How old were you when you started reading Stephen King?

[hipmamajen]

I searched for this, but I can never seem to get the search functions at vbulletin boards to work for me! I lack some basic talent in that area, I guess...

Anyway, how old were you when you started reading Stephen King's books?

My oldest is 12, and she wants to read "The Stand." It seems awfully young to me, but then when I think about it realize I was about that age when I first picked up one of his books (The Dead Zone.) And, I'd like to think I turned out OK, mostly. :wink2:

Still, she seems awfully young to me.

[ChachOou]

Hi every one ! Quite intro lol I'm Charlotte 17 from Belgium ( yes you know the little country near France ^^ )

I'm not sure I remember how old I was but I was between 10 and 12. What I remember is the book ^^ Salem's lot ^^ ( I don't know if it's the right title in english ^^ )
What a book ! And soon I descoverd "It", "Carrie" and so on ! I really love those books ! I'd like one day to meet Stephen King because he seems so nice and smart ^^ But I think I'm getting away from the subject so I stop here ^^

kiss every one :p

[SwitchbladeNymphony]

I was 10. In 6th grade. I believe I picked up Bag of Bones first because it was thick lol.

[donna1982]

I first read Carrie when I was 14. I got the book from the school library. 12 does seem young to me, but had I discovered SK at 12 I would have read him then.

[rlg]

It was in the late 70's. I was on the subway heading for school when I found a paperback and started reading it....

The rest is history........

Regards
Robert

[Ponch]

I started reading King when I was 11 or 12.
'Salem's Lot was my first.

[Terry B]

When was Carrie first published? 1974? I was 24 years old.

[hipmamajen]

Wow, a lot of you started pretty young! Good to know.

Thanks so much for all of your feedback :)

[blackwingedbird]

i dont actualy no and i cldnt tell u what the fst book of sk that i ever read was bt i was reading duncton wood books wen i was around 11 or 12 so probably round then cuz my mom's a huge fan and we usualy hv between 10 n 14 library books liein around at a time so im sure i picked up an sk book early on!

[SnakeGirlKat]

I was 15 and had seen 'salems lot' on tv for the first time...this was in 1981...:eek2:

[Thalia the Muse]

I think I was 12 or 13 when I first read Carrie, and then I went on to read everything else I could get my hands on! I'm pretty sure I read The Shining at 13, and The Stand at 14.

I had some sleepless nights thanks to The Shining and Salem's Lot, but over all I don't think anything I read was inappropriate or damaging for me at that age. I'd just let her know that parts of the book are going to be scary, sad, and disturbing, and it's OK to put it down if it's too much for her.

[mojomofo]

I was about 12 when I picked up The Stand. I fought my way through it, then went on to Carrie and The Bachman Books. Been hooked ever since.

[interplanetjanet]

As a parent- it does seem pretty young but The Stand was so well written that she's probably be o.k. with it. Only you know your child well enough to judge if you think she's ready. I have twin girls and I know even now (they're 5) that 1 will be ready for more mature things alot earlier than the other one.

[Kim L.]

I was about 14, which is about when Carrie was published. My daughter was reading SK at 11 or so.

[smjohn]

I searched for this, but I can never seem to get the search functions at vbulletin boards to work for me! I lack some basic talent in that area, I guess...

Anyway, how old were you when you started reading Stephen King's books?

My oldest is 12, and she wants to read "The Stand." It seems awfully young to me, but then when I think about it realize I was about that age when I first picked up one of his books (The Dead Zone.) And, I'd like to think I turned out OK, mostly. :wink2:

Still, she seems awfully young to me.

I think The Stand would be a perfect book for her to start on King with. It is so well written and long. If she has a good imagination, I think this book would be great!

[Liselle]

I first read Carrie when I was 11 years old, and my son read Christine at the same age. I don't think age matters as long as you understand what is being read and it doesn't bother you enough to give you nightmares.

[BRUMMIEYID]

Hi,

Not sure exactly, but I was 18 or 19 when I first read S.K.
The Dark Half, which I think was his most recent novel at the time(1989).

[babygurl]

My first S.K. book I ever read was Liseys Story and I was 22 years old and now I'm 23 so I just now started reading Period. i never read in school but my husband got me to reading after we got married now thats all I ever do is read. ( Well, if I'm not fishing or playing a video game.)

[Jan E]

I was 15.

[IfSoGirl]

i started w/ the stand as well. i was about 13 or 14. what else has she read?

[rjt65]

HAHA. I am going through same now, Older daughter started reading (she is 15 was 14 when she read carrie, now on firestarter)

I am trying to remember but was like 12 or so.

[Squinky]

I was 9 and read 'Carrie' as my mum had just read it. She was similar to Stephen Kings mum in a way, as she let me read whatever I wanted within reason, but anything with hard-core descriptions of 'adult acts' were most definitely NOT allowed!

I was a precocious child though and was reading some pretty adult books at an early age. I did love Stephen King, even if I didn't always totally understand everything he was writing about!

[Sam Catoe]

I was in the 5th grade. The book was Cycle of the Werewolf, and I've been hooked since. My second was The Dark Half.

[Born In Sin]

I was 9 when I first read Carrie, my mother said I was a horror freak out of the womb though. I have had night terrors since I was 8 and reading/watching horror is the ONLY thing that subsides it.

[The Raven]

14 :p

[REDRUM617]

I started when I was in 6th grade with Pet Sematary.

[worddance]

I was 48. http://www.stephenking.com/forums/images/smilies/smile2.gif

I would second the notion that you know your child best. I have twins and when movie Jurassic Park came out, my son loved it, but I had to spend the movie covering my daughter's eyes during the scary parts. She still won't go on the ride at Universal Studios and she's 22 now.

Mary

[hipmamajen]

Wow! I was feeling like a weirdo for even considering it. I guess if I am, then we all are! :)

She's read the Harry Potter books, and all the Ga'Hoole books, and didn't have any problems with them. They're primarily written for kids, though with no graphic sex or violence.

You've all given me a lot to think about. Thank you all for your time and your well-reasoned responses! :)

[Todash]

I was about 11, staying the night with my much older brother, and I picked up a paperback of The Shining. He came out of the bedroom and asked me "you sure you can read that?" In my mind, I was thinking, "Yes, I'm terrified, and no, Mom would never let me read this, but you will get this book from me when you rip it from my cold, dead hands." What I said was something along the lines of, "Yeah, I can handle it." To which he responded, "Okay."

Hooray for cool older siblings.

[Todash]

I was 9 when I first read Carrie, my mother said I was a horror freak out of the womb though. I have had night terrors since I was 8 and reading/watching horror is the ONLY thing that subsides it.
Sounds like you really have to keep those gators fed. :)

[RedBalloon]

I was nine going on ten. It was the summer of 1990.
My first book was 'Salem's Lot ( by the way I was pleasantly surprised when I read there that a lot of people's first SK book was this one)
It was all about vampires and gore that peaked my interest ( I didn't get into his more complicated stuff till later, it was too hard at that age) .
Second book was Carrie. Loved that one too. Then Cujo (I think)

Yeah I started pretty young too considering that SK books are geared toward adults, but my parents thought reading was the best thing in the world and never censored what I read. I mean I even got to read novels that had really graphic sex in them and they were still ok with it cuz it was reading and they trusted I wouldn't turn out to be a messed up adult cuz of what I read.
(actually my parents never really censored anything...I guess they really trusted me. love ya mom and dad)

And they were right. I never ended up being some raving sex maniac or some psycho serial killer just cuz I read some Jackie Collins novel or SK novel.
I just became a really hardworking student and one of those children who had glasses in the 5th grade. Ah well, go figure. We can't have everything right? :)

[kataline96]

I was 12 and I started with It. I loved it but in retrospect it was probably a bit too adult for me. I understood and enjoyed it more in re-readings later on. Honestly, I probably wouldn't let my kids read The Stand until they were a bit older. There are a few bits I don't think kids should be reading. On the other hand if your daughter is mature and you have the kind of relationship where you can discuss things like gang rape and cannibalism with her, it's worth a try.

