49th out of 88 books
—
1,537 voters
The Body (Different Seasons - fall)
In 1960s America, four young boys go on a journey to search for the body of a boy killed by a train. As they travel, they discover how cruel the world can be, but also how wondrous.
"Penguin Readers" is a series of simplified novels, film novelizations and original titles that introduce students at all levels to the pleasures of reading in English. Originally designed for...more
"Penguin Readers" is a series of simplified novels, film novelizations and original titles that introduce students at all levels to the pleasures of reading in English. Originally designed for...more
Paperback, Penguin Reader: Level 5, 80 pages
Published
December 20th 1999
by Penguin Books
(first published 1982)
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Nov 08, 2012
Nataliya
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who's looking for a well-written character-based story

For all of those who keep insisting that Stephen King is a literary equivalent of Big Mac and fries, writing in the comfortable confines of the frequently-despised 'genre' - please take a look at The Body: The Fall from Innocence, which is much more familiar to public in the quite faithful adaptation by Rob Reiner - 'Stand by Me'.
It's not King's trademark horror; it is actually free of the constraints of any so-called 'genre'. It is a coming-of-age character-study novella set in 1960 Maine wher...more
I feel like I just watched an audio-only version of the film "Stand By Me". Which makes sense as this was the original story that inspired the movie. And its surprising how much the movie not only followed the original story, but captured much of its spirit. Certainly the King version is much more vulgar and up front, but the wonder of youth and the harsh reality of time is there, in the film.
I've always wanted to read this. I've always been a huge fan of the film and was always curious as to K...more
I've always wanted to read this. I've always been a huge fan of the film and was always curious as to K...more
With a Little Help from My Friends by The Beatles
What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
What do I do when my love is away
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day
Are you sad because you're on your own
No, I get by...more
What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
What do I do when my love is away
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day
Are you sad because you're on your own
No, I get by...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Sep 24, 2012
Jane Stewart
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
relationships-fiction,
friendship
Engaging wonderful experience watching and listening to some twelve-year-old boys. But the ending was a downer.
This novella was first published in the anthology “Different Seasons.” It is available individually as an audiobook, which is how I heard/read it. This review is solely for The Body, not the others in the anthology. The Body was also made into the movie “Stand By Me.”
This is a novella, but it didn’t feel like a short story. The characters were wonderfully developed. I was frequently smi...more
This novella was first published in the anthology “Different Seasons.” It is available individually as an audiobook, which is how I heard/read it. This review is solely for The Body, not the others in the anthology. The Body was also made into the movie “Stand By Me.”
This is a novella, but it didn’t feel like a short story. The characters were wonderfully developed. I was frequently smi...more
Feb 23, 2012
Letisia
added it
I read the novella “The Body” by Stephen King. The theme I picked for this novella is friendship. The reason why I picked this theme is because it shows a lot of different ways a friend can be.
The four main characters of this book are Gordie, he is the narrator, his family barely talks to him ever since his brother died. Then there’s Chris, the leader, his father is a drunk and his older brother is Eyeball which is one of the bad guys in the book. Vern aka Pennies, he looks under the porch loo...more
The four main characters of this book are Gordie, he is the narrator, his family barely talks to him ever since his brother died. Then there’s Chris, the leader, his father is a drunk and his older brother is Eyeball which is one of the bad guys in the book. Vern aka Pennies, he looks under the porch loo...more
Since I’ve stated my views of Different Seasons, I am now free to review The Body on its own merits.
In writing The Body, Stephen King managed to reverse his typical formula for writing in which humanity is primarily included to serve the macabre. In The Body, King fills the book with the humanity of four boys who lived in a time and place that afforded them the true opportunity to explore life on their own terms. The setting is rural Maine where downtown offers a few central streets of small sho...more
In writing The Body, Stephen King managed to reverse his typical formula for writing in which humanity is primarily included to serve the macabre. In The Body, King fills the book with the humanity of four boys who lived in a time and place that afforded them the true opportunity to explore life on their own terms. The setting is rural Maine where downtown offers a few central streets of small sho...more
Stephen King grabs adolescence- and even early adulthood by the reigns and doesn't let go in this unflinching, brutally honest, 'fake memoir' style novella of a young man re-telling his accounts of growing up in a small, shit-splat fictional town in Maine known as Castle Rock.
