141 books
—
3,524 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Bazaar of Bad Dreams” as Want to Read:
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
by
A master storyteller at his best—the O. Henry Prize winner Stephen King delivers a generous collection of stories, several of them brand-new, featuring revelatory autobiographical comments on when, why, and how he came to write (or rewrite) each story.
Since his first collection, Nightshift, published thirty-five years ago, Stephen King has dazzled readers with his genius a ...more
Since his first collection, Nightshift, published thirty-five years ago, Stephen King has dazzled readers with his genius a ...more
Get A Copy
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
This book is a big old chunk...and so worth the price of admission.
I've never thought of Stephen King as a straight up horror author. He is more than that, he scares the crud out of me with his remarkable ability to look at humanity. He seems to be getting to (for me anyways) to a point in his life where he is debating life and what happens to us after..these stories seem to have that theme to some of them.
These stories are mostly stories that have at some time or another been published somewhe ...more
I've never thought of Stephen King as a straight up horror author. He is more than that, he scares the crud out of me with his remarkable ability to look at humanity. He seems to be getting to (for me anyways) to a point in his life where he is debating life and what happens to us after..these stories seem to have that theme to some of them.
These stories are mostly stories that have at some time or another been published somewhe ...more
Yet another wonderful collection of short stories, some with twists and turns you simply don’t see coming. Plus, it features autobiographical comments on when, why and how he came to write (or rewrite) each story.
Hey, it’s a collection of Stephen King stories out just in time for….Thanksgiving? Really, Scribner? You had a book from the master of modern horror in your pipeline and decided to release it three days after Halloween? I’m no marketing guru, but I think this may be a clue as to why the publishing industry is struggling so much these days.
On to the review...
Any long time Stephen King fan should be willing to admit that the man can shit the bed every once in awhile, and when he writes a real clun ...more
On to the review...
Any long time Stephen King fan should be willing to admit that the man can shit the bed every once in awhile, and when he writes a real clun ...more
Do you know what amazes me any time I read the first page of one of Kings´ works? One is immediately in the story, the pages start rushing by, nothing stops the flow, everything is understandable, no moment has to be invested to recapitulate and get an overview or think where one actually is and why and everything is just perfectly balanced, as all things should be. I´ve to stop overusing that quote.
Short stories normally suffer under this problem, the reason why hardly anyone reads them, becau ...more
Short stories normally suffer under this problem, the reason why hardly anyone reads them, becau ...more
Jun 12, 2015
Carol
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
freebies,
ebook,
published-2015,
horror,
short-stories,
read-2016,
read-2015,
collection,
chunkster,
stephen-king
4+ Stars Within the pages of the twenty stories presented in THE BAZAAR OF BAD DREAMS, there is some really great stuff and only four that I'd read previously, (that I enjoyed again) but the very best part of this collection (for me) were the secret tidbits of information SK discloses about himself and his life in the initial introduction and prior to each tale; for example, Dam! Wouldn't you just love to run into STEPHEN KING in the grocery store.....well one lady does and the outcome is hilari
...more
It's teenie weenie...but it's Stephen King and it's free! Who am I to complain?
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...
Black Hills of Dakota 1889-
A little girl is killed and the townspeople are screaming for justice.
The evidence points to Jim Truesdale...but Sheriff Barclay is questioning whether the right man is going to hang for the crime.
A DEATH is just a little taste of King's new short story collection -The Bazaar of Bad Dreams- coming out in November/2015. ...more
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...
Black Hills of Dakota 1889-
A little girl is killed and the townspeople are screaming for justice.
The evidence points to Jim Truesdale...but Sheriff Barclay is questioning whether the right man is going to hang for the crime.
A DEATH is just a little taste of King's new short story collection -The Bazaar of Bad Dreams- coming out in November/2015. ...more
Not exactly a thrilling collection is The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.
One of the main reasons why is because I have purchased a couple of these stories already, for $3.00 or $4.00, each. (UR and Mile 81, I'm looking at you.) I think it really sucks to be asked to pay for these again, along with a bunch of other stories that were already published elsewhere.