[Vado Tempestas]

I'm too brain-old to remember when I first picked up a King book, but I do remember the first one to leave an impression on me. It was "IT", and I was in my early twenties! :tongue:

[Rhino]

I was 24 last year when i read cell, my first king book, and now i plan to read everything i can get from this marvelous author

[Nikolay]

Hello there. It's me. What I thought is does an age really matter if your consciousness is growing itself trained on books like our Dear Mr.King. For me it was like 15 or so. I found "The Mist" in Russian translation published in magazine. A lot of water flowed away since then. Now at last I've started to rediscover those old hits in English. And found lots and lots of surprising things like parts omitted during translated publishing. That's marvelous!

[Cowboy]

Right around 11. A substitute teacher in elementary school got me hooked.

[Shasta]

I was 8 but my mom had been reading Stephen King out loud in front of me since I was 5. And I'm completely well adjusted, I promise!

[theviaster]

21-years old

[Cowboy]

I was 8 but my mom had been reading Stephen King out loud in front of me since I was 5. And I'm completely well adjusted, I promise!

I read your posts over on the Dreams thread...are you sure about that whole being well adjusted thing? :biggrin2:

[Anni M]

I was 12 and the book was Carrie :)

[marew1]

I started reading Stephen King's books after Carrie, his first book that was published in 1974. I had actually started with The Shining and I put it down which was published in the late seventies. I read Carrie from cover to cover and then read The Shining. I was about 31 at the time.

I don't believe your daughter is too young. At least she wants to read!

[smooth operator]

I cannot remember offhand. When did Carrie come out? I started reading his work at the beginning, with that first book. I must have been in my teens (I do remember that it was the 70's).


1974

[hipmamajen]

Wow! There are so many responses.

Yes, she does love to read, and that makes me hesitant to limit her reading. But, at the same time, I am just struggling with the appropriateness of the material. Like one poster said, The Stand has issues in it like cannibalism (wouldn't bother her) and gang rape (which is not something we deal with routinely around here.)

I really appreciate all of your input, and it's nice to see that so many of you started early like I did. There really is something pretty magical about his stories, I think of many of the characters as old friends!

You guys rock!

[tiger67]

I was about 13 I think when i picked up a copy of Carrie and maybe Night Shift not long after.

[Squinky]

I found out today that my new god-daughter can beat you all!

Her parents started reading Stephen King to her when she was only 4 months gestation! Apparently babies respond to voices in the womb and hearing voices helps them to bond with those who they hear most, so they read her The Stand! How cool is that?!?

She was a healthy 8lbs 4oz by the way, and had a full head of hair! She sooooo kicks the proverbial!

I might have to make her a SK mobile...for when shes a lot older!

[hipmamajen]

I might have to make her a SK mobile...for when shes a lot older!

You'll have to take pictures when you do. I'd love to see that!

[adinoble]

i was about 12 when i first tried to read the shinning but i think wasn't really bright enough to get into it! so i only read about 20 pages, but i'm reading the stand uncut at the moment and i wouldn't want my boy reading it when his 12. especially the bit with the trashman and the kid!:eek::barf:

[m83nghtmre]

I was about 13 or 14 myself when I started to read Stephen king.
When my teachers saw me with a SK book, one of them walked up to me and asked me politely if I was having nightmares from his books. His books never gave me nightmares at all, I do not know how they were scared by any of them.

Have anyone out there been scared and had nightmares from Stephen Kings books?

[Biggrin]

I can't remember at what exact time. All I remember is, while sitting at a local eatery, I saw a heavy-set fellow transfixed reading It. He was smiling the whole time. Afterward, this got me curious and I picked up Different Seasons. This was probably around 10 years ago, putting me around, say, 25-26 year old.:grinning:

[The Dark Tower]

I first read Misery when I was about 11. Then I read Firestarter. I tried to get into his other books and I could not because they were to weird. Then at 15 I started reading his works again and now, one year later, I have read just about everything.

[LadyPain]

I was in my teens. I can't remember which were the first ones I read, but I never forgot his name after that.

[JWhit]

At age 13 one of my teachers gave me a copy of the Bachman Books. For some reason.... (anyone remember Rage?)...I don't think she read it. Thanks Mrs. Green, for introducing me to the Greatest Writer of American Literature.

[kramernineteen]

I was 7 when I started reading King. It was Cycle of the Werewolf. Those Bernie Rightson paintings still make me cringe. Then I started reading The Gunslinger. After that I was a true Tower Junkie. Anyway I think that I turned out ok. Mostly.

[kramernineteen]

The first time that I read the Stand I was in 6th grade. Took me 4 days to read it. It was the uncut version. I don't think that its too bad. Now I would put a stop to something like Geralds Game at this point. At least for someone that young.

[Shasta]

I can't remember at what exact time. All I remember is, while sitting at a local eatery, I saw a heavy-set fellow transfixed reading It. He was smiling the whole time. Afterward, this got me curious and I picked up Different Seasons. This was probably around 10 years ago, putting me around, say, 25-26 year old.:grinning:

I am madly in love with the story of how you started SK! What a great image!

[Luli]

I was 24!:smile2:

[All Hail The Crimson King]

I was 13 and it was Pet Semetary.

[Raven4404]

I was fourteen or fifteen and my first read was Pet Sematary, but if you want my opinion (which no one usually does) if a child is going to read let 'em!

[daisygirl]

I was 12. It was Skeleton Crew, one of the short story collections.

[Dana]

I think I was about 12 or so, and it was Four Past Midnight.

[Guin]

I think it must have been "Pet Sematary" when I was about 10. I used to spend a lot of time at my sister and brother-in-laws' house in Vermont (no tv) and would just read whatever books they had. I remember leaving the bedroom light on all night because I didn't want to get out of bed to turn it off!

[Spideyman]

Started with Carrie, so I was 34 years old.

[hipmamajen]

I remember leaving the bedroom light on all night because I didn't want to get out of bed to turn it off!

I used to do that as a kid! I would get myself all worked up thinking there was something under the bed that would grab my feet if I tried to stand up. Sometimes I would yell for my sister, and make her turn it off (I didn't really care if the thing under the bed got her, I guess).

[Guin]

I used to do that as a kid! I would get myself all worked up thinking there was something under the bed that would grab my feet if I tried to stand up. Sometimes I would yell for my sister, and make her turn it off (I didn't really care if the thing under the bed got her, I guess).

Hee hee, but it was YOUR personal thing under the bed - it wouldn't bother with your sister.

[ytsejammer]

sad to say, but you start somewhere with everything, I started reading SK a month ago, and I'm 25...lol...I had a copy of The Shining...so I read it, liked it and went on and bought dolores claiborne, liked it and read Cujo, liked it and started The Stand which I am currently reading now...SK is good stuff, glad i picked it up...

so far though my favorite would have to be The Shining...DC in second with poor Cujo in 3rd...

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Started with Night Shift on publication, so I'd be 29 or 30.

Long days and pleasant nights

[dododo]

I started first year of high school (i was 13) with IT. From then on i was hooked.:biggrin2:

[hipmamajen]

Hee hee, but it was YOUR personal thing under the bed - it wouldn't bother with your sister.

Is THAT how that works? Good to know! ;)

[waxnostalgic]

"The Shining" - age 13...frightened me even in the daylight.

[patrick734]

When I was 12, my aunt gave me a copy of "Eyes of the Dragon" for Christmas...my mom wouldn't let me read his other books for another year or two though...