Four young boys head out on a somewhat innocent adventure to see the dead body of a boy their age that went missing about a week prior. What ensues is something I consider to be some of King's best writing to date. Sincer...more
Four young boys head out on a somewhat innocent adventure to see the dead body of a boy their age that went missing about a week prior. What ensues is something I consider to be some of King's best writing to date. Sincer...more
I like this book because it's original. I have never read a Stephen king's book before because I don't really enjoy horror and science fiction, however i like the body.
Definitely the story side of the story is the dead boy who has never been found and lies somewhere. The four boy live an unforgettable adventure. My feeling is that those friends are brave: they are about to die several times but their termination save them. although everything can happen to the boys, their friendship is strong; I...more
Definitely the story side of the story is the dead boy who has never been found and lies somewhere. The four boy live an unforgettable adventure. My feeling is that those friends are brave: they are about to die several times but their termination save them. although everything can happen to the boys, their friendship is strong; I...more
Before Rob Reiner renamed it Stand By Me and made it into one of the finest movies of the eighties, only Stephen King fans knew about this truly astound novella.
Here is a coming of age story that traces the footsteps of four boys ending their days as they graduate into their next stage in school.
One boy comes from what had been a model home with a football hero older brother and great parents, except the football player has died and the parents have given up on the world.
One boy is considered a...more
Here is a coming of age story that traces the footsteps of four boys ending their days as they graduate into their next stage in school.
One boy comes from what had been a model home with a football hero older brother and great parents, except the football player has died and the parents have given up on the world.
One boy is considered a...more
Different Seasons consists of 4 novellas & all of them are basically character studies.It firmly established King as a pure literary genius & quashed all naysayers who had him typecast ed as a horror writer.It shows off the width & variety of human emotions that King could easily write about without ever sounding cheesy or unrealistic & how his style makes us care for characters whom we otherwise would have hated.I would provide a brief synopsis of each of the 4 novellas & wh...more
I love this book,because it has so many great moments in it, and it has you turning the page so excited to find out what will happen next.You can feel yourself in their position on a journey to find the body.I love the way they are just having the time of their life with eachother,just friends enjoying the time they are having with eachother.I love the way gordy is such a great writer,but he just doesn't believe,but chris knows he is a great writer and he tells gordy man you are great and you sh...more
In my opinion, this is the best story Stephen King ever wrote. I saw the movie and loved it, but I love the book even more. It is a touching story of finding ourselves and finding out who are true friends, even the toughest of kids can be the truest of friends. This story has left an impact on me and I shall never forget it. I even highlighted quotes in the book so I will never forget the quote. This story is true and beautiful.
"I wish to fuck I was your father. You wouldn't go around talking ab...more
"I wish to fuck I was your father. You wouldn't go around talking ab...more
I must admit that I had a hard time reading this without a lot of bias since one of my top 5 favorite movies, Stand By Me is based on it. I had seen the movie before reading the story, and I'm afraid this is one of the rare cases where the movie is better than the book. There were a couple of changes between the story and the movie. One is that Chris Chambers has the gun at the end instead of Gordy LeChance. And though I'm not a Rob Reiner fan, he is one hell of a director, and I like him giving...more
The Body was a well written summary of what the late 50’s and early 60’s were like for a thirteen year old. Technology wasn’t as advanced in 1960 as it is today. Leading to nothing but face-to-face interactions for the average person. Society was also less advanced than now, giving the opportunity for a less controlled society. With those two combined, a man can simply walk up to another man, and kill him with probably a high chance of getting away. Reminding us that life or death situations cou...more
Jul 21, 2012
Mike Ogilvie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
general-fiction
I began this book somewhat hesitatingly. It was transformed into the movie Stand By Me which I've seen, albeit 15+ years ago. The movie was enjoyable, but I wasn't sure if I'd get much more out of the book.
