This is a collection of essays and two short stories by King on the art of writing, released to coincide with his memoir On Writing. It was published by and is only available for purchase through the Book-of-the-Month club. Most of the pieces have been previously published, although there are some transcripts of talks and one short story, “In the Deathroom,” that may be new to King fans. ( )

King has a unique way of looking at life and translating what he experiences into the sublime for the reader. This gives us a peek into how he goes about his craft, but alas there will ever only be one King, and his insights and observations are a one off. Understanding process is all well and good, but it's the intangible way in which experience and imagination meet that is a true gift. I wish that King could write a book that would allow me to write even half as well. . . ( )

This rare collection of Essays and Fiction by Stephen King is a must have for any King fan. The majority of this book consists of essays with some interviews and two fiction stories. If you enjoyed "On Writing", you will find King's wit and humor in this book just as appealing. Although King is primarily a horror writer, this book can be read by anyone interested in writing in any genre, the nucleus is there in all he says.

Out of the fiction in ths book, "The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet", which is labeled as a novella was the fiction piece I enjoyed the most. The metaphor of the fexible bullet and the way the story was crafted was true 'King'. ( )

I very much enjoyed reading the essays and short fiction in this volume. There was a lot of analysis of the horror genre, which yielded a list of books that I'm intending to read (listed at the bottom). I was a bit puzzled by the inclusion of "In the Deathroom" at the end of the volume. I don't quite know how it relates to writing--an issue for discussion, I suppose!

My favorite quote: All fantasy fiction is about the concept of power; great fantasy is about people who find it at great cost or lose it tragically; mediocre fantasy fiction is about people who have it and never lose it but simply wield it.

List of books to read:
All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy
At the Mountains of Madness, Lovecraft
The Body Snatchers, Jack Finney
Burnt Offerings, Robert Marasco
The Collector, John Fowle
The Companion, Ramsey Campbell
The Doll Who Ate His Mother, Ramsey Campbell
Feral, Berton Rouche
Ghost Story, by Peter Straub
The Girl Next Door, Jack Ketchum
The Great God Pan, Arthur Machen
The Grifters, Jim Thompson
The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson
The Height of the Scream, Ramsey Campbell
The House Next Door, Anne Rivers Siddons
The Killer Inside Me, Jim Thompson
A Kiss Before Dying, Ira Levin
McTeague, Frank Norris
The Nightwalker, Thomas Tessier
Off Season, Jack Ketchum
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey
The Other, Tom Tryon
Our Lady of Darkness, Fritz Leiber
The Parasite, Ramsey Campbell
The Puppet Masters, Robert A. Heinlein
Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin
The Scarf, Bloch
The Shrinking Man, Richard Matheson
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
The Stepford Wives, Ira Levin
Strange Wine, Harlan Ellison
Tess of the d'Ubervilles, Thomas Hardy
The Turn of the Screw, James ( )

This novel makes me think of a severe Psychological disorder. Twists and turns that make your head spin. The story has a new spin on almost every page. Makes you question your sanity.