[constantreader85]

hmm can't remember that far back. really, I was about 12 or 13 and started with Christine. Then I was hooked and went on to salem's lot.

[MisterNowhere]

I was 9 when my mom handed me "Carrie" because I was reading the other books she gave me too fast. It didn't slow me down, but now she had more books to throw at me.

[smooth operator]

I cannot remember offhand. When did Carrie come out? I started reading his work at the beginning, with that first book. I must have been in my teens (I do remember that it was the 70's).


1974

Thanks Moderator. That means I was 14. I have been a "Constant Reader" since then.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Interesting how we ALL became Constant Readers after the first book, isn't it? Whether we were pre-teen or in our thirties.

If not surprising.

Long days and pleasant nights

[jgmagic95]

I was 11 years old. I first read Pet semetary, and it scared the pants off of me! then i read The Dead Zone, Carrie, The Mist, and am currently reading The Shining.

[cougar1912]

Okay, I was eight years old. Did I really start the youngest?? The first book I read was Carrie, though I don't think my mom knew I was reading it. She later bought me a copy of that and Cujo, both of which I read in a couple days. Since the first reading, I never stopped.

[crimsonkingtph]

I starting reading his books when I was 11. I watched and loved the mini-series It when it came out and had to have the book. Of course the book was thousands of times better. I followed IT with Carrie and then the Dark Tower 1, been a Dark Tower Junkie ever since!!

[Tinker]

I think I was about 12 years old ,when I read my first S.K. book "Misery".
From that time on I couldn´t stop reading other novels of him,I love his writing style,because he has such a talent to make everyday situations a horrortrip!

[Shasta]

Okay, I was eight years old. Did I really start the youngest?? The first book I read was Carrie, though I don't think my mom knew I was reading it. She later bought me a copy of that and Cujo, both of which I read in a couple days. Since the first reading, I never stopped.

Nope. I was 8 too.

[Draga]

I don´t remember if it was at Secondary school or at my first years of University... may be secondary cause when I was at University i had many SK books but never read any since i had to read too much stuff for my career.

[r4chess34]

I could not have been any older than fourteen. My first King read was "The Dead Zone." I walked into an ancient Revco (Which I believe was replaced with a dollar store several decades back) looking for something to read. I think my mom was shopping in another store or something, and I saw Christopher walken's face on the cover of this book that displayed this name (as the author) that has remained with me ever since. The name was Stephen King. I've read many authors since -- but that name stuck. Anyway, I got to the counter, and the cashier looked at me, than the book, and then back at me and said, "This is going to scare you." She said it with such bluntness that you'd think she was giving a dire warning of some impending catastrophe. Hence started my King journey -- it's been a blast. Smile! THX!

[Jantrix]

I was in my early 20's (nearly 40 now) and was bored at work on night and some one had left a copy of "It" in the security room. The rest is history. I devoured every King book I could lay hands on and with no vanity can say I have read every fiction SK book released in book stores.

[stace711]

I think I was around 16 or 17. I can't remember what book it was.

[Jo Noonan]

16 or 17

[kairos_dragon]

I was 10 when I started reading his books.

[hipmamajen]

Wow, there have been some real young'uns in this thread!

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for your answers :)

[katarina]

As many others here, I was about 11 years old. I knew about SK when I was younger, my mom had read Firestarter and a friend's older sibling had told me about the plot in Pet Sematary, but I'm pretty sure I was 11 when I actually read SK for the first time. That was in 1986. I'm not sure which the first book was, but I think it was It or Skeleton Crew. Anyway, I was instantly hooked.

[RANGERWIFE]

I was 12 when I first started reading SK. My sister bought me "Salems Lot" for my birthday. I was an avid Poe fan and she thought I would like SK. Well she was right, I have been hooked ever since.:grinning:

[RANGERWIFE]

I was 12 when I first started reading SK. My sister bought me "Salems Lot" for my birthday. I was an avid Poe fan and she thought I would like SK. Well she was right, I have been hooked ever since.:grinning:

Ok I goofed, It wasn't "Salems Lot", but for the life of me I can't remember which one it was but the year was 1976.

[Brayden Bull]

I was 15 when I started, that was when I started getting into the whole horror genre; listening to Coast to Coast AM also helped me get into the paranormal.

[charlie_s1986]

I was 15 when i started reading stephen king (dreamcatcher) but was into Goosebumps book before, think that was when i was 13

[sheba41]

I was young...think about 12 years,and i dont now wich book i red first...i own a lot of books of SK now and many of them i have red a couple of times:wink2:

[Redneck_in_NY]

I was about 8 when I started. I believe my first book was Carrie. My mom is also an avid fan so whenever she gets a new SK book I get it when she is done reading it.

[Seneca_V]

I was 12, and the first book was Pet Sematary. I remember the lady in the book store telling me I was going to have nightmares, lol! No nightmares though, I've just been a huge fan of all King's books and movies ever since! :smile2:

[AjaxthePixie]

I was very young. I mean, I went from the Hardy Boys to Stephen King. My fourth grade teacher had a parent-teacher conference with my mother to encourage her, to encourage me to "read more kids stuff".

I think she probably made me stop for a year or two, but in the end, she felt like my reading/intelligence level was good enough for King.

I think in the end it's the individual child. Some kids are going to be prepared for it between ten and twelve and some maybe not until their teens.

[AngelikDemons]

I was about 11 or so and I wanted to read "The Stand" because it was the thickest book in the section -- I had been reading R.L. Stine and wanted to graduate to the adult section in a similar genre. My mom objected, but I wore her down in the end. I remember telling her after finishing it that I hadn't liked it because he "talked too much" -- I didn't read another until I was 19 ("Salem's Lot") and I've been hooked ever since. Oh yeah -- and I did reread "The Stand" and, now that I'm older and better able to process what I'm reading, it's in my top 10. :)

[AjaxthePixie]

I was about 13 or 14 myself when I started to read Stephen king.
When my teachers saw me with a SK book, one of them walked up to me and asked me politely if I was having nightmares from his books. His books never gave me nightmares at all, I do not know how they were scared by any of them.

Have anyone out there been scared and had nightmares from Stephen Kings books?

I had strange dreams from the Dark Half. I read it at about 17 and none of King's books had ever made me uneasy in my sleep (The Long Walk may be considered an exception, I didn't have nightmares but I was so emotionally exhausted by the end of it that I cried, hard--probably shouldn't have read it in one sitting!).

Anyway, the Dark Half defintiely played on one of my worst secret fears (which is getting to a point where the writer can no longer see the line btwn reality and fiction)--the part where Stark puts the pen through his own hand, and Thad puts the pencil through his, haunted my dreams a few times.

[skimom]

I was about 11 or 12-started with the Shining and just went from there! Actually, this topic has come up in our house, too. Because my kids have seen me reading SK (along with many others) all their lives, they naturally want to read him also. My 14 year old son has been reading Mr. King's earlier works for a couple of years now, but there are books that I don't think are at all kid appropriate (Desperation, the Regulators, Gerald's Game), that I have told him he may read in a few years. To be fair, those books came out and were read by me when I was older. Although I don't believe in completely vetting everything my kids read, I do believe that if you know something is inappropriate, you have a responsibility to say "not yet".

[Prankmonkey9]

9 years old in 1974, "Carrie". I was hooked and have been ruined for other horror writers ever since...truly. The only other horror writer I read is the genius of Edgar Allan Poe. He and SK are truly in a class of their own.
This leads me to a question, if you don't mind. Can you guys and ladies recommend another horror writer or writers as good as these 2 artists? Koontz and Rice don't cut the mustard for me. Thanks in advance, Prank

[Prankmonkey9]

To the person who started the thread, The Stand is an excellent start, IMHO. My only concern would be Trashcan Man's peculiar, how you say...fetish? You know, masturbating while watching his arsonistic crimes reach their climax. Sorry, I couldn't resist!! :laugh: Prank

[cime280VENEZIA]

3 years ago when I was 25 yo. Cujo is the first book I ever read 'cause my girlfriend loves dog and she was impressed by the cover of book... :wink2:

[Jula]

I was 15 years old when I discovered my mother's book 'The Tommy Knockers.'

