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Justin Tate's Reviews > The Stand
The Stand
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As soon as Chinese New Year got cancelled, I knew coronavirus was serious. Then the virus spread just like viruses do in every horror novel. So much so, in fact, that my immediate first thought was not to stock up on bottled water and toilet paper, but that it's finally time to read
The Stand.
Naturally I'm a Stephen King superfan, so it's strange I hadn't yet read what is commonly considered his magnum opus. In the back of my mind I knew there would be a right time to read it. I thought it might be after King's death (rue the day) or after reading everything else by him. As a way to fully compare it to the rest of his oeuvre. Clearly, however, a once-in-a-100-years pandemic was the sign I was looking for. This is it, folks. It's time.
As it turned out...maybe not the best idea. After seven months of living through this, there's a level of new normalcy. But in those early days, during constant uncertainty, seeing nearly 4,000 Americans die daily, entire nursing homes wiped out, entire families...it was scary as hell. Reading a scary book during a scary time isn't nearly as fun as it sounds.
I kept a reading journal throughout this time. Partly because I wanted to remember my reactions throughout such an enormous read, but also to monitor my mental state during a pandemic. Much of my journal entries relate to bad dreams, reactions to the news, or just keeping up with the death count. Many times Stephen King's world was a close parallel to the real world, resulting in much anxiety and much admiration for a writer capable of prophecy.
Here's the full, unabridged copy of my The Stand review journal:
01/27/2020 - What better time to see what The Stand is all about than during a global coronavirus pandemic? Given this book's epic length, I’m going to do a review journal with spoiler-free reactions over the many months I suspect it will take me to finish.
Three chapters in, and of course I’m hooked. Would expect nothing less from King. It may be a big ass book, but he doesn’t wait around to get started. For this rollercoaster, you skip the line and sit right up front. Clickity-clank, clickity-clank, then a straight drop. If the rest of the ride is this intense, and the coronavirus doesn’t kill me first, I’m going to be one frazzled mess by the end.
02/11/2020 - I've been reading this a while, but only at 10%. My main thought right now is that it's entirely unfair for Stephen King, probably writing most of this while still in his 20s, to be this good. Old characters, female characters, rich, poor--they all come across so real it's startling. How can one mind comprehend so much? How does he articulate it so well? He builds this terrifying world one person at a time and it's so much scarier that way. I'm in awe.
In other news, over 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the coronavirus. That's approximately 2-3% death rate for those infected. Better than the 99% death rate in The Stand, so there's a bright side. Of course, there are Internet rumors circulating that China is under-reporting and the real count is significantly higher.
02/28/2020 - Up to 15%. Starting to question my logic that reading this during a pandemic will make it more fun. I became physically disturbed last night while reading in bed. Like, on the brink of a panic attack. It's all getting too real. The careful pacing particularly. Stephen King, prophet that he is, describes our current world too well. One case spreads to ten, to fifty, to a thousand. The government doing all it can to prevent blame, to avoid panic. Of course that's making it worse.
For historical reference, what's going on right now is that there are more coronavirus cases outside of ground zero China than in. Last I heard that includes 56 countries, with rates rising every day. Other than China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan seem to have it the worst. The W.H.O. just raised its risk assessment from "high" to "very high," which is their most extreme rating outside of declaring an outright pandemic. Saying the world is under pandemic essentially succumbs to the realization that the virus is unstoppable and everyone on the planet will eventually be exposed.
The death rate for the coronavirus is somewhere between 2-3%. I calculate that 2% of the world population is 154 million.
There's also been a case where someone previously "cured" of the coronavirus caught it a second time.
At home, our president has censored the CDC from making any announcements about the virus without approval by the vice president. When asked why the stock market is tanking, he blamed the recent Democratic debate.
Still unclear which is scarier right now, Stephen King's novel or reality.
03/03/2020 - have to share this frightening quote from the book before I forget:
The President is scheduled to speak tonight at 6:00 PST and his press secretary, Hubert Ross, has branded reports that the President will speak from a set mocked up to look like the Oval Office but actually deep in the White House bunker “hysterical, vicious, and totally unfounded.� Advanced copies of the President’s speech indicate that he will “spank� the American people for overreacting, and compare the current panic to that which followed Orson Welles’s “War of the Worlds� radio broadcast in the early 30s.
