just thought is a time for re-read. Because I've forgot a few things about this book.
And krs72 I would rather tell you about this, but I've forgot to much so I'm not the best one to tell about this now.

[Timmy]

I don't know anything about this book.
Can someone tell me about it?

This book rocks the house. I can't believe it doesn't get more attention... I would have never known about it, if not for this board... And I think maybe it's out of print!?!?!?! WHY????

Anyway, I just got it yesterday and am only about eighty pages into it, so this isn't a complete summary. But, it is meant to serve as a "companion piece" to On Writing. I disagree and agree with that statement simultaneously. So far, from what I have observed, there was one strong similarity between the two books. The part were Tabitha, King's wife, finds the crumpled manuscript of Carrie in the trash, pulls it out, and encourages Stephen to finish it. The cliff note's version of this story is in On Writing. The full, un-cut, bad a$$ story is in Secret Windows, and honestly, I think it is far bettertold. I don't want to spoil it, but that in itself was an eye opener, and proved the purchase of the book worthwhile. This should also serve as an example of the similarity between the two.

A major difference is SW discusses the business end of getting work published (the submission and rejection process) in far more detail than On Writing. I think SW could almost be retitled the "4th Drawer." In On Writing, King says that Sales and Marketing is the fourth drawer, recommends the Writers Journal, and moves on... Or, gets back to his main point, the craft of writing. And rightfully (pun?) so, for On Writing is a book about the creative process. But, for the aspiring writer, we might need a little more detail on how a deal goes down. If you are in that group - as am I - then get secret windows.

The third thing is that SW is what I thought Danse Macabre would be. I got Danse at the same time - as some of you may know from a different thread - and my perception was that DM book would be the On Writing of horror. OW just tells you the creative process, the nuts and bolts, right? I thought Danse would be more specific to the mechanics of writing scary stuff. And maybe it is - I'm only fifty pages in - but, so far, it seems to be more of a historical account of the horror industry, starting with Poe and moving forward. That is great, and I am enjoying the book, as I do all King's work... It's just not what I expected. SW, on the other hand, has more lessons on how to scare the hell out of somebody. Which is nice.

So, I started this message with the intent to praise King, and as I read through the other posts in this thread, it appeared someone wanted a synopsis that never came, so this note is a little of both. But, all in all, a great read. I am enjoying it and think you will as well. You just have to hunt around for it a little bit (Amazon is great) because it is not easy to find... And that is what confuses the hell out of me. Why is this book not ON THE MARKET???

Ok, that's all I got. Catch you guys later,

Timmy

[Moderator]

Book of the Month Club which operates the Stephen King Library wanted a companion book to On Writing for its members which is how this book came about and why it is not more widely distributed.

[Timmy]

Thanks, Ms.Mod. Like I say, I have not finished it, but it is really good and should be widely distributed... (just my two cents)

[CCAL]

Well all I can say is, I didnt know of this book (dont think I did anyway) but if I ever run across it I most definitely WILL get it! have a great day people!