[Elisterre]

I was 8 when I read The Green Mile, I think she can probably handle The Stand.

[Mcrow]

I was about 10 when I saw Cujo on VHS, it had been out for a while. I loved Cujo and found out about 4 years later that it was based on a book by some dude named Steven King so I picked up a copy of Needful Things because it was his newest book. Been reading King ever since. :biggrin2:

[blunthead]

My first sK was The Shining, at a ripe 52. I'm 55 now and have read most of his books!

[TruthInsideTheLie]

22. Back when I was in the Navy my brother gave me IT as a present to read while I was on deployment. (And btw, it's still my favorite SK book) Now I'm 29 and an avid fan of his work. I've probably read around 15 of his books or so. (Some of which I've read more than once).

[Bango Skank]

I would have been around 12 i think. I bought a second hand copy of IT that was on the way to being "dog-eared" and by the time I binned it some years later it was well past being dog eared, basically unreadable due to pages falling out as soon as you opened it. Can't complain as I got plenty of reads from it. It does make me wonder how many other people my age were turned on to reading King after seeing that early 90's mini-series.

[tomnickles]

I was in the 6th grade and my mom told me If I read a book I could get some toy, SO I chose Misery..... I had to re read it years later to get it! but That was the beginning of the end for me. People use to think I was carrying the bible around when I I read the hardback of The Stand uncut in the 8th grade.

[stormymare]

I started reading King in my early twenties. I think the first novel of his I read was Christine. Then I went on to alot of his collections.

[Miachelle]

I was 8, and it was "Carrie." I've been hooked since then. I'm actually trying to encourage my daughter to read more, and yesterday I gave her the first book of "The Green Mile" to read. She seems to like horror genre by her reaction to a couple of books she read recently for school, so I'm hoping to get her hooked with Stephen King. I do worry about some of the more racier portions of his books, but then again, I have the distinct feeling she has probably heard or said some things that would make me faint. In the end, as long as she's reading, and it's not a book on how to make bombs or some such topic, I'll be happy.

[HelmetHead]

I was 13 and still am when i picked up the green mile and now I can't stop reading them twelve is definetly not too young

[jewelofking]

I was 14. My parents had a fit but finally allowed me the pleasure.I havent stopped and im 40 now.Ive read all but maybe two (Geralds Game is one...what happened therera?)
I've read about 20 of them about 3 times some even more.(Desperation and The Stand I'd probably read a few more time)I have all his novels and am now working on movies versions. I started my oldest son at the age of 9. He loves King too.

[gohan3499]

i was 11 when i started pet sematary

[Azur]

I think I was 11, and my first King-book was carrie. But I do think I was a bit too young for that one, didn't really understand everything. But none the less, I was hooked! Than I read Sceleton Crew and loved every page of it!

[md10pc]

This is not a popular response but I think 12 is too young. I watched a newscast a few years ago about a school reading program and a little boy, about 9, said his family thought he was spooky because he liked reading Stephen King books. I thought his family was spooky for letting him read the books at such a young age. Parents should monitor what their kids read the same way they monitor the websites they play on. There are kids' book, teens' books and adults' books as you can see by going to any library or bookstore.

[TheHardcase]

I was in my mid-20s when I first picked up The Shining. That was when it first came out. Been reading SK ever since. Fortunately, he can write faster than I can read. :smile2:

[hipmamajen]

You know what's interesting to me as I read this thread? That a LOT of people started reading SK's books when they were young, but obviously a ton of adults read them, too. I guess I never realized how accessible they are to people of all ages.

[sinfiniti]

I read Carrie in 8th grade.....so that would make me 14....and, I'm gobbled them up since then!

[Speedy2]

I picked up my first SK book at around 11 or 12. Picked up my first book when I was about 8. When my son (who is now three) can understand the content for what it is, he is welcome to anything that is on my bookshelf.

[GarratyVStebbins]

I started about a year ago when I was 19. What a ride it has been. I've read sooo many of his novels it is ridiculous.

[Deavlynn]

I hid Gerald's Game under my mattress when I was 9 years old. I had to read it mostly by moonlight in the middle of the night because my mom would have shot me if she knew I had it. It's a wonder I wasn't messed up for life after that. :smile2: I am now twenty-six and I have spent many a night reading all sorts of novels. I think I turned out okay - despite learning that people actually handcuff each other to bed for fun at an early age.

I don't think that The Stand is too mature for a kid that can manage to read it. Truth is, if they are anything like me, they are reading it anyway and you don't get much say in the matter. It's better to have it out in the open where you can discuss things like sex and suicide rather than forcing your kids to do it behind your back where they can't get the tough questions out in the open with you.

Maybe, if you are nervous suggest that they read something more like The Eyes of the Dragon first. That could give both of you more time to adjust around the idea.

Just my two cents.

[whitetrashgrrl]

I was probably 9 or 10 when I read my first SK book. I'll be 36 in August. I was a precocious child, reading at a college level and borrowing books from the adult section of the library, and the librarians let me. I didn't always understand what I was reading, but the themes stayed with me, and snippets of scenes. Then, I went back and read them all again, and again, and again. Every time I read I find something new.

Heh...I just now remembered something my mother said to me way back then. At the time, I would come back from our small town library with my bike basket full of paperbacks, five or six at a time. Some of these were SK and some were pulp horror. She looked at the covers, probably the first time in months when I used to bring back the likes of "Encyclopedia Brown". She looked a little confused to be sure. The covers depicted monsters, evilness and such. She asked shakily, "These aren't devil books are they?" I rolled my eyes as young children do, and replied, "Of course not, mom! Why would I read devil books? They just have scary covers" I gathered up my treasures and ran up to my room to read my devil books in peace.

[kellye l. parish]

I read Pet Sematary when I was eight years old. I was bored with "kid" books at that point (having read everything from Shiloh to The Giver) and kited Pet Sematary out of my mom's stash because they wouldn't let me borrow adult books at the library.

Before I turned thirteen I had read almost everything Stephen King wrote up to that point. And now I've read all that so many times I could probably tell those stories around a campfire chapter for chapter. :cool:

Yay for kids that read early. I wish more kids read nowadays....

[whitetrashgrrl]

I agree Deavlynn, Eyes of the Dragon is a good first read. I always thought of it as "fairy tale-ish" Either that or Wizards and Glass for a youngster, it's very Princess Bride-ish.

[Eleese of Gilead.]

The movie IT was my introduction to King, I was under 10 yrs old, tried to read the book but didn't pick up on a lot, later my aunt bought me and her daughter Cujo and said "You have to read this..", again was a little too young to fully appreciate it. Then when I met the love of my life (2 yrs ago) he came with a King library! woo hoo. So I guess I will say 20 when I fell deep in love with his writing...

[Demeter]

I discovered mr. King's books in a second hand book store in Bangkok. I just picked up a book from the shelf and started leafing through it. If I'm not mistaken it was Needful Things (my favourite S.K. book ever since) and I was about 23 years old at the time. Needless to say I was back at the said book store in no time looking for more of his work.

[Jch999]

A friend had left a paperback copy of
The Thin Man, which was the first book
I ever read; don't know how old I was,
but I was "hooked" from that first
reading :)

[person of shadow]

Hmm, I was probably between 10-12 when I read my first book, I have always been reading at a higher level than my grade, so it was not a surprise to my mother. As she knew that all the books at my level were very boring to me. Well, I can't be for sure, but, I believe my first book was The Dark Tower 1: The Gunslinger. I was of course hooked after that. I am still trying to read all of his books, but that is a hard task when it is someone like me, who is an avid library visitor. And the library doesn't carry all of his books.