03/13/2020 - It's a misty Friday the 13th. I'm reading The Stand on my break, which happens to be at home now. The office is still open, but we've been instructed to work from home for the unforeseeable future. This doesn't come as a surprise since nearly all gatherings have been cancelled. Talk shows are without an audience, theme parks are closed, movie releases are all delayed. The upcoming presidential debate has been relocated to avoid cross-country travel. Entire countries are on lockdown.
It's all playing out eerily similar to Stephen King's doomsday scenario. The book, so far, has been a crystal ball for what happens next. Within hours of reading a passage where King's president delivers a cough-filled address stating that virus concerns are blown out of proportion and a vaccine will be delivered next week, Mr. Trump appears in the oval office and assures all Americans will have access to testing and free medical treatment. Surprise, surprise, both presidents lied.
What's still to be determined is just how deadly this virus is. On one hand you have 22 dead in a single Seattle nursing home, but on the other it's been suggested that hundreds of thousands of infected people are running around who don't even know it because they don't have symptoms or they aren't serious. It seems like either way I'm not personally at high risk, but I am worried about those who are.
These are certainly interesting times, to say the least.
03/19/2020 - Today marks my first full week of not leaving the house. There's little incentive to at this point. Movie theaters, restaurants, and book stores are all closed. And even if they weren't, the risk of getting COVID-19 isn't worth the reward. Fortunately we saw this coming and our house is stocked with food, water and other essentials. I'm thinking we can last another two weeks before needing to venture out again.
Being honest, I've struggled to pick up The Stand as of late. King usually delivers a delicious dose of escapism disaster, but under the circumstances it's all hitting too close to home. Like reading Cujo while living with a rabid dog.
I also think the last few chapters have been really boring, though. I'm at 26%, which probably translates to page 350ish, and the most recent characters have really snoozed the action. I know I still have a bazillion pages to go so I'll hold off before giving final judgement, but in this present state I wouldn't call it his best work. Of course this wouldn't be the first time that a King book had a lengthy lull before launching back into life-changing thrills.
We'll see how I feel after another week. Hopefully I'll have better things to say about The Stand, and will not have yet descended into madness.
03/28/2020 - The Stand did get good again. I’m at 35%. Been reading faster than normal because I have this conspiracy in my head that the coronavirus will finally end the day I finish reading this book. Unfortunately, even at my current pace, that might be several more months. I’m trying, world, I’m trying! Lol
As for current affairs, today is sadly noteworthy because over 2,000 people have officially died from COVID-19 in the United States. Just two days ago we hit 1,000 dead. The way things are going, it’s very realistic for those numbers to continue doubling every few days.
The virus itself is still somewhat mysterious. Is it airborne? Kinda yes, kinda no. How long can it stay on surfaces? Several days...ish. Can you get it from touching cardboard boxes? Maybe? Will warmer weather do any good? Don’t count on it. Who can you trust? No one, of course, because even the seemingly-healthy can spread it all around.
The president expects everything to be fixed in a few weeks so churches can be packed on Easter Sunday. We’d all get a good laugh out of a comment like that, except the situation is too dire.
What else has been going on? So much I can’t even keep track. The government somehow came up with $2,000,000,000,000+ to infuse the economy, save businesses and give people enough money to hopefully keep the lights on. Pretty cool, I guess, but I think we’re all wondering what will happen next if this goes on for several more months.
A number of celebrities and politicians have caught the virus, some have died from it. A grim reminder that this really does impact everyone. You can’t buy your way out of this mess.
04/16/2020 - Future me, whenever you decide to re-read The Stand (which I’m sure you will at some point) remember that the end of “Book 1� gets boring. But don’t give up, because the adventure really starts with “Book 2.� There’s a lot of direct homage to The Wizard of Oz, like there is in The Dark Tower series. Slightly cheesy, I suppose, but Oz is up there among the great quest novels so it’s worthy. And like Oz, King populates his journey with unexpected characters who become close to your heart. You’ll fear for them, and really hope they don’t die—even though in the back of your mind you suspect they will.
Hopefully you won’t live to see another global pandemic, but if you do—don’t read The Stand during it. You will be tempted, because it is perhaps the definitive literary achievement of pandemic stories, but it won’t make you feel better. It will make you feel worse.
