Bare Bones: Conversations on Terror with Stephen King

by Tim Underwood (Editor), Chuck Miller (Editor), Stephen King

In this revealing and varied collection of interviews, Stephen King talks about his life, family, films and in particular about his macabre novels of the unknown that have made him so well known.

"My soul must be very black, indeed," observes King, virtuoso of horror fiction, but these 30-odd interviews do not lay bare his soul. They do, however, reveal some interesting things about his insomnia and persistent fears (he hates darkness), his literary sources, work habits (he writes two hours a day, seven days a week) and how his scary novels are linked to his childhood insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. The interviews, conducted by various journalists over the past decade, originally ran in media ranging from Penthouse to the Baltimore Sun. Shrugging off critics who dismiss his work as derivative, King explains his fascination with the horrific and calls himself a good writer, not a great one. His comments on his novels and their movie adaptations are often astute, as when he interprets Carrie as a parable of women's consciousness or pans Stanley Kubrick's frigid direction of The Shining.

Genres: Nonfiction, Horror, Biography, Writing, Reference, Collections, Thriller

211 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 1989

Reviews

[tiffany nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this. King's responses were witty, clever and sometimes just down right hilarious.

A few interviews were a tad repetitive (and you could tell SK was tired of the repetitiveness by some of his responses ha!) but overall just a wonderful book into the mind of one of the best horror writers!

[Dave Boorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a bunch of early Stephen King interviews, let's be honest, you're not picking this up unless you're already a fan.

I see quite a few reviews mention a lot of repetition in the interviews. I didn't really feel there was. You get the obvious ones come up a few times (what did you think of Kubrick's Shining? What scares Stephen King? Where do you get your idea from?) but no more than two or three times over the 28 articles compiled here (he must be fucking sick of the Shining question by now, I bet he wished he'd just said he'd loved it).

The guy is super interesting, and to have these interviews compiled from so early in his career is amazing. He says in one interview that he knows something big is going to happen to him because he can't just have ALL the success, and we all know what happened a few years later.

There are spoilers for a few of his early works, notably Firestarter, Salem's Lot and The Shining (possibly the Dead Zone too but since I haven't read it I don't know how much it spoils).

Man, they should make one of these books every 5-10 years. I'd buy them immediately!

The actual material in the book is an easy five stars for me. The only thing holding this back as a book is that there could've been some background or context given to the compiled articles. They're group into 3-6 articles under vague chapter headings and they go straight in with no introduction. You can't have everything, I guess.

[Chris (thebookaholic) Padgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book, but only for those who are a bit fascinated with Stephen King. These are a collection of interviews with King, which not only talk about his books, writing habits, but also the movies made from his works and his many influences. There were a lot of surprises, and I think that often I found myself very intrigued by his spiritual journey. Loved it.

[Mac Dubista Keso The Bibliobibuli v(=∩_∩=) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of interviews from various venues and people.

Very humorous. I learned a lot from the master of horror. The way he answer? So clever and hilarious at times. Very realistic. Don't read this if you don't like KING and there are couple of spoilers too. :)

The reason it took me forever to finished this book is, too many TBR list. lol!

[Daniele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting set of interviews with the master of horror and fantasy. Now I know a bit more on how he writes.

[Jessie (Zombie_likes_cake) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this at a library sale and had to bring it home, I never heard of such a thing: a collection of Stephen King interviews all combined in one book. When I got home I gobbled up the first 60/70 pages right away, I was thinking that it is a shame with things like the internet there is no need to list more recent interviews in a newer bind-up, I wanted to read what he had to say on similar things now, not just back in the 80s (all the interviews in her were conducted between 1979 and 1986). I was really into it, and then I slowed down. And slowed down more. And almost stop reading. The last 30 pages took me 2 weeks I think, I had to make a point to pick it up again and finally finish.
What happened were 2 things: it was just too much. As much as I loved the concept at first, my emotion on that turned around. I would love to read another memoir written by him but this interview structure got really tiresome really quickly. I suddenly remembered that I have a bit of a reluctance to know too much about famous people I like for their art since usually you learn something about them at some point that is the opposite of appealing. I thought I would bee good with Stephen King about that since I have read "On Writing" and a few interviews here and there. Still, some of his statements were a bit...silly.
The second problem was how much the interviews started to sound like repetitions of each other. I get that interviewers (and the public with that) are interested in certain things and therefor certain questions keep coming up again. I blame that on the editors to not pick and choose better, especially when he talks about his film adaptations I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over and over...
Still, I will be giving 3 stars. By the end I was extremely fed up with it, at the beginning I quite loved it, so I let it boil down somewhere in the middle. This is very much just for fans, why would anybody else want to read this? And it is clearly even more for the very extreme fan who can bear to read the same thing almost endlessly.