[redz]

I was 10 and just loved his books. The only authors i can read today are Stephen King and J.K. Rowlings.

[Kim L.]

A friend had left a paperback copy of
The Thin Man, which was the first book
I ever read; don't know how old I was,
but I was "hooked" from that first
reading :)

Do you mean Thinner? Or The Running Man?

[Brit Girl]

I was 11 and my 1st book was Misery - always been into the gore! My boyf says i'm a sicko but its harmless fun right?

[The Dark Tower]

I was 11 and my 1st book was Misery - always been into the gore! My boyf says i'm a sicko but its harmless fun right?
Of course it is. My first book was also Misery. I just reread it yesterday, it still holds a special place in my heart. I was also about 11. :eek2:

[Morbid_Angel]

I was 13. The first book was "The Gunslinger"...I read him after Mikhail Bulgakov`s The Master and Margarita. After those books I understood that philosophy is what I really like)

[et620]

when i was 21 and in iraq, a perfect setting for me to read "The Gunslinger"

[laman56]

I was about 26 or 27. My first book was Pet Semetary and I've been hooked ever since !!

[JRT]

10, and after 2 days and 42 pages into Carrie, my teacher forced me to put it down. Didn't really enjoy it that much, but I did when I was 12 in sixth and I understood it a lot more.

[wastlander77]

i did not find stephen til i was 15, but now i own almost everything he published, including the bachman books that aren't available anymore......i have 2 copies of that!!

[Brian's Twinner]

I was either 12 or 13. Many moons ago. :eek:

[Sundrop]

I think I was 12. My first book was Skeleton Crew--I still have it, too!!:smile2:

[Chassit1999]

i was in 8th grade and started with IT.

[devious1]

my first was Misery and i read it when i was 12. actually it was the first "adult" novel i read and enjoyed it so much that as soon as i finished reading it i turned it over and read it again! i think what age a child should start reading books like King's should be based on his/her maturity level. some kids can handle this kind of stuff just fine, like myself, while others might find them quite disturbing and frightening. hell, i know some adults who can't handle reading King! but if you think your kid is mature enough to handle it, then it's ok.

[kingofkilling1]

let the kid read em what the Hell? i started reading them at 11. since i am 11 right now i've been reading for not even a year. i've finished 10 of em though.

[kingofkilling1]

maybe this will help you. my dead let's me read theese books because
1. it helps my reading.
2. it'll help me understand things better.
3. i love to read!
but anyway i just have to say that alot of the stuff has helped me. grades improved, ect. i would just say that if you let your daughter venture into stephen king land you wont regret it!

[jillyjill72]

I was 8 and read the short story The Boogeyman. I was fine...I knew the difference between fiction and nonfiction. I continued reading King from then on. I was a very early reader and was encouraged to read more difficult books as long as I was handling the content and not staying up all night in fear. I am/was also a huge Koontz, Leon Uris, Blume, and so many others fan! I encourage my children to read and see how they are handling the content.

[naviboy95]

Well ... 13 years old.My parents were scared about this:biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2:Don't Care!:D:bat:

[brownmouse]

I didn't read King until @ 16. My opinion, of course, but I think that most kids aren't ready for the layers in a Stephen King book- the struggles between good and evil, the human experience. Me thinks that the younger lot may just be reading for the gory parts, the fright and the hype. I ,personally, would not allow my child to read King until they were well into their teens. There are so many books that are geared for the young adults and I just think kids should be kids. Perhaps 'Carrie' would be Ok, but still, not until a teen. My opinion, ya' know:smile2:

[kingofkilling1]

pretty good opinion too but i guess it's just based on maturity levels for alot of parents.

[dsurrett]

I started reading Stephen King when I was 41. First on the list was On Writing. That one convinced me to read more (and more, and more) of his books. I only wish I would've started sooner!

[orythie]

Hello all stephen king fans, i'm from France (sorry for the english) and i read SK books till i have 13, for more than 20years and all ten years i think i'm too hold but the temptation is too hard. My first book of SK was Pet semetary, i've just finished the dark tower7. I have read about 20 books and that's nice that he doesn't stop writting (and there are lots of books i haven't read yet).

[orythie]

I'm from france (sorry if my english is not very fluid)and i read SK books till i have 13. It is for more than 20years. Each 10 years i think i will stop as i'too old to read it but the temptation is too strong. I started with pet semetary and, about 20 books after i've just finished the dark tower 7 and i won't stop now as this last have waken up my hunger for his stories.

[orythie]

sorry if you read 2 messages from me i'm a novice!!

[Andreas L.]

41 seems like as good as any age to start reading Mr. Kings books :)

My first meeting with Stephen King's books came when I was 13. I found a dusted copy of Christine in my uncle's bookshelf, and I absolutely loved it. Since then I've read quite a lot of his works (I'm 30 now). I'm rereading "It" for the 3rd time now, and it's just as good as last time :) I think what I like best about his books is the deep bonding you feel with the characters at the end of the book, it almost feels like saying goodbye to an old friend (yeah it's cheesy, but it's true :glare: ).

Anyhow, hello to everyone..I'm new.

Andreas

[The Dark Tower]

I think what I like best about his books is the deep bonding you feel with the characters at the end of the book, it almost feels like saying goodbye to an old friend (yeah it's cheesy, but it's true :glare: ).



Not cheesy at all. It is completely true. :smile2:

[Nebulosity]

I was 12, my neighbors dad had an old hardback of The Gunslinger. (I wish I could get my hands on that thing now!)

[themadone06]

I think I was about 9 or 10. I remember watching Pet Semetary when I was about 6 or 7 with my parents and as soon as i was old enough to read decently well I started to pick it up. I didn't read much from then to now. I think from the age of 10 till I graduated the only Stephen King books I have read are Pet Semetary, Bag of Bones, Deperation, and Carries. Since Christmas I have read It (the scariest book in my opinion), The Stand, Salems Lot, Duma Key, and I'm either going to start Lisey's Story because I got it as a gift or start the Dark Tower Series.

[SisterRaven]

I was around 14/15ish when I first *read* his books(The Stand original version) but I saw 'Salem's lot first(and I only watched it because of David Soul being in it ;) ).

I have my dad to thank for getting me hooked on Mr. King's books; my mom would never have let me(but then, my mom even to this day doesn't approve of the books I read and I'm 43 now! I love her, but she doesn't understand why I like reading the books so much)




(and hi everyone :blush: just wanted to jump on in.. even though I'm jumping in at nearly 2 a.m ... ugh.. sleepy but can't quite go to sleep yet)

[constantreader85]

I was 12 or 13 and I started reading Christine.

[joemama73]

I was 13 or 14, it was Night Shift

[Sakah]

Shoot, I don't really remember, my parents collected a lot of SK books and they were always available. I'm guessing maybe 12 or 13 (atleast, that's when I first read The Shining)

[kisun]

I was 11 when I first saw The Stand Miniseries. 2 years later I found the Uncut Edition of The Stand at a book store and bought it. I loved it and continued to read Mr. King's work with The Gunslinger. That sealed my fate forever, seeing as how I couldn't get enough of his work after that.

[brownmouse]

This is not a popular response but I think 12 is too young. I watched a newscast a few years ago about a school reading program and a little boy, about 9, said his family thought he was spooky because he liked reading Stephen King books. I thought his family was spooky for letting him read the books at such a young age. Parents should monitor what their kids read the same way they monitor the websites they play on. There are kids' book, teens' books and adults' books as you can see by going to any library or bookstore.

I totally agree with you.

[brownmouse]

sorry if you read 2 messages from me i'm a novice!!