If it’s been 19 days since you last updated your review/blog, remember that looking back at what’s happened in the world will be depressing. For example, 19 days ago only 1,000 Americans were documented as succumbing to the virus. Now that number is 34,000 and growing rapidly. Globally, there’s been 144,341 deaths. These numbers include only those who were officially counted, of course. The world is unfair, and you know that there are many more who society didn’t deem important enough to be included in the statistics.
One good thing about revisiting The Stand will be recognizing that no matter how horrible your current political situations are, remember that most political situations are horrible. In the 1970s, King imagined a president who refused to take any responsibility for the handling of a pandemic. Had King’s president lived long enough for the other branches of government to approve stimulus checks, there’s no doubt he would have demanded that those checks bear his name. Situations change, but people generally don’t.
If you are absolutely determined to re-read The Stand during another pandemic, remember that it’s okay to take a break and read other books before coming back to it. I recommend gothic romances. They're a good melodramatic distraction from all the real drama swirling around.
05/06/2020 - What’s life like during a pandemic? I suppose people will ask years from now. For me, at least, the staying at home part isn’t bad. Where there’s books and Internet, I’m good. I’m still employed (from home) and taking online classes, so too busy to let staying in every night be oppressive.
That said, I still find myself suddenly panic-stricken. The smallest thing sends me a spiraling. Planning a birthday party and realizing it’s impossible amid a swirl of uncertainty. Will I still have a job in six months? Will it be safe to travel? Will the next wave of virus be even worse? Will I be dead by then—what about my family?
Other things too. Watching a movie where people happily interact can be an escape, or a grim reminder that those moments were the before times—times we may never see again.
Are my panic attacks unwarranted? Probably. Mostly. But how can I be sure?
Even if we do eventually return to normal, what’s the long-term psychological impact? Can I ever attend a concert or visit an amusement park without imagining a plague of death in the air?
The new developments haven’t been reassuring. It’s not just flu-like symptoms; the virus causes blood clots which can lead to fatal strokes. The strain that’s out now is more severe than the original strain. Maybe you get it once and you have antibodies, maybe you can get it an unlimited number of times.
The official death toll continues to rise to terrifying numbers, but they’re also saying the virus could have gone global as early as December 2019. How many COVID deaths haven't been counted? Hundreds? Thousands?
By the way, says some government leaders, we believe this virus was manufactured in a Chinese lab. Great. What does that mean? Was China reckless? Was this intentional and we have a nuclear war to look forward to?
Oh, and murder hornets.
Ugh!
Anyway, back to The Stand. I’ll admit to still reading slowly. It’s good. Really good. But I can only handle small doses at a time. King is revving up to create the ultimate Good vs. Evil battle. Stakes of Biblical proportions. I still got about 500 pages to read, but I can see why people find that aspect of it appealing. I’m not convinced it’s Top 5 King material yet, but I’m willing to let the adventure roll on and be convinced otherwise.
06/04/2020 - Dreams play an important role in The Stand. Survivors of the super flu dream both of holy Mother Abigail and evil Randall Flagg, but where their sympathies lie determines their allegiance.
Since the beginning of the pandemic I’ve had my own reoccurring nightmares. All of them some variation on the same theme: impending doom.
***ŷ Word Limit Reached, read the rest .***
Naturally I'm a Stephen King superfan, so it's strange I hadn't yet read what is commonly considered his magnum opus. In the back of my mind I knew there would be a right time to read it. I thought it might be after King's death (rue the day) or after reading everything else by him. As a way to fully compare it to the rest of his oeuvre. Clearly, however, a once-in-a-100-years pandemic was the sign I was looking for. This is it, folks. It's time.
As it turned out...maybe not the best idea. After seven months of living through this, there's a level of new normalcy. But in those early days, during constant uncertainty, seeing nearly 4,000 Americans die daily, entire nursing homes wiped out, entire families...it was scary as hell. Reading a scary book during a scary time isn't nearly as fun as it sounds.
I kept a reading journal throughout this time. Partly because I wanted to remember my reactions throughout such an enormous read, but also to monitor my mental state during a pandemic. Much of my journal entries relate to bad dreams, reactions to the news, or just keeping up with the death count. Many times Stephen King's world was a close parallel to the real world, resulting in much anxiety and much admiration for a writer capable of prophecy.
