SK didn't like this book he says

[Abbie]

Interestin. In King's semi autobio "On Writing" (which is excellent!) - he comments on not having liked his first big seller, "Carrie". He was surprised it took off so well. I think though he realized along the way : millionos of "losers" identified with it. High School is their worst nightmre and King brought it all around and out. Too bad it's not possible to retaliate in kind in real life. Oh wait.. they do... these days: with bullets. :(

--Abbie

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Yes indeed, if it had been left to his own devices we would never have had Carrie ( and etc), and he'd probably be just about retiring as an English professor now.

Thank goodness for Tabby (and a man listening to his wife LOL)

Long days and pleasant nights

[ginapenn]

Really? I took it as he didn't like his main character and he doesn't trust Sue Snell and her intentions behind making her bf take Carrie White to the prom. I think Carrie is a pitiable character; like a pathetic stray dog or something.

[ginapenn]

HA! Precisely, John! He would be a pot-bellied English professor who takes out his novels and "tinkers" with them after having a few beers. Thanks to Tabby for pulling that one out of the trash!!!

[It'sNineInTheAfternoon]

Haha it's hard to imagine Stephen King as a lowly English professor. It would have been such a waste.

On writing is a rather good book; however, i only have the book on tape and i can never get around to listening to all of it. Portable tape players are a rarity these days.

[StarDragon77]

From what I understand he thought of Carrie as an "attempt to bake a cookie: Hard and burnt at the bottom".

Which a writer or an artist can feel about their own work. They can look back at it and think, "man I was terrible!"

Still as far as the whole bit about losers identifying with Carrie... *shrug*

When in High School there is that need to connect with someone who seems to be suffering in the same way that you are. I think that's why the idea of an outcast becoming a hero (of sorts) is such a wonderful idea. Because in high school we all are outsiders to an extent.

Even popular individuals who say that they never felt like an outsider may be lying to themselves.

[Pucker]

Haha it's hard to imagine Stephen King as a lowly English professor. It would have been such a waste.

On writing is a rather good book; however, i only have the book on tape and i can never get around to listening to all of it. Portable tape players are a rarity these days.

Two things: I've always suspected that the number of writers who never realize their potential because they can't get past their own criticism might surprise a lot of people besides me . . .

and speaking of people besides me . . . does anyone else see the humor in On Writing on tape?

[GNTLGNT]

Yeah KC, it's ironic fer sure, fer sure...Uncle Stevie would look like a lout in a tweed jacket with patches on the sleeves, thank God Mrs. Stevie rescued the manuscript from the waste can-I say thankee...

[cwalrus]

Oddly enough I like Carrie even if it's not SK at his best. I think that for it's time it was a unique and original story. Although I think some of themes of misfit High School angst were explored better elsewhere like in Christine even though it's completely unrelated and less melodramatic than Carrie.

[mekong]

the cell was good - Duma Key was great!

[Doc Wilson]

Its my least favorite of his novels, but boy am I ever glad he published it!

[davemelnick]

One of the clearest things I remember about hi-school is being part of "The Out Crowd". Carrie's crowd, that is.

[Breger3]

I really like Carrie. I just re-read it again last night. Every time I read anything Stephen King wrote, I thank God that Tabitha pulled Carrie out of the trash.

[purplechaos]

a man listening to his wife, what a concept! very original. mine would not have listened to me if i told him our house was on fire! (he is X now) LOL!!!!!!

[king family fan]

I liked Carrie and find it hard to believe SK didn't. But I think sometimes we are our own worst critics. So thanks Tabby wonderful rescue!

[Maoster]

Although SK is probably my favourite author overall and I love nearly all of his books I just did not get Carrie and in fact must confess that having tried on and off for around 30 Years I still haven't actually finished it. Could not identify/empathise/whatever with any of the characters.

[goodwitch]

I really liked Carrie and found it very easy to identify and empathize with her. Everyone has different experiences I think that is what makes us gravitate toward certain characters.