Don't worry, I think I did the same thing when I first started!:smile2: Good to have you here. I hope you keep posting. Sorry I don't know French. But your English is very good.:smile2:

[kingofkilling1]

I was around 14/15ish when I first *read* his books(The Stand original version) but I saw 'Salem's lot first(and I only watched it because of David Soul being in it ;) ).

I have my dad to thank for getting me hooked on Mr. King's books; my mom would never have let me(but then, my mom even to this day doesn't approve of the books I read and I'm 43 now! I love her, but she doesn't understand why I like reading the books so much)




(and hi everyone :blush: just wanted to jump on in.. even though I'm jumping in at nearly 2 a.m ... ugh.. sleepy but can't quite go to sleep yet)
my mom too! and i also thank my dad for getting me into them.she used to watch scary movies but right after she had me she stopped watching them

[Laretius]

The first tie I read King's books was when I was 16-17 years old. It was summer and I was staying at my boyfriend's parents' house; his parents were on vacation somewhere, and my boyfriend was at work. I was on holiday from school (in Finland we get 3 months off school during summertime) and not working.
So I was relatively bored and decided to read something. Most of my boyfriend's mom's books were romantic novels, but I remember spotting Insomnia among them. I had heard of King before, obviously, but hadn't read any of his works.
This is probably part of the reason why Insomnia is still one of my favorites (I've read it 3-4 times). I got really into it and read it really fast. And loved every word of it!! :love:

[BlackEye]

Hi,

Interesting how we ALL became Constant Readers after the first book, isn't it? Whether we were pre-teen or in our thirties.

If not surprising.

Long days and pleasant nights

I am the exception I guess.

I read Christine in 1989, so I would have been 14. I loved it, but to be honest I really wasn't into reading much back then. I was into sports mostly, so after a while I was skimming to write the book reports so I could get outside and play ball. I remember that Christine was one of the few books I enjoyed reading. I need to do a reread, because I am afraid I didn't retain much looking back on it. I was also in reading westerns, and a lot of the books I read back then were about gunslingers(Wild Bill Hickock, Billy the Kid, etc...) with a few Louis L'Amour books thrown in.

But now I would consider myself a constant reader. :)

[haps]

Hi salems lot was my first sk book at the age of 12,2nd was the stand again 12 or 13.On thing back to my first reading of the gunslinger i was 19 and only just made the connection.

[Leslie168]

My Mom was a constant reader. When she passed, I inherited an astounding collection of books. Quite a "gift", IMO. Not only the books, but the love of reading.

She first gave me Skeleton Crew - she suggested that I read a few pages of one story, and if it didn't interest me, I should move to the next. I was hooked instantly. That was probably 30 years ago (I'm 40 now).

I admit I didn't "get" SK's sense of humor for quite a few years. Now that's what I search for when reading his work - the funny.

[Richard Edwards]

I started in 7th grade. In study hall, which took place in English class rooms, we have a bookshelf where you could just pick up whatever book you wanted and read it. The had Salem's Lot and Cujo.

Then, since I told my mom I liked those books, I got Misery and It in my easter basket. Loved both, but after reading "It", I was hooked.

Later,
Richard

[keto]

I must have been around 11yrs old - had seen Christine (the film) and it seemed a natural progression to want to read the book....I still would like a car just like that (especially one that can fix itself!)

[bopropadop]

13 yrs old when I read The Stand. Read for the third time last month at 42. Now there's a story that endures. At least for me,

[Richard Edwards]

13 yrs old when I read The Stand. Read for the third time last month at 42. Now there's a story that endures. At least for me,

I AGREE. I read the unabridged version on a re-read, not my original read, in a single weekend. Needless to say, I was reading pretty much the entire weekend.

I rate "It" over "The Stand", but just barely. They are both amazing.

Later,
Richard

[cats_eye]

I was never a big reader when i was a kid {don't know if I'd been able to read any King book when I was a kid Maybe the Bachman books or something smaller}. I think I was in my mid 20's when i read My Husbands copy of The Bachman Books. My mom has always been a Stephen freak Since she saw Carrie & she has pretty much all his old books {she even has the Audio cassette version of the Mist} & she's been in his book club for over 12-13 yrs I think.Now she gets all the reprints in between his novels as well as the annual calendars they been sending out the last 3 yrs or so. She gave me The Eye Of the Dragon,Rose Madder & Different seasons cause she already had copies. I bought The Girl who loved Tom Gordon {that poor kid I busted out laughing at one point thoughts going thru her head were funny}and From a Buick 8 & Everything Eventual.On Audio I have LT's Theory of Pets And Blood & Smoke {I found out later all of those stories are in Every things Eventual LOL}. & I got The Duma Key & Gerald's Game on audio someone in a group sent them & I got them I already listened to Gerald's Game that was pretty good, sad, & odd all rolled into one. I can't listen to the Duma Key before mom either listens to it or reads it {She hates when read a book before she does}. She reads to me on long trips she prefers to read paperbacks they fit in the glove box lol. but she has read Hard backs I had her read Rose Madder, I read it 2 times.She read Gerald's Game & told me a little bit about it but she never got around to reading Rose Madder I think its cause she began working & didn't have time to read big books.

[busy91]

28 years old.

...yeah I know, but better late than never.

[Agincourt Concierge]

Okay, I was 15 when I read Night Shift, I'm 45 now...so 30 fun-filled years of SK...SOOO
many nights of lost sleep!!!

[patrice]

16 years old and it was twenty four years ago.
So long
Patrice:biggrin2:

[Babsie]

Carrie in the summer of 77. I was 16.

[PhillyBat]

Well, since Carrie was published in '74, I was either 27 or 28 depending on what time of year I got the book. Mista King (better known as Sai King around here) is just a mite younger than I am.

[Championsrus]

I believe Night Shift was also my first SK book. I was 12. I'm now 43.

[Agincourt Concierge]

You got my beat by one year! Love Nightshift...!!

[AndyDufresne]

I was twelve/thirteen when I read my first SK book: The Shining. I was terrified by the Kubrick version (even though it's not faithful to the novel, it's still an excellent movie) and wanted to read the book. I loved that one, and am a fan since. I'm twenty now, so it's been only eight years ago. Seems longer, actually.

[babynike]

I was 11 a little too young to be reading It. I came back to Mr Kings books in my 20's I started with Bag of Bones and have been hooked ever since.

[Lunarsoul]

Hi everyone,

I was very forward at my reading skills when I was little and my mother got me Carrie when I was 9yrs old and from then on until I was about 13yrs old a older friend would go to the Library for me to get more SK novels, and other authors that the Library wouldn't allow me to have. It did me no harm at all reading SK so early on in life.:grinning:

[JRLauer]

I was a late bloomer. I read the Stand at age 26.

[fan777]

I was about twelve when I started. My mother allowed me to read Cujo and It at that age, and honestly I don't feel I was too young to read said material. It all depends on each childs ability to understand that not everything you see on tv, or in movies, video games, or read about in books is acceptable behavior, or use of language. I thank my mother for getting me interested in reading at an early age. It is still one of my absolute favorite things to do.

[RBSports]

I just started last year (18 Years old) with The Talisman. Now i'm hooked.

[sknut70]

I dont remember the first king book I read, I read everything I could get my hands on when I was young. I know I read the talisman when I was 10. I really Identified with Jack.

I think its ok to let them read at a young age, I read a lot of stuff when I was young, and when I was an adult I re read it and realized I had missed so much.

Andromeda Strain is not the same to a 9 year old that it is to a 20 year old.

[josh1982004]

The first book I read was IT.. I was 17 I think?? I read the whole book in one sitting... I actually need to but the book again because it's so worn out lol

[rmadder1]

I was about 12, I heisted The Shining from my cousin and kept it hidden under my pillow so my mom wouldn't see it.....til this day she still thinks I enjoy Danielle Steele. poor mislead woman, she doesn't know me at all.