Here's the full, unabridged copy of my The Stand review journal:
01/27/2020 - What better time to see what The Stand is all about than during a global coronavirus pandemic? Given this book's epic length, I’m going to do a review journal with spoiler-free reactions over the many months I suspect it will take me to finish.
Three chapters in, and of course I’m hooked. Would expect nothing less from King. It may be a big ass book, but he doesn’t wait around to get started. For this rollercoaster, you skip the line and sit right up front. Clickity-clank, clickity-clank, then a straight drop. If the rest of the ride is this intense, and the coronavirus doesn’t kill me first, I’m going to be one frazzled mess by the end.
02/11/2020 - I've been reading this a while, but only at 10%. My main thought right now is that it's entirely unfair for Stephen King, probably writing most of this while still in his 20s, to be this good. Old characters, female characters, rich, poor--they all come across so real it's startling. How can one mind comprehend so much? How does he articulate it so well? He builds this terrifying world one person at a time and it's so much scarier that way. I'm in awe.
In other news, over 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the coronavirus. That's approximately 2-3% death rate for those infected. Better than the 99% death rate in The Stand, so there's a bright side. Of course, there are Internet rumors circulating that China is under-reporting and the real count is significantly higher.
02/28/2020 - Up to 15%. Starting to question my logic that reading this during a pandemic will make it more fun. I became physically disturbed last night while reading in bed. Like, on the brink of a panic attack. It's all getting too real. The careful pacing particularly. Stephen King, prophet that he is, describes our current world too well. One case spreads to ten, to fifty, to a thousand. The government doing all it can to prevent blame, to avoid panic. Of course that's making it worse.
For historical reference, what's going on right now is that there are more coronavirus cases outside of ground zero China than in. Last I heard that includes 56 countries, with rates rising every day. Other than China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan seem to have it the worst. The W.H.O. just raised its risk assessment from "high" to "very high," which is their most extreme rating outside of declaring an outright pandemic. Saying the world is under pandemic essentially succumbs to the realization that the virus is unstoppable and everyone on the planet will eventually be exposed.
The death rate for the coronavirus is somewhere between 2-3%. I calculate that 2% of the world population is 154 million.
There's also been a case where someone previously "cured" of the coronavirus caught it a second time.
At home, our president has censored the CDC from making any announcements about the virus without approval by the vice president. When asked why the stock market is tanking, he blamed the recent Democratic debate.
Still unclear which is scarier right now, Stephen King's novel or reality.
03/03/2020 - have to share this frightening quote from the book before I forget:
The President is scheduled to speak tonight at 6:00 PST and his press secretary, Hubert Ross, has branded reports that the President will speak from a set mocked up to look like the Oval Office but actually deep in the White House bunker “hysterical, vicious, and totally unfounded.� Advanced copies of the President’s speech indicate that he will “spank� the American people for overreacting, and compare the current panic to that which followed Orson Welles’s “War of the Worlds� radio broadcast in the early 30s.
03/13/2020 - It's a misty Friday the 13th. I'm reading The Stand on my break, which happens to be at home now. The office is still open, but we've been instructed to work from home for the unforeseeable future. This doesn't come as a surprise since nearly all gatherings have been cancelled. Talk shows are without an audience, theme parks are closed, movie releases are all delayed. The upcoming presidential debate has been relocated to avoid cross-country travel. Entire countries are on lockdown.
It's all playing out eerily similar to Stephen King's doomsday scenario. The book, so far, has been a crystal ball for what happens next. Within hours of reading a passage where King's president delivers a cough-filled address stating that virus concerns are blown out of proportion and a vaccine will be delivered next week, Mr. Trump appears in the oval office and assures all Americans will have access to testing and free medical treatment. Surprise, surprise, both presidents lied.
What's still to be determined is just how deadly this virus is. On one hand you have 22 dead in a single Seattle nursing home, but on the other it's been suggested that hundreds of thousands of infected people are running around who don't even know it because they don't have symptoms or they aren't serious. It seems like either way I'm not personally at high risk, but I am worried about those who are.
These are certainly interesting times, to say the least.
03/19/2020 - Today marks my first full week of not leaving the house. There's little incentive to at this point. Movie theaters, restaurants, and book stores are all closed. And even if they weren't, the risk of getting COVID-19 isn't worth the reward. Fortunately we saw this coming and our house is stocked with food, water and other essentials. I'm thinking we can last another two weeks before needing to venture out again.