[Wanderer From Ys]

Interestin. In King's semi autobio "On Writing" (which is excellent!) - he comments on not having liked his first big seller, "Carrie". He was surprised it took off so well. I think though he realized along the way : millionos of "losers" identified with it. High School is their worst nightmre and King brought it all around and out. Too bad it's not possible to retaliate in kind in real life. Oh wait.. they do... these days: with bullets. :(

--Abbie

I think the whole point was that he couldn't relate to it. Stephen King believes in writing about what you know, and the world of teenage girls isn't something he knows about. I think it came out fine though. Sometimes people can be their own worst critics.

[blunthead]

Carrie... SK didn't like this book he says I think Steve is a true artist, one who loves art, is a good art critic, especially of his own. I also think he may tend to question himself and his work; maybe a bit insecure (artist) and truly humble. So, he sees things wrong in Carrie which no one else ever will.

[prufrock21]

Carrie was the first SK book I read. I remember being mesmerized by the prose and the storyline. SK is a force of nature.
If not Carrie, then it would have been some other novel.

[guardianofthebeam]

Yes indeed, if it had been left to his own devices we would never have had Carrie ( and etc), and he'd probably be just about retiring as an English professor now.

Thank goodness for Tabby (and a man listening to his wife LOL)



GAH! Although I'd read about this already in On Writing its huge significance (and all this talk of elbow patches) has only just hit me. Life without SK the writer...That would be like reaching the top of the Dark Tower and realising you had to start over :eek2:

[mzimmer]

"I never liked Carrie, that female version of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold..." (King, "On Writing", p74)

I don't buy this line. :)

I think King meant that there exists a part of his own nature which recoils from people like Carrie. Most of us fall victim to this in one way or another, and from an evolutionary standpoint: Rejection of the seemingly "odd" or "weak" members of a species serves to reinforce the stronger aspects of our gene-pool as we weed out the "inferior."

But that attitude is exactly the problem. While it may have served some genetic purpose in early, developing man; today our society is advanced enough to allow for the "odd" or "strange" to co-exist alongside the so-called "normal."

Carrie is a very sad story, as is the story of her "male counterparts" at Columbine High school. But there's a great lesson hidden in that tale, and I don't think I need to elaborate on that point any further.

The fact that Carrie White enabled King and his wife to move out of their "****** four room apartment" must mean a great deal to him, I know if a character I had discovered (King describes writing like paleontology, with stories pre-existing as fossils which need to be uncovered) were responsible for catapulting my literary career, not too mention affording my family a better quality of life, I might love that character very much!

Deep down in the parts of ourselves we do not talk about I believe King must have created a special place for Carrie White. He may not consciously "like" her -- but I'm sure he respects her for all that she did, and continues to do, for his family.

[Evil Queen]

I know Mr. King claims he does not feel all the great about writing Carrie, but I hope he knows that it has helped some of us who went through that rough time, high school, & were bullied. As I read this story, it brought back my feelings of being bullied & the hurt that I felt at that time, but I'm able to put it to rest now. It was written such a long time ago, I think it's a brilliantly written piece & I'm glad it was nice & short, & he didn't drag on & on w/it.

[King fan from trinidad]

Reading on writing now (along with the shining) and it seems he hates the character of Carrie herself more than the book. :( If he didn't like this book and thinks its one of his worst then he just doesn't know his own strength!

[kingricefan]

I have often wondered what would have happened to King's writing career if the original version of Carrie had not been filmed and become a hit and simutaneously had a movie-tie-in paperback released that became a bestseller? Carrie in hardcover didn't sell too well. I think we wouldn't have had the same books published as we did i.e. The Shining, 'Salem's Lot, etc. Yes, these books were already written, but I think there might have been more emphasis on the 'Bachman' books, maybe? Maybe the next books after Carrie would've been more 'mainstream'? Just thinking out loud here. :blush: