insomnia the tearjerker-my first thread

[1_scarry_Hoser]

I've had a tough 24 months, been laid off two times and had to move to a foreign country and a new state just to find a job. The only thing to help keep my sanity has been reading in all my spare time. I never was a super fan of SK, but loved his books as a teen. Salem's Lot was my first SK and it scarred me so much and primed my appetite for the Horror genre. That summer, as I was reading it I was helping my Dad paint our house in Philly. I was so psyched out (scared) about "Lil Ralphie" visiting me at night that I painted a cross over my bedroom window!

Now I find I am returning to the King written world and can't get enough. Just finished Insomnia yesterday and while not my favorite book, loved the rich characterizations and especially Ralph Roberts and Dor. King is so good at bringing these people into our imagination to the point that we attribute aspects from people in our lives to the ones he is writing about. I love that about his writing.

All right, time to admit something, the last chapter, after Ralph realizes that his promise/barter he made with the Doc's has come due, I could not stop crying. Last time I cried that hard was when my parents passed. I kept seeing my Father in Ralph and Ralph in my Father. I think for a book to be able to effect ones emotions in any way slight or fully is such a wonderful and rare thing and this is what draws me back to the works of Stephen King....

Long nights......Sai Universe

[GNTLGNT]

Welcome my friend to our ka-tet and you are well met...sorry to hear of your troubles, but I know of which you speak-King's works live and breathe and very cathartic-I sometimes wonder how uninspired my life would've been without his stylings...

[blunthead]

Welcome to the site. My condolences on the loss of your folks and on the other difficulties. Keep posting and achieve ten of them so you can take full advantage of what is here. Read the FAQs. Keep constantly reading!

[91rewoT]

I loved Insomnia, and yup, I cried too...you're right about finding people we know, or pieces of them anyway, in King's characters. It's part of what makes them so real...sorry to hear about the things you've been going through...hope things start to turn for the better...keep reading and keep on keeping on...

[wings47]

Hi, Hoser! I'm with you. I loved the sweet and small story of Ralph and Lois. I have read and listened to Insomnia a number of times and cry every time at the end of the story and I am NOT a crier. The story is so poignantly told - no pandering to fake emotion, just lovingly unfolding and letting us constant readers in on the last personal and tender moments on two people who love each other dearly.

Nice to know others felt the same way. Sharing the lives of "our Lois" and Ralph for a little while made my life richer. Thank you, SK.

[kesh]

i know what you mean about the crying part. i just finished the book 10 mins ago. probably my favorite SK story so far