Being honest, I've struggled to pick up The Stand as of late. King usually delivers a delicious dose of escapism disaster, but under the circumstances it's all hitting too close to home. Like reading Cujo while living with a rabid dog.
I also think the last few chapters have been really boring, though. I'm at 26%, which probably translates to page 350ish, and the most recent characters have really snoozed the action. I know I still have a bazillion pages to go so I'll hold off before giving final judgement, but in this present state I wouldn't call it his best work. Of course this wouldn't be the first time that a King book had a lengthy lull before launching back into life-changing thrills.
We'll see how I feel after another week. Hopefully I'll have better things to say about The Stand, and will not have yet descended into madness.
03/28/2020 - The Stand did get good again. I’m at 35%. Been reading faster than normal because I have this conspiracy in my head that the coronavirus will finally end the day I finish reading this book. Unfortunately, even at my current pace, that might be several more months. I’m trying, world, I’m trying! Lol
As for current affairs, today is sadly noteworthy because over 2,000 people have officially died from COVID-19 in the United States. Just two days ago we hit 1,000 dead. The way things are going, it’s very realistic for those numbers to continue doubling every few days.
The virus itself is still somewhat mysterious. Is it airborne? Kinda yes, kinda no. How long can it stay on surfaces? Several days...ish. Can you get it from touching cardboard boxes? Maybe? Will warmer weather do any good? Don’t count on it. Who can you trust? No one, of course, because even the seemingly-healthy can spread it all around.
The president expects everything to be fixed in a few weeks so churches can be packed on Easter Sunday. We’d all get a good laugh out of a comment like that, except the situation is too dire.
What else has been going on? So much I can’t even keep track. The government somehow came up with $2,000,000,000,000+ to infuse the economy, save businesses and give people enough money to hopefully keep the lights on. Pretty cool, I guess, but I think we’re all wondering what will happen next if this goes on for several more months.
A number of celebrities and politicians have caught the virus, some have died from it. A grim reminder that this really does impact everyone. You can’t buy your way out of this mess.
04/16/2020 - Future me, whenever you decide to re-read The Stand (which I’m sure you will at some point) remember that the end of “Book 1� gets boring. But don’t give up, because the adventure really starts with “Book 2.� There’s a lot of direct homage to The Wizard of Oz, like there is in The Dark Tower series. Slightly cheesy, I suppose, but Oz is up there among the great quest novels so it’s worthy. And like Oz, King populates his journey with unexpected characters who become close to your heart. You’ll fear for them, and really hope they don’t die—even though in the back of your mind you suspect they will.
Hopefully you won’t live to see another global pandemic, but if you do—don’t read The Stand during it. You will be tempted, because it is perhaps the definitive literary achievement of pandemic stories, but it won’t make you feel better. It will make you feel worse.
If it’s been 19 days since you last updated your review/blog, remember that looking back at what’s happened in the world will be depressing. For example, 19 days ago only 1,000 Americans were documented as succumbing to the virus. Now that number is 34,000 and growing rapidly. Globally, there’s been 144,341 deaths. These numbers include only those who were officially counted, of course. The world is unfair, and you know that there are many more who society didn’t deem important enough to be included in the statistics.
One good thing about revisiting The Stand will be recognizing that no matter how horrible your current political situations are, remember that most political situations are horrible. In the 1970s, King imagined a president who refused to take any responsibility for the handling of a pandemic. Had King’s president lived long enough for the other branches of government to approve stimulus checks, there’s no doubt he would have demanded that those checks bear his name. Situations change, but people generally don’t.
If you are absolutely determined to re-read The Stand during another pandemic, remember that it’s okay to take a break and read other books before coming back to it. I recommend gothic romances. They're a good melodramatic distraction from all the real drama swirling around.
05/06/2020 - What’s life like during a pandemic? I suppose people will ask years from now. For me, at least, the staying at home part isn’t bad. Where there’s books and Internet, I’m good. I’m still employed (from home) and taking online classes, so too busy to let staying in every night be oppressive.
