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The Life of Chuck
Stephen King's 'The Life of Chuck', a tale of life and legacy—now a feature film directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Karen Gillan—available for the first time in a beautiful standalone edition.
Originally featured in the acclaimed story collection If It Bleeds, this unforgettable, mind-bending tale unfolds in reverse, taking readers through the extraordinary life of Charles 'Chuck' Krantz.
In a crumbling world plagued by natural disasters, collapsing infrastructure, and mass panic, bizarre billboards and advertisements appear throughout town: "Charles Krantz. Thirty-nine great years. Thanks, Chuck!" Marty Anderson, a schoolteacher, becomes obsessed with these messages as the world, inexplicably linked to Chuck's life, seems to be approaching its end.
Told in three acts, presented in reverse order, The Life of Chuck explores one man's past. We see him in middle age on a business trip in Boston as he is seduced by a busker into spinning a gorgeous sidewalk dance. And we see him as a child, in a house haunted by a terrible secret, learning to dance with his grandmother. In these pages King reminds us that life's quotidian pleasures are even more glorious because they are fleeting: the outrageous good fortune of a beautiful blue day after a string of gray ones; the delight of dancing when every move feels perfect; a serendipitous meeting. King's ability to describe pure joy rivals his ability to terrify us.
Now a major motion picture and winner of the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award, The Life of Chuck is a glorious story about community and about humanity at its best, a celebration of joy, mystery, existential wonder, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
Originally featured in the acclaimed story collection If It Bleeds, this unforgettable, mind-bending tale unfolds in reverse, taking readers through the extraordinary life of Charles 'Chuck' Krantz.
In a crumbling world plagued by natural disasters, collapsing infrastructure, and mass panic, bizarre billboards and advertisements appear throughout town: "Charles Krantz. Thirty-nine great years. Thanks, Chuck!" Marty Anderson, a schoolteacher, becomes obsessed with these messages as the world, inexplicably linked to Chuck's life, seems to be approaching its end.
Told in three acts, presented in reverse order, The Life of Chuck explores one man's past. We see him in middle age on a business trip in Boston as he is seduced by a busker into spinning a gorgeous sidewalk dance. And we see him as a child, in a house haunted by a terrible secret, learning to dance with his grandmother. In these pages King reminds us that life's quotidian pleasures are even more glorious because they are fleeting: the outrageous good fortune of a beautiful blue day after a string of gray ones; the delight of dancing when every move feels perfect; a serendipitous meeting. King's ability to describe pure joy rivals his ability to terrify us.
Now a major motion picture and winner of the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award, The Life of Chuck is a glorious story about community and about humanity at its best, a celebration of joy, mystery, existential wonder, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
58 pages, Unknown Binding
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About the author
Stephen King
2,577 books880k followersStephen 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, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 971 reviews
December 23, 2023
Magic hat, indeed.
August 17, 2025
A friend noticed my copy of this book laying around and was confused. “Wait, you’re reading Stephen King?! I didn’t know you liked horror stories!” Well, generally I don’t. Besides, this one isn’t a horror novel. Rather, it’s more of a speculative fiction novella of sorts. What made me pick it up, you ask? Well, I saw that there was a film adaptation, starring Tom Hiddleston of all people! And I knew there would be a dancing scene in the film – and boy oh boy, can Tom dance! (Thanks to Instagram, I knew this already!) So naturally I had to grab this little book before watching the movie. Stephen King can explain the point of this one better than I can:
“… a short story … which was about the entire world – hell, the entire universe – slowly going down the tubes because the man who perceived it, one Charles Krantz, was dying of a brain tumor … it was about the joy of life in the shadow of death.”
We all know that the world doesn’t come to an end when one of us dies. Despite that whole issue of the ego, not even one of us makes the world go round. Or do we? Here, let one of King’s characters explain this bit to you as well. It certainly makes a lot more sense coming from his mouth than it would from mine:
“The human brain is finite – no more than a sponge of tissue inside a cage of bone – but the mind within the brain is infinite. Its storage capacity is colossal, its imaginative reach beyond our ability to comprehend. I think when a man or woman dies, a whole world falls to ruin – the world that person knew and believed in. Think of that, kiddo – billions of people on earth, and each one of those billions with a world inside. The earth their minds have conceived.”
I really love this idea. Truly, I do! Each one of us matters a whole lot more than we give ourselves credit for. Thank you, Mr. King, for that message that I needed so desperately to hear!