Aside from that gripe, I also wasn't impressed with the stories themselves. Yes, it's disappointing that most of them were not horror, but I'm okay ...more
One of the main reasons why is because I have purchased a couple of these stories already, for $3.00 or $4.00, each. (UR and Mile 81, I'm looking at you.) I think it really sucks to be asked to pay for these again, along with a bunch of other stories that were already published elsewhere.
Aside from that gripe, I also wasn't impressed with the stories themselves. Yes, it's disappointing that most of them were not horror, but I'm okay ...more
WELCOME TO DECEMBER PROJECT!
last year, i carved out my own short story advent calendar as my project for december, and it was so much fun i decided to do it again this year! so, each day during the month of december, i will be reading a short story and doing the barest minimum of a review because ain't no one got time for that and i'm already so far behind in all the things. however, i will be posting story links in case anyone wants to read the stories themselves and show off how maybe someone ...more
last year, i carved out my own short story advent calendar as my project for december, and it was so much fun i decided to do it again this year! so, each day during the month of december, i will be reading a short story and doing the barest minimum of a review because ain't no one got time for that and i'm already so far behind in all the things. however, i will be posting story links in case anyone wants to read the stories themselves and show off how maybe someone ...more
**4.5-stars rounded up**
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a superb short-story collection. I absolutely loved my time reading this.
Honestly though, was I surprised?
Included are 20-short stories that span a wide gamut of topics and provide plenty of food for thought.
I really enjoyed how varied the stories were. Going from one to the next, I was always surprised with where I ended up.
I found it to be unpredictable in the best way. One moment you are reading about savage cars, the next, names written in ...more
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a superb short-story collection. I absolutely loved my time reading this.
Honestly though, was I surprised?
Included are 20-short stories that span a wide gamut of topics and provide plenty of food for thought.
I really enjoyed how varied the stories were. Going from one to the next, I was always surprised with where I ended up.
I found it to be unpredictable in the best way. One moment you are reading about savage cars, the next, names written in ...more
I figure I'd better put a bit of effort into this review, so rather than just throwing out a few impressions from just a few of the stories, I'll throw out impressions for ALL the stories. :) Stephen King is still a POWER in the world, for good and ill, and more importantly, he's a damn great writer. I don't care too much for short stories in general, but I do tend to enjoy them when I finally get my arm twisted.
Overall impression: SK's characterizations are King. Memorable, conflicted, and abov ...more
Overall impression: SK's characterizations are King. Memorable, conflicted, and abov ...more
For some authors, creating a large body of work doesn't mean quality has to suffer. Unfortunately, there are readers and critics who make exactly that assumption. As a result, when you're as prolific as Stephen King, you're prone to the following dangers:
--Folks using verbs like "spewing," "spitting," "cranking out," or "vomiting" in reference to the frequency with which you're published.
--More books mean more opportunities for criticism. In that vein, many readers tend to forget ten great exp ...more
--Folks using verbs like "spewing," "spitting," "cranking out," or "vomiting" in reference to the frequency with which you're published.
--More books mean more opportunities for criticism. In that vein, many readers tend to forget ten great exp ...more
Jun 16, 2015
Anne
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
books-i-own,
audible,
first-editions,
horror,
anthologies-shorts,
stephen-king,
will-reread
Guys, this collection is on sale for Kindle for only $2.99 right now. If you haven't read it yet, you can grab it here.
*********************************************
I waited so, so long for this book, and while I cannot say I disliked it, I do feel that it wasn't as strong as some of Mr. King's other collections. There were some stories here I loved, and some that, as some of Mr. King's more colorful characters might say, "Sucked the big one." I don't want to bog you down in Reviewland, so I'll j ...more
*********************************************
I waited so, so long for this book, and while I cannot say I disliked it, I do feel that it wasn't as strong as some of Mr. King's other collections. There were some stories here I loved, and some that, as some of Mr. King's more colorful characters might say, "Sucked the big one." I don't want to bog you down in Reviewland, so I'll j ...more
Jun 01, 2015
Aj the Ravenous Reader
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to Aj the Ravenous Reader by:
Shelby *trains flying monkeys*
Shelves:
psycho
I am not a huge fan of the King...