[Presque Vu]

It was right after the war, and also my first book in English - "The Shining", I was about 14-15 back then... and I remember some of the movies ("Carrie" for example) before the war, I was about 7 when I watched it (but not the entire movie, I think my mom didn't let me see it hehe)

[fulmoontat]

my first read was pet semetary. I was in the 2nd grade. I got in trouble for reading graphic details (regarding victor pascows grey matter) out loud to class mates. That was... **carry the 4** divide by 7** 20 years ago? damn...
This was followed by skeleton crew, then IT, when i was in the 6th grade. (age 11 or 12). I was pretty far ahead of the curve when it came to reading and english. I wish I would have worked harder as far as creative writing goes..

[m83nghtmre]

I was in seventh or eighth grade or middle school when I started, that was about 1996 or 1997. My first three books read by SK were the Dark Tower 1, 2, 3. My teachers thought I would be staying up all night with nightmares. Apparently they were having nightmares.

[MyLife4YouSK]

I was 11 or 12 and started with Carrie, moved onto The Shining but didn't like it so put that away for awhile and read this cool book my brother had that was black and had a crow on it. Loved it! Mylifeforyou..... ;)

[BC Barlow]

I was 11 or 12 and in 6th or 7th grade when I first picked up Everything's Eventual. Many of my classmates were suprised that I was reading SK's books. Many even steered clear of the subject when I recommended a book to them. Now, I have gotten nearly half my 8th grade class to read at least one book, or short story.

[Turd Ferguson]

I was about 15 or 16 when I finally got up the nerve to try Stephen King.

[slagzombie]

I'm what you would call a late bloomer. Although I had been a fan of King's work since I was a child watching the films based on his novels and short stories, I didn't actually start reading his novels until this year at the tender age of 31 years old. Although I have been attempting to make up for lost time by reading one novel right after the other.

[Robbi]

I read my first SK novel just a mere 5 years ago and it was Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. I am 42. I thought a horror book would scare me too much or that I wouldn't enjoy it. I have gradually worked my way through about 12 SK books now (I have about 50) and wish I had started reading them when I was younger.

[Zo Zo]

I've always been into horror stories, when I was really young I was into Goosebumps, then when I was about 10 I moved onto Point Horror books. Then around 14 or 15 years old I started reading Stephen King. I'd heard a lot of people raving about The Green Mile movie but I'd never seen it, had seen The Shining, Misery and Carrie and loved all three so thought I'd give him a go. So I read The Green Mile and Misery first and loved them.

[catnoel]

I was 12 reading Firestarter I am now almost 41

[nunuchis_]

Last year, when I was 15. Actually it was just in this month and during these days last year when I read my first SK book, Misery

[scratchesass]

I was a freak. I started on my mom's grown up books when I was 8. I can read like the wind blows. I'm pretty sure Cujo was my first King. It MAY have been 'Salems Lot though. Let's see, Cujo came out in '81. If I read it a year later that would have put me at about 9. You should have seen the look on a certain (was it 4th or 5th grade) english teacher's face when I asked her why I wasn't chosen for the accelerated reading program seeing as how I'd already finished LOTR and the Hobbit, but found The Simarrilion boring. I still didn't get to use the "special" kids reading book. I hope she remembers me. I remember her. Idiot. And I never did make it all the way through The Sim.....

[Mz. Brown]

I was 15, in the 10th grade (1977). My mom had just bought a paperback of The Shining... Should have saved it! Boy was I hooked.

[Clotho]

Hmm I think I was about 12-13 when I read Pet Semetary. The image of little Gage's shoe haunted me. I was hooked. Since then.. there has not been a year or an age that I have not been reading Stephen King.

This dirty little secret we share; the thrill of horrors.

[stoprobbers]

When I was 7, my father read The Andromeda Strain (I know, I know, it's not Stephen, bear with me) to me because it was too complicated for me to read myself, and because it wasn't as scary as Stephen King, which I had original asked to read (Misery, to be exact). On my 8th birthday, I proudly proclaimed to my parents that I was now old enough to handle Stephen King. They knew they were fighting a losing battle (I'm very stubborn), so they gave me The Dead Zone because it was the least-gory of what they had.

It took me years, and several re-reads, to understand what the hell happened in that book at all. I was just confused.

I have to say, though, it's been 16 years now, and I've never put him down...

[Cognac]

i was 11 and in fifth grade when i found my dad's copy of the shining. then i was hooked. if you have a mature child,(and im assuming you of course can tell) then 12 should be no problem.

[JohnK]

17--30 years ago. Am I getting old or what?

Long days and pleasant nights.

[~Ally~]

I was 10years old..and ive never looked back since :smile2:

[JohnDalglish]

17--30 years ago. Am I getting old or what?

Long days and pleasant nights.

Hi,

Definitely 'what', John, definitely 'what'! LOL

Long days and pleasant nights

[cowgirlup]

i have read his books forever and seen all his movies.
Depends on the child.
My daughter likes some hates some.
m

[raven1]

I was 10 or 11. Salem's Lot. Swiped the paperback from my mom when she finished it and read it under the covers in our trailer/mobile home which was out in the boonies, on the edge of the woods. ONLY way to read it. :biggrin2:

At one esp. tense point, my dog jumped up on the bed and almost gave me a heart attack! :eek2: But I survived to read again, and King was a favorite of mine ever since. (I'm 43 as of yesterday). He was one of the few "horror" writers I stuck with, after reading everything my mom brought into the house. Straub was another.

It hasn't warped me (much) :grinning:

[bryras]

I was 9 years old and the book was Cujo.

[Luthien82]

I was in high school, freshman year, I think. The first book I read was The Shining.

[thanatos.net]

The first "grown up" book I ever read was The Shining.. must have been around 1981, 1982, so I was about 10.

I still vaguely remember the cover - the little boy with the glowing white eyes and the hedge animals, in particular.

My mom was a bit (crazy) overprotective, and although I read the entire book, every single curse word (and anything else she thought was inappropriate) had been blacked out with a heavy marker!

[kittywings]

Luckily, I used to do "markers" in my head of what age I was when I did certain things so I could reference them later in life. Because of this, I know that when I was 10 I had been reading books of this sort (though I think my first actual king book was Pet Semetary in '87 = 12 years old) and watching rated R movies for quite a while (sometimes when I made the markers I would be disappointed in myself for having waited so long to make them, like how I was mad that I waited 'til I was 6 to "know" that I wanted to be a performer... so now I only know that it was really sometime BEFORE 6). Anyhoo... you kid should be fine.

[kaukauwagon]

I don't know about my first SK, but I was 8 when I read Jaws, and The Howling right after. I think it was probably Carrie, but I'm not sure. Pilfering my mom's bookshelves- now she rifles mine! I guess I'm of the opinion that if you're old enough to be interested, you're old enough to read it. BTW, the only repercussions of Jaws were the same for grownups, too. We all bailed out of the lake when someone yelled "Shark!" lol I'm now a lifelong shark lover and "constant reader"

[panic of dreams]

i was fourteen but i wanted to read his books when i was younger but my parents would let me, i had seen a bunch of his movies when i was much younger though

[S Mcleod]

Oh thats Easy...I was 12 years old .
I was with my cousin in a K Mart..our parents left us to our own devises (as parents often do).So we arranged the outdoor furniture and fake potted plants in the garden section.Once we had arranged everything to perfect placement.I did something I had never done befor.
I grabbed a book Insted of a magazine to read while we waited.It was "Pet Semetary".
I started it..I "fell into the hole"I bought it,I read it All that very night.
From then on I have been Cursed!No matter what happens "even impossibly and unfairly killing off Randal flagg"I can't Not read SK's books andhe has Ruined me to all other authors..the undescriptive slobs..I fall into a coma with all other authors .
Such a pity.
-S Mcleod.