That said, I still find myself suddenly panic-stricken. The smallest thing sends me a spiraling. Planning a birthday party and realizing it’s impossible amid a swirl of uncertainty. Will I still have a job in six months? Will it be safe to travel? Will the next wave of virus be even worse? Will I be dead by then—what about my family?
Other things too. Watching a movie where people happily interact can be an escape, or a grim reminder that those moments were the before times—times we may never see again.
Are my panic attacks unwarranted? Probably. Mostly. But how can I be sure?
Even if we do eventually return to normal, what’s the long-term psychological impact? Can I ever attend a concert or visit an amusement park without imagining a plague of death in the air?
The new developments haven’t been reassuring. It’s not just flu-like symptoms; the virus causes blood clots which can lead to fatal strokes. The strain that’s out now is more severe than the original strain. Maybe you get it once and you have antibodies, maybe you can get it an unlimited number of times.
The official death toll continues to rise to terrifying numbers, but they’re also saying the virus could have gone global as early as December 2019. How many COVID deaths haven't been counted? Hundreds? Thousands?
By the way, says some government leaders, we believe this virus was manufactured in a Chinese lab. Great. What does that mean? Was China reckless? Was this intentional and we have a nuclear war to look forward to?
Oh, and murder hornets.
Ugh!
Anyway, back to The Stand. I’ll admit to still reading slowly. It’s good. Really good. But I can only handle small doses at a time. King is revving up to create the ultimate Good vs. Evil battle. Stakes of Biblical proportions. I still got about 500 pages to read, but I can see why people find that aspect of it appealing. I’m not convinced it’s Top 5 King material yet, but I’m willing to let the adventure roll on and be convinced otherwise.
06/04/2020 - Dreams play an important role in The Stand. Survivors of the super flu dream both of holy Mother Abigail and evil Randall Flagg, but where their sympathies lie determines their allegiance.
Since the beginning of the pandemic I’ve had my own reoccurring nightmares. All of them some variation on the same theme: impending doom.
***ŷ Word Limit Reached, read the rest .***
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Reading Progress
January 26, 2020
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Started Reading
January 27, 2020
– Shelved
June 25, 2020
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Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 155 (155 new)
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Lyn
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Jan 27, 2020 10:40AM
Fun! I’ve never read this one, although I’m a come-lately King fan. I’ll be anxiously following along, Justin. 😁👍
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(Hey, no joke about the coronavirus - one of the five reported cases is in the county where I live in Arizona. Yipes! 😷
Best King book around :)
Never fails, each time I read this book, I psycho-somatically get a cold. Be prepared for Mr. King to convince you that you are also sick!
My all time favorite King book! Scary because it could happen. That was my perspective when it came out. Now, could it be happening?
@Cyndi I keep hearing it’s his best. There’s a lot of competition but I’m loving it so far!
Hey Justin. I think that Stephen King is one of the best character writers going around. It's as if he builds his narratives around his characters. :-)
Stephen King makes characters that seem real, because they're all flawed in some way. None of that beautiful woman meets most handsome man alive wishy washy crap.He builds suspense like no one else can. Then bam he hits you hard with some crazy antics. Like in Storm Of The Century where Andre L. gets everyone to do bad stuff to their long time neighbors , friends, and lovers. He truly is King
I loved this when I read it "m a n y" years ago. I think it might still be on the shelf - if so, maybe it's time to read it again.
Good review, Justin. I agree with your comments about China. Hey what better way to deal with protesters, eh? I enjoyed the movie, as long as it was. You know, maybe King deserves a lot more credit for his works. Didn't he write a book about a school shooting before the loonies made it a sick fad? And now this? Will they one day think him another Nostradamus?
I just bought this to reread as well. I had read it years ago but now I am questioning the timing also. Maybe too close to reality right now. The beginning is especially vivid as I recall.
@Holly vivid is a good way to put it! There’s been a few so-so kinda boring chapters, but in a way they work too because it makes the horrific moments stick out.
Justin wrote: "@Holly vivid is a good way to put it! There’s been a few so-so kinda boring chapters, but in a way they work too because it makes the horrific moments stick out."That's how I remember it...ugh. You are making me want to drop everything on my tbr and read it despite everything going on and I am trying not to do that. It is enticing though. I love the King works that are like this one. Maybe this weekend...
Does goodreads have to be turned into an ugly political name calling finger pointing circus just like every other social media forum? Seriously people, go to Facebook if you want to carry on like this.