*hides under the table*
*Although if I were this kid and you're a Stephen King fan, I'm sure you'll think twice about assaulting me. Lol.*
Let me explain further, will you? As I was saying, I am not a huge King fan only because I'm such a wimpy reader.
But many thanks to Shelby for sharing a free access to this very cunningly crafted short story that allowed me to take a peek into the ingenuity of the author. This shrewd story played tricks with my head and emot ...more
After averaging out my ratings, this book came out at almost exactly 4 stars. Check out my story by story reviews below.
Mile 81 - 4 stars - I read this when it first came out by itself. Unique and creepy - I like when King writes about monster cars. I didn't care for the resolution - too quick and convenient. But, still a good Story
Premium Harmony - 2.5 Stars - Just a couple of hours in Ray's life with some seriously unfortunate developments - nothing too exciting. Not really a beginning, or a ...more
Mile 81 - 4 stars - I read this when it first came out by itself. Unique and creepy - I like when King writes about monster cars. I didn't care for the resolution - too quick and convenient. But, still a good Story
Premium Harmony - 2.5 Stars - Just a couple of hours in Ray's life with some seriously unfortunate developments - nothing too exciting. Not really a beginning, or a ...more
Nov 17, 2015
Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
horror-etc,
library-book
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
I'm not going to go into each and every story, you can read that from some other reviews :) Although I liked most of the stories there are four that are my favorites and I will list those!
THIS ONE WAS MY FAVORITE
This one tells about the extremes a man that loves his wife will go and it's so... just ick.. and I love it so much! :-)
NEXT
I loved this one because I love the idea of a monster car and what that car did! I don't really care about the stupidity of s ...more
I'm not going to go into each and every story, you can read that from some other reviews :) Although I liked most of the stories there are four that are my favorites and I will list those!
THIS ONE WAS MY FAVORITE
This one tells about the extremes a man that loves his wife will go and it's so... just ick.. and I love it so much! :-)
NEXT
I loved this one because I love the idea of a monster car and what that car did! I don't really care about the stupidity of s ...more
I have to say, The Bazaar from Uncle Steve was a bit of a letdown. Stephen King is, obviously, one of the most-hyped authors of today, which is why the fall from so high can be so hard for his readers. This collection of previously published works, in itself, had a range like open arms – from eye-roll-warranting clunkers that never took off and seemed rather (dare I say it?) juvenile for such a master wordsmith to others that truly took my breath away and really explored the mental and emotional
...more
Stephen King. A short story set in the old West. A young girl is murdered; her silver dollar, a birthday present, stolen.
Jim Trusdale's hat is found under her body, but the dollar is nowhere to be found. In Jim's simple-minded way, he protests his innocence more and more vehemently as he is arrested and put on trial. But his fate, in the form of incensed and vengeful townspeople, is quickly closing in on him.
Jim Trusdale's hat is found under her body, but the dollar is nowhere to be found. In Jim's simple-minded way, he protests his innocence more and more vehemently as he is arrested and put on trial. But his fate, in the form of incensed and vengeful townspeople, is quickly closing in on him.
“I don’t want to ride in no funeral hack,” Trusdale said. “That’s bad luck.”...more
“You got b
***the only King book I managed to finish up till date***
Really loved 3 "short" (believe me they are like the longest short stories) stories ever!
I remember the pain I had to go through one long "short" story about baseball or some sport. I never thought a baseball story would be that painful... utterly dragging painful. I love baseball. Why that story though?!
*That kindle story is so lit btw and one of my most favourite stories ever written!
I guess I have a hit or miss thing with King's stories ...more
Really loved 3 "short" (believe me they are like the longest short stories) stories ever!
I remember the pain I had to go through one long "short" story about baseball or some sport. I never thought a baseball story would be that painful... utterly dragging painful. I love baseball. Why that story though?!
*That kindle story is so lit btw and one of my most favourite stories ever written!