[Sezin Koehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been one of Mr. King's "Constant Readers" for going on twenty, count them 20, years now. Aside from "Danse Macabre" and "On Writing," both of which are non-fictions about the horror genre and writing respectively, I haven't read much about Mr. King on a personal level. This book was a fantastic insight into one of my long term heroes, idols and all-around most favoritest people and writers in the whole wide world.

It was such a treat to hear King's own voice (which is eerily much like the underlying voices in his novels, oh yeah!) and listen to his thoughts on everything from marriage to writing, to being a father, a rocker and a dabbler in politics. The most striking thing for me about these interviews are his incredible (and sometimes incredibly wicked) sense of humour, something maybe we don't think of when the image of an iconic horror writer comes to mind. He's surprisingly normal, and a really funny guy. I would love to sit down and have coffee with him one day, just to chat.

I also found it interesting (and with a twinge of synchronicity) that Mr. King and I share many of the same fears. Like me, Mr. King sleeps with the lights on, needs to be covered with an appropriately weighted blanket even in the summer (for protection) if he's to sleep through the night, and spends much of his waking moments imagining the very worst things that can happen. Where we differ is that he has the discipline to write 6 pages of whatever every single day, and I, quite simply, don't. But I should. I totally, totally should.

This was a fabulous book and has given me even more respect and admiration for this man who has been one of the few constants in my travelling life. He's the bee's knees and always will be.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of interviews, from various venues, with Stephen King covereing the years 1979 to 1985 (and grouped by content - books, films, etc - rather than year). An editors note states that some duplication is unavoidable and whilst that’s true - and the reader can just skip over sections - some interviews are so close to others and so short in page count that it’s difficult to understand why they were included in the first place. But, having said all that, this is Stephen King talking about his books, films, the horror genre at large and pop culture from the early 80s and that’s easily worth the money. Whatever you say about his writing, his style and common-sense and love for genre shines through every time and it’s often like sitting down and chatting with an old friend. There are some great snippets about his books and how they came about, his thoughts on the films and some projects that he - at the time - believed were too difficult (“Survivor Type” and “Pet Sematary” primarily) for publication. Well worth a read.

[Ed [Redacted] · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of interviews with Stephen King regarding various horror related topics. Stephen King is one of the most interesting interview subject on these topics that there is. I very much enjoyed the interviews, especially the two interviews which also featured Peter Straub. The only issue bringing the overall score down is the repetition of some of the subject matter among the interviews. These interviews were conducted during the early part of King's career, by a variety of different interviewers. As such, the repetition was inevitable though it still took away from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Still recommended for King fans or those interested in the history of horror fiction.

[Billy Candelaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This covers the early Stephen King interviews. And i can say that it makes a good background on knowing more the man as an author and fiction writer who loves life as it is and the capacity that makes it horrendous. his views on different forms of media, from movies to comics, his own religious and philosophical views.

[Russell Holbrook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was familiar with a lot of the more striking quotes and passages that were in this book but I still enjoyed it. My favorite interviews were the ones with Stephen King and Peter Straub. Those were really funny. They sounded like they were drunk. Anyway. Cool book.

[Natascha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Für jeden Fan von Stephen King sicher eine lesenwerte Lektüre die aber an einigen Stellen doch etwas zu repetitiv ist. Da wäre weniger an einigen Stellen vielleicht doch mehr gewesen.