Thankfully I was wrong - it was thoroughly enjoyable. The basic story is about a group of 4 boys that set off on an adventure to see the dead body of someone their age (but didn't know) who had died and was still being searched for. Written from the perspective of one of the boys 15 or so year...more
Thankfully I was wrong - it was thoroughly enjoyable. The basic story is about a group of 4 boys that set off on an adventure to see the dead body of someone their age (but didn't know) who had died and was still being searched for. Written from the perspective of one of the boys 15 or so year...more
Dec 08, 2012
Ryan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who enjoy adventure and mystery books.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
The movie Stand By Me was based on this novella, my favorite Stephen King story. I've read it so many times and talked about it so much that certain sentences have become part of our family's lexicon -- those little inside jokes that become catchphrases: "That's when a cigarette tastes best," Chris said. "After supper." No one in our family smokes, but we get it, and following a particularly tasty bowl of pasta, someone will invariably say this.
The only distractions are the stories within the st...more
The only distractions are the stories within the st...more
I initially picked this up from the library, because I've been thinking of putting a dead body in my next book; this was the first story with a dead body in it that came to mind. I actually had never read "The Body" before, but I have seen "Stand by Me" (the movie adaptation) a half dozen times. I was looking for something atmospheric. Something nostalgic. And for as much flack as Stephen King gets, there is a certain brilliance to much of his work; he is an incredible storyteller. I loved this...more
When I started reading this book I thought it was great. The whole book was just so intriguing. I couldn't put it down. My favorite part of the book was when Gordie was started to tell his story about Stud City. My least favorite character was Teddy because he seemed too hard headed and did whatever he wanted. The whole time I thought he was going to ruin the whole plan. I learned that the bond between friends is very special and when you set your mind to something, anything can be achieved. I w...more
Feb 23, 2012
Jordan Collin
is currently reading it
!!!SPOILERS!!!
The main theme in “The Body” by Stephen King is friendship. The story Is about a group of four boys who are best friends. They set off on a journey together to find a missing a body. After countless obstacles and adventures they all grow up and mature a little more. The story of there adventure is told for the first time as a memory by the main character Gordie.
In the beginning of the story you find out that Gordie, Teddy, Vern, and Chris all have similar home lives. All four boys...more
The main theme in “The Body” by Stephen King is friendship. The story Is about a group of four boys who are best friends. They set off on a journey together to find a missing a body. After countless obstacles and adventures they all grow up and mature a little more. The story of there adventure is told for the first time as a memory by the main character Gordie.
In the beginning of the story you find out that Gordie, Teddy, Vern, and Chris all have similar home lives. All four boys...more
Spoiler Alert do not read if you don’t want it spoiled!!!!
In this novella “The Body” by Stephen King the main theme in my eyes is anger. One reason why anger stood out most to me was because there are many applications in the story that point this out, and I choose for of my favorite one from the book. One is when Gordie’s parents keep ignoring him. Another is the junkyard owner Milo tells Teddy that his dad is a loony. Third one is Teddy tries to dodge a train which was pretty stupid of him. La...more
In this novella “The Body” by Stephen King the main theme in my eyes is anger. One reason why anger stood out most to me was because there are many applications in the story that point this out, and I choose for of my favorite one from the book. One is when Gordie’s parents keep ignoring him. Another is the junkyard owner Milo tells Teddy that his dad is a loony. Third one is Teddy tries to dodge a train which was pretty stupid of him. La...more
Feb 23, 2012
Megan Sylvester
marked it as to-read
“The Body” by Stephen King has many themes that are involved. One theme that is incorporated into this novella is friendship. Four Young boys go on an adventure to find Ray Browser’s body. They think that by bringing back the body with them, it could result in them having fame. Gordie is the main character and tells the story. His three friends Vern, Teddy, and Chris, go along with him to find the missing body. Gordie and Chris are more of the leaders of the group. When the boys make their way t...more
I don't give out 5 stars very often, especially to works that are the length of this novella. However, after rereading this story, I was reminded of what an amazing tale this is. King writes the main character, Gordie, as if he is writing about himself. It is very heartfelt and emotional and full of insight into what King himself is probably feeling when he sits down to write. One of my favorite lines from this novella is, "The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish...more
I loved this story! It was funny, sobering and real. I've never read a book by Stephen King before; I've seen movies based on his books and some were good others not, but this story was the best. I found myself in roll-on-the-floor laughing outbursts at times. It's a story that really reflects on life experiences as well. It may be a story about kids but we were there at one time.