“… a short story … which was about the entire world – hell, the entire universe – slowly going down the tubes because the man who perceived it, one Charles Krantz, was dying of a brain tumor … it was about the joy of life in the shadow of death.”
We all know that the world doesn’t come to an end when one of us dies. Despite that whole issue of the ego, not even one of us makes the world go round. Or do we? Here, let one of King’s characters explain this bit to you as well. It certainly makes a lot more sense coming from his mouth than it would from mine:
“The human brain is finite – no more than a sponge of tissue inside a cage of bone – but the mind within the brain is infinite. Its storage capacity is colossal, its imaginative reach beyond our ability to comprehend. I think when a man or woman dies, a whole world falls to ruin – the world that person knew and believed in. Think of that, kiddo – billions of people on earth, and each one of those billions with a world inside. The earth their minds have conceived.”
I really love this idea. Truly, I do! Each one of us matters a whole lot more than we give ourselves credit for. Thank you, Mr. King, for that message that I needed so desperately to hear!
July 20, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
It’s really hard to put my finger on why this story is so special. It’s esoterically non-linear, borderline non-sensical and saccharinely infused, but it somehow all works so perfectly. It’s magically divine.
Chuck really does contain multitudes, and I loved every second I spent with him. This was my second read of this story, after seeing the movie recently, and it only made it all the more enjoyable. It really underscored how brilliant the adaptation was. I think this is a story that might take a few times to fully imbue its poignancy, and I imagine I’ll read this many more times in my life to continue feeling that resonance...
It’s really hard to put my finger on why this story is so special. It’s esoterically non-linear, borderline non-sensical and saccharinely infused, but it somehow all works so perfectly. It’s magically divine.
Chuck really does contain multitudes, and I loved every second I spent with him. This was my second read of this story, after seeing the movie recently, and it only made it all the more enjoyable. It really underscored how brilliant the adaptation was. I think this is a story that might take a few times to fully imbue its poignancy, and I imagine I’ll read this many more times in my life to continue feeling that resonance...
April 22, 2025
This is a deeply endearing meditation on life itself. Told in reverse, it unravels the story of a man who dies too young. It’s obscure, moving, and unlike anything you might expect from Stephen King, quietly profound rather than horrifying.
This is a story that reminds us we’re more than our routines. That even on an ordinary day, with the smallest shift—maybe just a turn of the hip—we’re capable of something remarkable. That we can build something meaningful, something just for us. Because we are multitudes.
It’s a beautiful, unexpected kind of story. And the upcoming film adaptation captures that beauty in stunning light.
This is a story that reminds us we’re more than our routines. That even on an ordinary day, with the smallest shift—maybe just a turn of the hip—we’re capable of something remarkable. That we can build something meaningful, something just for us. Because we are multitudes.
It’s a beautiful, unexpected kind of story. And the upcoming film adaptation captures that beauty in stunning light.
September 6, 2021
When I got it, when I saw the whole picture the author painted before me I was completely in awe. I did not see that coming, he had me going in a completely other direction. But this way it truly classifies as a horror story, especially when you read it the second time, knowing what you didn't know the first time around. Then you see other things, things you didn't think matter the first time around but they mean something to you know.
I just love this short story. It was days since I finished it, but somehow it stayed with me. I keep thinkig about it. There's so much going on here beneath the surface. I will most likely return to "The life of Chuck", it has that special quality to it that not too many short stories have.
I just love this short story. It was days since I finished it, but somehow it stayed with me. I keep thinkig about it. There's so much going on here beneath the surface. I will most likely return to "The life of Chuck", it has that special quality to it that not too many short stories have.
July 23, 2025
I needed this story in my life right now. It brings such joy to my soul. While it's a sad story, there are so many moments of pure joy within its pages. I do nothing but smile and cry all through the second part of the story.
As I mentioned in one of my updates while reading this time through, this is one of the most beautiful stories from Stephen King. Another one that comes close in my mind is "My Pretty Pony," found in his Nightmares and Dreamscapes collection. Now I feel the need to read that one again too.
I think I may be trying to make up for my disappointment in Holly. Whatever my reasons for craving these stories now, I'm glad it came over me. My rating is five stars among the infinity of stars that exist within me. ⭐💫⭐💫⭐
As I mentioned in one of my updates while reading this time through, this is one of the most beautiful stories from Stephen King. Another one that comes close in my mind is "My Pretty Pony," found in his Nightmares and Dreamscapes collection. Now I feel the need to read that one again too.