Wow, an arbiter of what people can say on ŷ, that is exactly what we need! Steven King on DJT When Blabbermouth Don talks about who has the bigger nuclear button, I think we all know what he's talking about. It's your basic dick-measuring contest. Sad!
"My main thought right now is that it's entirely unfair for Stephen King, probably writing most of this while still in his 20s, to be this good."
This made me smile. When I read his books first, when I was 20+ myself, I didn't realize this, but now that I am much older (54) I can understand more how exceptional it is for such a young person to be able to write very good, deep old characters.
Also you are right, that Trump is a threat, even more right now, since he just spins around himself and his money and saying that on ŷ is not only fine, it is necessary. Art is and was always political. Life is political. Books are political and we as readers are deeply affected by politics.
Trump himself does political comment on all kinds of art, the latest was him rambling about how the Oscars could go to a movie made in South Korea, by South Korean people and that he wants "Gone With The Wind" back, of all possible movies he could have mentioned...
This made me smile. When I read his books first, when I was 20+ myself, I didn't realize this, but now that I am much older (54) I can understand more how exceptional it is for such a young person to be able to write very good, deep old characters.
Also you are right, that Trump is a threat, even more right now, since he just spins around himself and his money and saying that on ŷ is not only fine, it is necessary. Art is and was always political. Life is political. Books are political and we as readers are deeply affected by politics.
Trump himself does political comment on all kinds of art, the latest was him rambling about how the Oscars could go to a movie made in South Korea, by South Korean people and that he wants "Gone With The Wind" back, of all possible movies he could have mentioned...
Great comments! I’m honestly not trying to make this a political rant. I’m reviewing this as I go along because I know it’s too massive for me to remember my full range of emotions after I’m done. Also, I figure this journal approach would fit in documenting what’s going on in the world during a real pandemic. Unfortunately politics is part of the situation. It’s also very much a part of The Stand.
The Stand is one of my favorite all-time reads and I give you a lot of credit, Justin for reading this right now. I think I would be in panic state mode all the time getting reality and fiction all twisted up. Lol. Stephen King had to have been an old soul at such a young age when he wrote these deep and meaningful and horror ridden stories the have made him an icon in the writing world. I love your comments and I will be following along to see what you think because this was an unforgettable book for me and it truly was written well ahead of it's time!!
Lol imagine panicking about the covid-19, a virus with a mortality rate just slightly higher than the normal flu.
@Marlon while a 2% fatality rate is fairly low—certainly much lower than The Stand!—that’s actually 20x the likelihood of death from regular flu. Not totally insignificant. I’m more concerned for my parents, however, who are in their 70s and with heart conditions.
Marlon wrote: "Lol imagine panicking about the covid-19, a virus with a mortality rate just slightly higher than the normal flu."
There is a difference between panicking and being reasonable concerned, a difference between calling it a hoax and asking your citizens to stay calm and follow some easy to follow instructions to minimize the dangers and actually putting someone in charge who is capable of doing the job and not only pray. A difference between downplaying Covid-19 because you are not part of the specific group that faces a high mortality risk (up to 20x compared to the flu), like my 76/78 year old parents and my granddaughter with already a bad health condition of her lungs.
That difference shouldn't be hard to understand. You might ask yourself how loud all the family members of the already dead are "lol-ing" right now with you. There is nothing funny about this, not at all.
There is a difference between panicking and being reasonable concerned, a difference between calling it a hoax and asking your citizens to stay calm and follow some easy to follow instructions to minimize the dangers and actually putting someone in charge who is capable of doing the job and not only pray. A difference between downplaying Covid-19 because you are not part of the specific group that faces a high mortality risk (up to 20x compared to the flu), like my 76/78 year old parents and my granddaughter with already a bad health condition of her lungs.
That difference shouldn't be hard to understand. You might ask yourself how loud all the family members of the already dead are "lol-ing" right now with you. There is nothing funny about this, not at all.
Haha!! I LOVE this book, read it for the first time in my teens, and have reread it numerous times since. I also have it downloaded as an audio book ready to listen to soon, as I’m feeling a yen to revisit it again. One of the few books in life I’ve given 5 stars too. Enjoy the ride, my friend, you’re in for a helluva treat!!!!