I guess I have a hit or miss thing with King's stories ...more
Here's to the only book I read this September, because I'm not considering "The Grownup" by Gillian Flynn as a novel read this month. I'm already lagging way behind on my reading goal but it's fine. I've come to realize that I seriously don't have time to read anymore nowadays. It's annoying when I choose a bad novel because I stop at some point and feel that a huge amount of my time has been wasted. I'm really glad that this collection of short stories made me feel fulfilled. I enjoyed most of
...more
Aug 05, 2020
Baba
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror-aiiiiiiiie,
short-story-collection
Twenty Stephen King shorts, some new, some published elsewhere. When you open a King short story collection, there's an expectation of some all-out horror, maybe some suspense or mystery and a few references to the wider King universe. Each story was prefaced by a personal note or anecdote about the story or the telling of the story.
It's not that this collection is particularly poor or week, it's just that King has set himself high standards with so many amazing short stories, I found it difficu ...more
It's not that this collection is particularly poor or week, it's just that King has set himself high standards with so many amazing short stories, I found it difficu ...more
A goodly collection of short stories written by the master tale spinner, Stephen King. Not a single clinker in the batch, but as always, some with more of a bite than the others.
If you are one of those individuals who continues to drag your feet about getting an e-reader, you may have been right all along. UR certainly suggests it. This one was full of tasty Easter eggs, and speaks to the Paradox Law.
Morality is one of the yarns with embedded teeth. Disturbing.
Inside these pages you will come ...more
If you are one of those individuals who continues to drag your feet about getting an e-reader, you may have been right all along. UR certainly suggests it. This one was full of tasty Easter eggs, and speaks to the Paradox Law.
Morality is one of the yarns with embedded teeth. Disturbing.
Inside these pages you will come ...more
REVIEW of A DEATH SHORT STORY NOT OF THE WHOLE COLLECTION.
Wow. This is my introduction to Mr. King and I have to say I am impressed. Until a few months ago, I only knew he wrote horror books. Then I found out he wrote also fantasy, mystery and stories (The Shawshank Redemption !!!). Many reviews that I read said that he was a very good storyteller so it got me curios.
I found this story a while back in the New Yorker and I thought I would be a good occasion to find out what this much admired au ...more
Wow. This is my introduction to Mr. King and I have to say I am impressed. Until a few months ago, I only knew he wrote horror books. Then I found out he wrote also fantasy, mystery and stories (The Shawshank Redemption !!!). Many reviews that I read said that he was a very good storyteller so it got me curios.
I found this story a while back in the New Yorker and I thought I would be a good occasion to find out what this much admired au ...more
Aug 24, 2018
Erin
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
king-me,
august-2018
I don't know how long this Stephen King binge is gonna last but I'm enjoying it. I thought I'd be sick of him by now but no I just keep right on reading, I already have the next book picked out. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams wasn't really on my radar but last Friday I was browsing Half Price Books and saw it for $4 and bought it. I didn't even read what it was about until I got home(when I'm in a book buying frenzy I'm dangerous) I was very pleased to find out it was collection of stories. I've said
...more
I think every time I review a Stephen King book, I write something about how he is a much better writer when he isn’t doing horror. Where this collection of short stories excels is when King introduces the next story to the reader. His introductions here and in all of his books make you feel like you’re just hanging out at the bar with him, enjoying a delicious craft beer, while he breaks down his writing process for you. That stuff is great, but unfortunately, at least in this case, most of his
...more
Mar 02, 2015
Kelly (and the Book Boar)
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
read-in-2015,
zero-dollars-makes-me-holler
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“You got bad luck all over. You’re painted in it.”
It’s just not Jim Trusdale’s day. After spending what little money he had on a couple of drinks at the local watering hole, Jim finds himself accused of murder. Not just any murder either. The murder of a 10-year old little girl . . . on her birthday.
Wise advice to all – make sure you always know where you left your hat . . .
Shelby tipped me off to THIS freebie, and as a Const ...more
“You got bad luck all over. You’re painted in it.”