[Iris Alvino · Rating 5 out of 5]

King is hilarious. If I got an email or letter from him telling me he’s glad his book terrified me I would tattoo it on my body 😆😆😆 he’s very open and real and I learned a lot I didn’t know about many of his books. This is a must read if you’ve read majority of his works. Definitely recommend.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book full of interviews with Stephen King? What’s not to love! King’s responses were witty and interesting. I learned some things about him and his books that I didn’t know before. He talks a lot about Carrie, movie adaptations, his thoughts on Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, and his radio station. There were some responses that made me cringe...one about the dreaded “The Wedding Gig” from Skeleton Crew, and another about him wanting to make a modern Hansel and Gretel. The interviews took place from 1979-1987 his thought space and language at that time definitely showed.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This compilation of interviews is an interesting snapshot of King's thoughts on books, movies, the horror genre, and other odds and ends during the earlier part of his career (1979-1985). His early books are my favorites, so it was fun to get his perspective from back then. My favorite tidbit was about a scene one of his editors removed from 'Salem's Lot. It turns out the new scene he replaced it with was one of the most memorable for me from any of his books. Remember the basement staircase that suddenly ended after just a few steps? Aah!

In a way, this also feels like a prequel to On Writing, offering a taste of what it might have been like to hang out with a younger (and less sober) version of King. It lacks the finesse of On Writing, likely because it was not produced by King himself. The editing is a bit clunky. I know interviewers tend to ask the same questions over and over (just ask Hugh Laurie), but I could have forgiven the repetition had the interviews otherwise felt complete. They are awkwardly lumped by topic. Some felt pared down, others seemed disjointed. There's plenty of interesting stuff for the diehard fan, however, if you're willing to wade through it.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of conversations with Stephen King over a number of years covering his earlier (79 to 85). They cover many aspects of Stephen King from his inspirations to insights in to the man himself - there are a number of repartitions however considering they are a collection of his interviews and conversations you cannot help but repeat some things.

The book feels quite dated now since Mr King has published quite a bit since the book was released even with his self imposed retirement taken in to account. There are also the events in his own life which have since happen which would I think have changed the course of some of these interviews if they where to have taken years later (his accident for one would have been a powerful event).

However for me this book is fascinating. When I first found this book I was still early in to my reading and was in the process of devouring Mr Kings published catalogue - so for me to read about the man who had come up with all these creations some of which (Salems Lot, The Stand and IT) still are some of my favourite books today. However I guess as my reading tastes change - as does the writing style of Stephen King this book is more a marker in history rather than a definitive expose of the man behind the books.

[Dylan Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Overall, I enjoyed this. I was going to give it four stars, but it didn't feel right. There were some slow points, some interviews I didn't find interesting, or repetitive questions. I sympathize with the man and how many times he's been asked "Why do you write this stuff?" or "What scares people?" and "Why didn't you like the film version of The Shining?" To his credit, he tried to vary his answered, but it does get old.

King also rambled on a few times, going on about a point he'd already made. The first part of this was a transcript of a talk he gave at a Massachusetts public library in 1983. It goes on entirely too long and you can skip it without missing much.

But I did like this collection. Especially for his honesty about his life, his books, and the world as he sees it. Not a lot of people do the same, and it is definitely interesting to read about it. Recommended for King fans for sure.

(And be aware that this does contain spoilers for his books--particularly Cujo and Firestarter.)

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a book like this you have to be ready to resign yourself to the fact that you're going to get a lot of repetitive material but at least it's never told the same way twice. Essentially what you see is what you get - quite possibly one of the most extensive collections of interviews with King ever collected and published in one place. The book is filled with fun stories about the writing process, his thoughts on other writers and movie makers, first hand accounts of skullduggery in the publishing world, and in light of Joe Hill's recent success - some rather amusing stories about his son's childhood.

If nothing else you should read this book so that you can find yourself with a near inexhaustible supply of anecdotes to tell at parties. After all how many people do you know can open a conversation with "Oh that reminds me about this time I read about Stephen King finding a full set of human teeth . . ."?

[Todd Nesbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Stephen King fan, I was interested in reading varied interviews with the man on a variety of subjects. Unfortunately, the interviews are only up to the point in his career when he is on the verge of releasing "IT" which I believe was released in 1986. I was looking forward to some insight to many of his works but still found this an interesting read. I found it difficult to read more than a few pages at a time due to many repeated questions and answers but overall found it was worth the time spent. There were areas I found especially interesting such as a looking view into his home life and that the man has real human fears we all can identify with. I was a bit turned off at what I found to be at times his views on what 'good writing' is but that probably is more dependent on the reader's perception rather than the quote itself. Hope I haven't given away too much but although the book is at times repetitive, still worth a read for the die hard King fan.

[Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I was expecting a lot more. I thought it would be an interview divided in different sessions, a sort of one-on-one conversation throughout the book. Instead, it gathers different interviews Stephen King did while touring and promoting his work, found in different magazines.Some interviews were more interesting than others but you still get a view on how King's mind works, his fears and opinions on various subjects (e.g. goverment, film industry, horror books, his own work, etc.). I was very amused by his answers and surprised at how honest he was. Even though he says otherwise, Stephen King puts a lot of thought into his answers and, therefore, I felt he was very critical and analitical of his own work, without taking it for granted.I would not recomend you read it from cover to cover in one sitting or in a short amount of time because the book would turn repetitive and boring. All in all, I enjoyed the book but I was expecting something else.

[Nora Peevy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As pointed out in the disclaimer there is some repetition in the interviews presented. However, this book really gives you a deeper insight into some of King's classics such as Cujo, Christine, The Stand, Firestarter, The Shining, Pet Semetary, and Salem's Lot, just to name a few. There are more mentioned. You will learn all about what scares the author, his politics, his hobbies, and gain a lot of great writing advice in the process. I also gleamed a few tidbits of info about publishing houses as well. Highly entertaining and worth the time!

More review to come in my next installment on my blog, The Demon Stole My Pencil. Check back!

http://norabpeevy.blogspot.com/2011/0...

[Cormac Zoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you're not a stephen king fan then perhaps this book will lead you to his work ... or it may completely turn you off and make you burn any copies of his books you see ...

but for stephen king fans this is required reading ... interesting answers to most questions fans would ask ... the only bad thing is they don't ever seem to give a long answer when it seems warranted ... i don't know why but some answers seem cut off ... not having read the original interviews when first published, i don't know if they've been edited ...

still required reading for king fans

[Mj · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, I had hoped for some more essays from King, because I truly believe he is one of the best essayists alive. Instead this was a collection of interviews and television appearances, which brought out its own unique insight into the King of Horror.

I will say that there are interviews that just drag (probably would have been better to just see them), and there are many points that ended up repeating itself, but if you want to glimpse behind the curtain, Bare Bones is a good place to start.

[Heather Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of interviews with Steve from the late 70’s and early 80’s. There is a lot of focus on the movies based on his books, and as warned in the editor’s note, as a whole the book is repetitious- makes sense for a collection of interviews, since most of the interviewers are asking a lot of the same questions. It could have been better edited and would have benefited from some intros instead of just slapping it all together, but as always Steve drops some real gems, and I really liked the glimpses into his early personal life. 3.5 stars.

[Dean Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of interviews with King is repetitive at times ("Where do you get your ideas?"), but it's still enjoyable, especially the sections about kids. King talks about being baffled by his own children asking for the light out and the door closed while he still needs a night light. Also like his account of convincing his kids the screen sucked people in, so they would seat further back in the theater.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful essays and interviews with the king of terror, Stephen King. The essays deal mostly with terror as a genre. I don't read his fiction much as I can't deal with the supernatural elements and the coarse language. I can't deny his ability to write and capture a reader's attention, though. And he is so fascinating.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this collection of interviews w King -- this was exactly what I was looking for when I accidentally read Danse Macabre. I'd love an updated version of this book that covers more of King's work -- Bare Bones was written years ago, so there's lots of repetition in questions. Still, great insight into his topics and what he finds interesting.

[Taylor Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a King fan ever since I read Firestarter three years ago. I was enthralled with the way King is able to help the reader sympathize with the bad guy and the depth he brings to each of his characters. This collection of interviews is an absolutely incredible insight to the way King thinks and it is a must read for anyone who holds a curiosity or interest in writing.

[John Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for Stephen King fans, a collection of interviews from the 70's and 80's gives great insights into his writings, his process, his thinking, his fears. How did I not know about this gem? Perhaps I read it long ago and forgot about it. It also has a couple of co-interviews with his pal, Peter Straub. Enjoy!

[David Sabala · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read and watched many interviews with Stephen King, and I enjoy them all. I think he is a fascinating individual and i love hearing about his work/life because it's something that I've always wanted: the life of a writer. As always, King is insightful, entertaining and really funny.