I think I may be trying to make up for my disappointment in Holly. Whatever my reasons for craving these stories now, I'm glad it came over me. My rating is five stars among the infinity of stars that exist within me. ⭐💫⭐💫⭐
July 3, 2025
3.5⭐
October 7, 2021
as someone currently suffering from a brain tumor and brain cancer, this story made me ugly sob. it is beautiful.
June 4, 2022
This second story from the collection If It Bleeds was so brilliantly crafted, oh my goodness!! Act III reminded me of The Dark Tower II. Wow!! Act II was beautiful and amazing in its own way: the music, the dancing, such vividness!! Horror has its own different beat in this one, as it is slowly uncovered by the end of Act I. Loved and enjoyed it!! 👏"
It seems to be a well underrated story amongst readers, with an average rating of just 3.47 stars at the time of my writing this short review. Hope readers will understand how beautiful this story has been crafted, displaying one of various ways in which King can write, and how surely not easy it is to craft and then to pen such a tale, as is previously also seen in his Lisey's Story.
It seems to be a well underrated story amongst readers, with an average rating of just 3.47 stars at the time of my writing this short review. Hope readers will understand how beautiful this story has been crafted, displaying one of various ways in which King can write, and how surely not easy it is to craft and then to pen such a tale, as is previously also seen in his Lisey's Story.
August 9, 2025
“I am wonderful, I deserve to be wonderful, and I contain multitudes.”
June 11, 2025
The Life of Chuck (Chapters 6-9) narrated by Danny Bursten, is part of If It Bleeds
The audiobook is under 2.5 hours at 1x speed, has high quality audio that is easily understood from 1x to 2x speed, as preferred.
Danny Bursten used a fun narration style that really fit this story, which was filled with emotion with a lot of personal movement, like dancing. I did enjoy his reading of this short story.
The Life of Chuck was, surprise!, about the life of... dum... duuum... dummmmm... Chuck!
There was a lot going on in this short story, mostly revolving around the relationships Chuck built with himself and those around him. I think that when I am done with the collection that I will probably go back and re-read this one as I feel that there are a lot of layers and I would like to double read it to fully realize the totality of it. Although not necessary, I really love relationships in stories, and this one was touching.
Recommend.
Edit: This is a release of the single story from the book If It Bleeds. I highly recommend going in for the full collection, if you are going in for a purchase or even a first time read borrow from your local library. As a second run through to pick up at the library, sure, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there are several awesome stories in the full collection.
The release of the single goes along with the movie that is currently in a limited theater run. The cast looks outstanding. I cannot wait to see it!
Trailer: https://youtu.be/jlN1Mmj6YNo?si=OMQ4l...
Finally there is a 5 minute read by Stephen Kings doppelganger, Stephen Kinds on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/5JrlSoqb3Ec?si=5ZbEx...
King looks so happy as he begins and ends his new book introduction. Thrilled would probably be appropriate, with the biggest smile that engulfs his entire face!
The audiobook is under 2.5 hours at 1x speed, has high quality audio that is easily understood from 1x to 2x speed, as preferred.
Danny Bursten used a fun narration style that really fit this story, which was filled with emotion with a lot of personal movement, like dancing. I did enjoy his reading of this short story.
The Life of Chuck was, surprise!, about the life of... dum... duuum... dummmmm... Chuck!
There was a lot going on in this short story, mostly revolving around the relationships Chuck built with himself and those around him. I think that when I am done with the collection that I will probably go back and re-read this one as I feel that there are a lot of layers and I would like to double read it to fully realize the totality of it. Although not necessary, I really love relationships in stories, and this one was touching.
Recommend.
Edit: This is a release of the single story from the book If It Bleeds. I highly recommend going in for the full collection, if you are going in for a purchase or even a first time read borrow from your local library. As a second run through to pick up at the library, sure, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there are several awesome stories in the full collection.
The release of the single goes along with the movie that is currently in a limited theater run. The cast looks outstanding. I cannot wait to see it!
Trailer: https://youtu.be/jlN1Mmj6YNo?si=OMQ4l...
Finally there is a 5 minute read by Stephen Kings doppelganger, Stephen Kinds on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/5JrlSoqb3Ec?si=5ZbEx...
King looks so happy as he begins and ends his new book introduction. Thrilled would probably be appropriate, with the biggest smile that engulfs his entire face!
August 14, 2025
The Brain—is wider than the Sky— For—put them side by side—
The one the other will contain
With ease—and you—beside—
The Brain is deeper than the sea— For—hold them—Blue to Blue— The one the other will absorb— As sponges—Buckets—do—
The Brain is just the weight of God— For—Heft them—Pound for Pound— And they will differ—if they do—
As Syllable from Sound—
Emily Dickinson, c. 1862
Stephen King didn’t use that Emily Dickinson poem in The Life of Chuck. Instead, he included quotes from Walt Whitman’s poem Song of Myself, most notably,
I am large, I contain multitudes.
