Stephen King...still going strong

Stephen King's first novel, Carrie, was published in 1973. Duma Key, was released in February of 2008. That makes 35 years of successful writing. My interest has waxed and waned over those years. I count a couple of his books as top 20 favorites (I used to have a top 10 list, but found it to be not enough)... The Stand and Salem's Lot.

King suffered a terrible accident 9 or so years ago (he was struck by a van while walking near his home). His writing has changed a bit since the accident and he admits to venting some of his anger and frustration through his writing. Duma Key is an obvious parallel to the trauma that King went through. The hero, Edgar Freemantle, suffers a horrific industrial accident leaving him minus an arm along with brain, hip, and rib injuries that guarantee years of painful rehab, not to mention costing him his marriage. Yet Edgar persists with the help of a daughter and some faithful friends. The injuries have tapped his latent artistic talent, and King weaves Edgar's recovery into a creepy (yet not gory) tale reminescent of The Shining or The Dead Zone. No spoilers here however... read it for yourself!

After I finished the book, I felt that this was perhaps one of Kings better works. I connected to the characters in several ways, and after all that's basicly what successful literature does. And yes I DO think what King writes is literature. Despite whatever Harold Bloom says about him. I once recommended The Stand to my father-in-law who was a well-known psychology professor... his reaction was similar to Bloom's. I guess it takes all kinds. Time will tell if this book remains as one of his better works in my estimation.

Anyway, I think I'll give The Cell a go next. It's received good reviews, and being a high school teacher, I can definitely get on board with cell phone carrying zombies :-).