the town of haven and tommyknockers **spoilers, of course**

[wally wonder]

hi. i've been re-reading tommyknockers, probably one of the best stories sk has written. i like how many of sk's stories contain all those horrid elements of small town life. i'm up to the chapter about ruth mccausland and in the previous chapter, we got how jingles and bent have left the town and get sick. bent has that vision of the whole town stopping what they were doing, getting down and covering their head, at 3:04 pm, and then two minutes later getting up and except for the designated gawkers, going about their business.

anyone know of any other writer who has described town life like sk has in tommyknockers and others, probably stories like needful things? or what other stories by sk have that ingredient in them? i life in a town like haven, reason i ask. at times i'm ready to go stark raving bonkers with town life, and lighting out for the territories doesn't seem like an option anymore.

there's some imagery in here that's a real hoot. like when the name of the town changes four times. one of the changes, the rev. mr. hartley is surprised by the "ayes!" in the townhall meeting and suspects some of his parishioners joined in. well, he's pretty disgusted and he goes outside for some fresh air. the fields are described as looking 'like splotches of sh!t on the tail of a nightshirt.' hoot! can't you see that? i can, fields w/the snow melting off and this guy's all bummed out and yea, those fields with the mud rows coming through the white look like that.

another thing about tommyknockers is that some of those chapters beginning with the town could be stand alone stories. i wonder if any of them were that, stand-alone stories, before sk incorporated them into tommyknockers?

[Moderator]

"The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson" was first published in a 1984 edition of Rolling Stone.

[hesterloli]

I find it interesting Bluey that you ask about any other novels about small town life because as I think about it, it seems my interests lie in boy or girl from small town moves to big city and what happens there. A story such as Dreiser's, An American Tragedy comes to mind. King would also recommend him.
But I would have to say Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy would be one you want. All his books are that, small town life, but as King and Oscar Wilde and I would say, stay away from Jude the Obscure. That one is pretty maudlin. But Return of the Native is kick. I wonder what Stephen King thinks about that one. All I know his opinion of Jude he Obscure.
I'll keep your request in mind and see if I can come up with some others. One thing you can do though is whn you read King note some of the Authors he mentions. If you ask me about those authors I can tell you the good stuff they wrote. It turns out that King and I have about the same interests when it comes to literature. I believe he and I have read more of the same books than we haven't based on what I have read so far in his works. I am familiar with almost all the authors he has referred to so far.
Also as a side issue Tommytknockers is my favorite SK book so far. I have read all the books he's written up to 1990 and right now that one takes the cake. It will be a hard one to beat.

[michal]

I love Tommyknockers, although many other Constant Readers avoid listing it in their favorite lists - I never quite figured out why. And have you read 'Salem's Lot? It is the ultimate Small Town Gone Mad story.

[wally wonder]

A story such as Dreiser's, An American Tragedy comes to mind. King would also recommend him.
But I would have to say Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy would be one you want. All his books are that, small town life, but as King and Oscar Wilde and I would say, stay away from Jude the Obscure.

i've read some t hardy. "__________" he said, blushing at the sound of his name. don't recall which story that line is from, but i remember it. could be from one of the above.

One thing you can do though is when you read King note some of the Authors he mentions....
Also as a side issue Tommytknockers is my favorite SK book so far. I have read all the books he's written up to 1990 and right now that one takes the cake. It will be a hard one to beat.

in lisey's story, alfred bester is mentioned. two of his stories i've now read. the demolished man and the stars my destination. i like what bester does w/the written word, plus how he arranges them on the page, at times, to convey an idea. and i like the way he satirizes science. hilarious. "most scientific!"

[wally wonder]

I love Tommyknockers, although many other Constant Readers avoid listing it in their favorite lists - I never quite figured out why. And have you read 'Salem's Lot? It is the ultimate Small Town Gone Mad story.

yeah, several times, michal. i think we had a social re-read group devoted to 'salem's lot awhile back, too. i don't think the writing is as sophisticated in this one as many others, including many written around the same time. good story, though. i could hear this voice from "city confidential" this program used to be on a&e, camera comes into town, a voice narrates the goings on. both 'salem's lot and the dark half seemed a bit like that. there's no shortage of characters in sk's stuff, even if it's only a name and a remarkable factoid about them. sometimes we see them later, sometimes not.

[Dull Dull Boy]

I would say that this novel,the dark half, needful things,it, and under the dome all convey the same thoughts on small town living.