[killyerdarlings]

I snuck down to my mother's bookshelves and read Firestarter when I was ten. Been hooked ever since. :)

[ComeUntoSweetDeath]

Hmmm i dont really remember... i' d say i was about 12... it was Gerald's Game.. not the best to start off with

[adrianmarley]

Hmmm...I think I was 14 or 15. Secondary school. Ah, I was young and slim back then.... I think it was 'Salem's Lot

[karend3]

I was 14 when I read some of his books, but I was 18 when I read IT and got hooked for life.

[AngelZ]

My first book was Carrie. I was a teenager.

[hipmamajen]

My mom was a bit (crazy) overprotective, and although I read the entire book, every single curse word (and anything else she thought was inappropriate) had been blacked out with a heavy marker!

Wow, that's some dedication!

Unfortunately, my kids have heard pretty much all of the curse words directly from me, though, :blush: so there'd be no need for that...

[tillyn]

16-17? The Talisman. Loved it have to re-read , because now i'm 47 So i probably don't remember most of it.

[AnnaJ]

I was in the 10th grade and in a text book in our English Lit class was the short "Gray Matter". I read it and was hooked. After school, I immediately went to the library and checked out "Carrie". :biggrin2:

[LadyLyn]

My first SK book was Carrie, I was twelve at the time, and confined to a hospital bed. It was the most powerful book I'd ever read, and it helped me through a very rough time in my life. After that, I gobbled up everything he wrote, worked my way all the way up to the present. Now, I read them as soon as they are published.

[Jojo87]

I was 19 and my first Stephen King book was a short stories book with the Children of the corn title

[clac]

i don't remember how old i was... i'd say... between 12 and 14 ^^'.
all i remember is i started with the tommyknockers :D

[jacobtlong]

I was in the ninth grade so I was...about 15? 16? Anyway, I just know that my first was The Shining.

[mrob44]

I was 12, maybe 13. I just know I was in the 7th grade.

Desperation

The First Edition HB Cover intrigued me. The story hooked me like nothing else ever had. Thus, it started...

[MsVee]

I went to see Carrie at the movie theater and was scared out my freakin' mind - I was about 11 years old. I was afraid to go in the basement for a week but after that I was hooked - - have been reading SK every since! And the good part is that everyone always buy his latest book and give to me as gifts - this Christmas I received 2 copies of Just After Sunset !! I took one back and got store credit - - of course, to use on my next SK book!:biggrin2:

[senca the lemon]

20...around october 2008 :biggrin2:

[hipmamajen]

20...around october 2008 :biggrin2:

Welcome to the wonderful world of Stephen King!

[Checkman]

Night Shift in 1982. I was fourteen. I saw Carrie and The Shining in 1980 at a double feature in Detroit with my uncle and aunt. We were visiting and my parents didn't know. Scared the tar out of me.

[Laura6]

Carrie in 1980..I was 13 in 8th grade. I had seen the movie at a sleepover.

[hemingway2z]

age 40.

[catzinjammer8778]

I was 8. The first book I read was The Shining, because that copy my mom wasn't worried if I messed it up; it was one she picked up for a dime from the library, or something like that. After I finished that one (my mom says I muttered "redrum" constantly afterwards), and showed that I was responsible enough to handle not ruining her books, I got full pick of the shelves. Now, I'm the one with the full shelves, and when she comes to visit me, she gets to pick!

[Sugar Marie]

I was 8 or 9 when I first read Carrie.

[Mr Nobody]

My first was the paperback of Insomnia, which was quite new, so I'd guess that was 1995 and I was 23. Just to give my age away. :oops:
It took until 1999 and a book club edition of Bag of Bones my dad got sent (and passed to me as a gift because he didn't like it) for me to become a CR, though.

[faerydancer]

I'm new around these parts, but I've been reading Stephen King since I was 11 and it was 1995. My dad would buy his books as soon as they came out in hardcover and I was already a horror movie junkie by then. The first book I read by him was The Long Walk. I was blown away and terrified. And, I knew I'd never be the same.

And people wonder why I'm so strange now, haha! In all seriousness, after that, I read The Regulators and then I ended up with my very own paperback collection of SK books. Carrie, Cujo, Christine, Thinner came after that. And now I'm 24 and still engulfed in his words. I'm nearing the end of The Dark Tower series. Oh, it's all so great.

[Chrissie]

My gosh-I just had to check the copyright on Carrie and realized I was 11-I read it when it first came out...(1974)

[Tyler13]

I was 16 and a friend constantly had the paperback of Pet Sematary lying around. I pretty much ignored it, it didn't really look all that spectacular, and I had never really heard too much about Stephen King. Then once when bored I finally decided to read it. The first, oh I don't know, quarter of the book seemed to pass slow, but it was interesting enough to keep me going. Then at some point, I started hitting the good stuff and, good Lord, I probably read the last two-thirds in one sitting. I couldn't believe someone would write a book like this. I had never felt that way before. I went on a Stephen King binge until I had read everything he had written (I think at that point "The Dark Half" had just come out). I haven't been keeping up as much in the last few years due to life intervening, but I did read Lisey's Story several months ago and enjoyed it.

[Tyler13]

Oh and I should also add that a few weeks ago I re-read The Shining (for the first time in 15 years). I was startled at how it sucked me in even though I knew the story. At some point I realized that I absolutely had to get to the next page, for hours. It was ungodly. I tried to slow down and figure out what was making it so good to read. The only answer I could finally come up with was that it was something about being in the hands of an expert. I can't define it, but when you are in the hands of an expert, you know it and are just along for the ride.

[peggy]

I started reading Stephen King when I was 19 years old.. My first book was "it" and I found it really scary!! But I liked it bc I like scary stories sience ever. After this I kept reading SK and eventually he became my favorite horror writer.. :glare:

[MellissaD]

Noticing my penchant for (rather bad) horror films, my Dad gave me his copy of The Shining and said "Here, read this, you'll probably like it." I was 13.

So on a dark and stormy night (I am not being facetious, it truly was!), with my brother out on the town and my parents gone on a date, I tucked myself up in bed and began.

Well, that was silly, wasn't it?

An hour later the storm outside was raging and I was literally frozen in my bed. I was too scared to move. Every unexpected noise stopped my heart.

And then I heard the front door open...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Okay, so it was just my parents coming home.

But that's where it all began.

[goatfarmer123]

I'm one of the younger ones, I read Firestarter when I was 8. :) I think The Stand might be a rough one to start out on, but there's something to be said for ambition! I think I read The Stand when I was about 12 or 13, and I loved it. Plus I live near Boulder, which is awesome. :P

[pixiedark]

I was a fan of SK movies since I was 10 years old. I did not start reading SK books until I was 17. I read IT. I did not start collecting SK books until I was 24 years old.

[Metal]

Ive been a fan of his movies for many years but for some reason i picked up my first S.K book (Dreamcatcher)only 3 month's ago.(I'm 29)
It was lent to me by a friend i was a little reluctant but boy am i glad i did. I'm hooked!

[bhew82]

I was 4 when I saw my first horror movie. I was 5 when I saw my first SK movie. My family was big into him because my late Uncle Mike had worked with him and gone to school with him.

[titansfan]

i was 12 when i first picked up Different Seasons. and then later that year i read Salem's Lot. My mom wasn't to happy about it, she tried to discourage me reading SK so young, but she never stopped me.

[jenboxer77]

My daughter is 12 and asked if she could read Carrie. I told her she could. I was told at 12 that I couldn't read it. I snuck it into the back corner of the library and read it anyway and I turned out just fine. If they REALLY want to read it I think they will find a way! I figure there are far worse things she could be doing...