It’s just not Jim Trusdale’s day. After spending what little money he had on a couple of drinks at the local watering hole, Jim finds himself accused of murder. Not just any murder either. The murder of a 10-year old little girl . . . on her birthday.
Wise advice to all – make sure you always know where you left your hat . . .
Shelby tipped me off to THIS freebie, and as a Const ...more
Nov 07, 2015
Fabian {Councillor}
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
onleihe,
read-2016,
reviewed,
ebook,
stephen-king,
short-stories,
short-story-collections,
horror,
year-2015
"I was mostly interested in the sheriff’s progression from a presumption of guilt to a reluctant belief in Trusdale’s innocence. Whether Jim Trusdale actually did kill Rebecca Cline was less interesting to me than Barclay’s change of mind."
- Stephen King, in an interview with The New Yorker
In my opinion, this perfectly sums up the character development during this story. King didn't create characters you'd particularly care for, but he managed to write a thrilling story in an intriguing atmo ...more
Lately I’d been going through a bit of a reading slump. I picked up and put down a number of novels before deciding on King’s latest short story collection, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. While I skipped Uncle Stevie’s most recent release, “Finder’s Keepers” – I wasn’t big on its predecessor Mr. Mercedes – I trusted in King to snap me out of my funk. Luckily, my trust was not misplaced.
Within King’s latest short fiction anthology are twenty tales featuring everything from a mystical Kindle that acts ...more
Within King’s latest short fiction anthology are twenty tales featuring everything from a mystical Kindle that acts ...more
Feb 06, 2021
Virginie
is currently reading it
My first time reading a book of King's short stories! I'm gonna rate each one as I finish them:
Mile 81: 4*
I was surprised to enjoy this story about an evil car! It was well written, spooky and sad.
Premium Harmony: 1.5*
At least, this one was very short...
Batman and Robin Have an Altercation: 3*
Touching.
The Dune : 4*
Didn't see the ending coming!
Bad Little Kid: 4*
Interesting story with a really bad little kid.
One death: 3*
I wasn't sure if the man would be convicted or not... and if he was guilty or ...more
Mile 81: 4*
I was surprised to enjoy this story about an evil car! It was well written, spooky and sad.
Premium Harmony: 1.5*
At least, this one was very short...
Batman and Robin Have an Altercation: 3*
Touching.
The Dune : 4*
Didn't see the ending coming!
Bad Little Kid: 4*
Interesting story with a really bad little kid.
One death: 3*
I wasn't sure if the man would be convicted or not... and if he was guilty or ...more
There isn't much left to say about Stephen King that I haven't already said in the past 60+ reviews I've done of his work. I put this collection off as long as I felt possible. I wanted to finish it before Hill's The Fireman comes out tomorrow, and King's End of Watch drops next month. But to tell the truth, fellow Constant Readers, I procrastinated as long as I did because... I'm kinda scared. After Revival, I honestly doubt we'll see another standalone Stephen King novel. I will not repeat my
...more
A clever short story by the King with an ending I did not expect.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen King 2021...: This terrible year is almost over Welcome December!! | 9 | 15 | Dec 28, 2020 11:11AM | |
| Stephen King Fans: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams | 178 | 735 | May 27, 2019 04:17PM | |
| Reading Recommend...: Want to scream? | 1 | 1 | Apr 05, 2018 11:57PM | |
| Goodreads Librari...: Page Count Correction | 3 | 18 | Mar 20, 2017 06:36PM | |
| Play Book Tag: The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King - 4 stars | 5 | 21 | Nov 06, 2016 11:13AM | |
| August Book Club | 1 | 22 | Jul 13, 2016 07:46AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Stephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, 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 was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, M
...more
Related Articles
When Kristin Hannah, the bestselling author of The Nightingale, began her new historical epic centered on the Dust Bowl and the Great...
171 likes · 47 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“When a long book succeeds, the writer and reader are not just having an affair; they are married.”
—
40 likes
“I write for love, but love doesn’t pay the bills.”
—
35 likes
More quotes…