And stop worrying about Coronavirus!! 😉
I've read this book at least 6 times. It's my favorite King and favorite book. So, so good. Chilling and wonderful. Enjoy!
I started rereading for the same purpose. Reading the original not the unabridged. It is terrifyingly predictive, at least the beginning.
Always been one of my favorites, no matter how often I've read it!
When Larry is at an afternoon matinee and hears people coughing...
Starting to question my logic that reading this during a pandemic will make it more fun...thank you for some much needed levity. i actually LOL. have you read his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft?
I have read this book so many times but I absolutely could not RESIST re reading it with all the covid 19 stuff going on. I just had to.
Cinda wrote: "I have read this book so many times but I absolutely could not RESIST re reading it with all the covid 19 stuff going on. I just had to."Same here. I did go ahead and pick it up again and it is a good as I remember so far.
I'e read this book 3 times, and watched the mini series a dozen times, I have never gotten tired of it
Read it during COVID-19Yes or No?
Also the number 19 connection is quite eerie.
I am also reading for the second time, during the virus scare. I am just getting started, but I admit the book is scaring me a little.
I am listening to the Grover Gardner narration of this for the 1st time of listening or reading ever- it was gifted to my Audible account- perfect timing:)- I literally just got to the " in the row behind Larry, someone was coughing" part --I've had this in my wishlist for awhile-so this was great to receive -and the timing makes it even better- especially since its my first time.. I go through stages where I read 2-3 of his then I have to take a break and pick him back up 5-6 years later.. It works good for me I think I appreciate him more than I would if I tried to barrel through a lot of em at once..When I told somebody I was listening to it- she said" ughh dont bother NOTHING happens..I mean it..NOTHING!! 1000 pages and NOTHING! I HATE THAT BOOK!! ITS THE WORST!!" Well I'm a couple hours in and there's quite a few things that have happened :):)
This is a terrific and chilling live-blog.
He’s just that good. Everything he writes gives me chills.
An ironically timely read. When I read this classic horror saga, blissfully unaware of the real risk of pandemics, I enjoyed the mythic story thoroughly, though presently I don’t plan to read it again anytime soon, at least not until after COVID-19 has run its course.
I love your reading your thoughts on the comparisons with current events as you read along. Who would have believed how prophetic it would turn out to be? You are a braver soul than I to re-read this at this time. But, you are correct, even at a young age, Stephen King proved his amazing talent.
I found the beginning of the book fascinating and scary -- I've always found infectious diseases interesting. But once it got supernatural, I lost interest.Last weekend I watched "Contagion" for the first time since I saw it in the theater, which is a realistic look at a pandemic disease that is not actually like COVID-19. So I get the urge to experience something similar during such a bizarre and unprecedented time.
I hope we all have good books to read these days, and we all still connect about them on ŷ, and we all come out of this okay sooner rather than later.
I want to read this in the midst of the corona virus too just to freak myself out. I think I will :)
This Steven King. You are either at the edge of your seat or a bit bored. I am sure it will get interesting again. I don't know how you can read this now, though. I would be freaked out.
I did like this, 3 stars, but it's no Shining.
I dedice reading Station Eleven because it seemed a good idea, so I totally get why you started "the stand" now, but I will say to both of us: not sure that was a great idea!!! (The stand is faaaaar scariest han Station Eleven anyway!!!)
I’m loving your updates Justin! Keep reading faster. 😉🤣
I hear you. I am rereading for same reason. This just happens to be my favorite book and although I have read it many, many time since for more the 35+ years I think it's time to bring it out once again. M-O-O-N spells...scary times.
What good series of reviews, Justin. Yours have to be almost as good as the book. Since it seems all of us will be stuck in a quarantine for an indefinite time, I need to get my hands on The Stand, hopefully from our digital library.
I fear that the number of cases will continue to double daily, or even exponentially, until the virus runs its and (A those with immunity of some strength will recover and B) the rest of us are dead.I do tend to over-think things. Almost everything, actually.
Justin wrote: "Great comments! I’m honestly not trying to make this a political rant. I’m reviewing this as I go along because I know it’s too massive for me to remember my full range of emotions after I’m done. ..."I love that and how you are doing this Justin. A long review for a long book. And I applaud you for reading this during this time. I doubt I would sleep at all if I was reading this now.