The most important thing that made this story so memorable was the narrator, the late Frank Muller. He made that stor...more
The most important thing that made this story so memorable was the narrator, the late Frank Muller. He made that stor...more
I loved this book! One of my favorites. I saw the movie Stand By Me and I really enjoyed it and when I found out that it was based off a novel by Stephen King, I knew I would have to read it! The movie was good, but nothing beats the book. Also it is not the typical Stephen King novel. It is about these four boys that go on an adventure to see a dead body. There is nothing supernatural in the novel, but like the majority of King's novels it is well written. It's a great story about boy's growing...more
May 06, 2013
Andris2575
added it
Es izlasīju Stefana Kinga grāmatu "The body". Šo grāmatu es lasīju angļu valodā, jo man tas bija vajadzīgs arī priekš angļu valodas. Grāmatu es izvēlējos bibliotēkā pavisam nejauši, jo domāju ka tā būs tikai kārtējā grāmata. Sākot lasīt šo grāmatu es sapratu, ka šī grāmata ir ļoti interesanta, tāpēc šī bija viena no dažām grāmatām kuru es izlasīju līdz galam.
Grāmatā bija rakstīts par 4 draugu notikumiem, kā viņi meklēja viņu vienaudža līķi. Kā arī par to, kas ar katru no viņiem notika pēc vair...more
Grāmatā bija rakstīts par 4 draugu notikumiem, kā viņi meklēja viņu vienaudža līķi. Kā arī par to, kas ar katru no viņiem notika pēc vair...more
Loved this. It has been a long time since I watched Stand By Me, so I had somewhat forgotten what happens in the story. Ultimately, this is a great coming of age story of four boys in a small town going on a big adventure. Like any King story, The Body has moments of fear and gore, but it is so well told. King is able to capture adolescence in a way that feels so relatable, even just in thinking about how at that age you feel so close to your friends and every moment is so important, even if you...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Did the boys put a curse on themselves? | 8 | 56 | Feb 13, 2013 01:59am | |
| Stephen King Fans: The Body-DS | 2 | 86 | Nov 05, 2012 05:35am |
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family...more
More about Stephen King...
Stephen Edwin King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his parents separated when Stephen was a toddler, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family...more
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“The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are things you get ashamed of, because words make them smaller. When they were in your head they were limitless; but when they come out they seem to be no bigger than normal things. But that's not all. The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried; they are clues that could guide your enemies to a prize they would love to steal. It's hard and painful for you to talk about these things ... and then people just look at you strangely. They haven't understood what you've said at all, or why you almost cried while you were saying it.”
—
51 people liked it
“Speech destroys the function of love, I think-that's a hell of a thing for a writer to say, I guess, but I believe it to be true. If you speak to tell a deer you mean it no harm, it glides away with a single flip of its tail. Love has teeth; they bite; the wounds never close. No word, no combination of words can close those love bites. it's the other way around, that's the joke. If those wounds dry up, the words die with them.”
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15 people liked it
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The thing I'm really coming to appreciate about King as I get old...more
Nov 14, 2012 11:43am
Exactly. Rereadi...more
Nov 14, 2012 12:45pm