Yet every time I’ve read it Dickinson’s poem and all that it portends rushes to mind.
This is my third time reading this amazing, eerie, touching and brilliant novella of death and life. My first two times through were part of reading the collection it was in, If It Bleeds. But after watching Mike Flanagan’s brilliant adaptation (a wonderful gem of a film, an instant classic that you simply must see), I realized both that I wanted to read the story again, and that it deserved a stand alone review.
The Life of Chuck is a perfect little meditation on death and life, told backwards, in three acts. Act Three is an eerie, slipstream tale of an inexplicable apocalypse in which we are indirectly introduced to Chuck, who dies at act’s end. Act Two is a conventionally told tale that focuses on one isolated but profoundly meaningful moment from Chuck’s life — a finite moment of joy that encompasses the why of existence. It is stunning in its casual magnificence. And Act One takes us back to Chuck’s childhood, showing the haunted beginnings of one man’s absolutely ordinary life that also happens to be utterly extraordinary.
The Life of Chuck is among the greatest stories I’ve read dealing with the mysteries of dying and living. It is a tale to read, to ponder, to appreciate, and to return to and do it all over again. Brilliant!
”The Universe is large, he thought. It contains multitudes! It also contains me, and in this moment I am wonderful,…and I contain multitudes!”
The one the other will contain
With ease—and you—beside—
The Brain is deeper than the sea— For—hold them—Blue to Blue— The one the other will absorb— As sponges—Buckets—do—
The Brain is just the weight of God— For—Heft them—Pound for Pound— And they will differ—if they do—
As Syllable from Sound—
Emily Dickinson, c. 1862
Stephen King didn’t use that Emily Dickinson poem in The Life of Chuck. Instead, he included quotes from Walt Whitman’s poem Song of Myself, most notably,
I am large, I contain multitudes.
Yet every time I’ve read it Dickinson’s poem and all that it portends rushes to mind.
This is my third time reading this amazing, eerie, touching and brilliant novella of death and life. My first two times through were part of reading the collection it was in, If It Bleeds. But after watching Mike Flanagan’s brilliant adaptation (a wonderful gem of a film, an instant classic that you simply must see), I realized both that I wanted to read the story again, and that it deserved a stand alone review.
The Life of Chuck is a perfect little meditation on death and life, told backwards, in three acts. Act Three is an eerie, slipstream tale of an inexplicable apocalypse in which we are indirectly introduced to Chuck, who dies at act’s end. Act Two is a conventionally told tale that focuses on one isolated but profoundly meaningful moment from Chuck’s life — a finite moment of joy that encompasses the why of existence. It is stunning in its casual magnificence. And Act One takes us back to Chuck’s childhood, showing the haunted beginnings of one man’s absolutely ordinary life that also happens to be utterly extraordinary.
The Life of Chuck is among the greatest stories I’ve read dealing with the mysteries of dying and living. It is a tale to read, to ponder, to appreciate, and to return to and do it all over again. Brilliant!
”The Universe is large, he thought. It contains multitudes! It also contains me, and in this moment I am wonderful,…and I contain multitudes!”
July 4, 2025
It was truly what I think of as pleasure reading. Several times I found I wanted to go back and read over the previous passage and relive it so to speak, so I did. I loved the passages that included music or dancing, especially dancing, they truly moved me.
For a short story, there were lots of phrases my brain picked out for my heart to react to:
“it was about the joy of life in the shadow of death.”
“there were plenty of loosely wrapped people around these days.”
“A few people glance at him, but most simply sweep on by, lost in their talk of friends, dinner plans, where to get a drink, and the day gone by to the mystery-dump where spent days go.”
“Maybe Magic Hat really is magic.”
“For a mad moment Chuck actually considers it, and sees the girl is, too. Not in a serious way, but in the way you daydream of an alternate life.”
“And what makes you think you’re a main character in anything but your own mind?”
“The universe is large, he thought. It contains multitudes. It also contains me, and in this moment I am wonderful. I have a right to be wonderful.”
For a short story, there were lots of phrases my brain picked out for my heart to react to:
“it was about the joy of life in the shadow of death.”
“there were plenty of loosely wrapped people around these days.”
“A few people glance at him, but most simply sweep on by, lost in their talk of friends, dinner plans, where to get a drink, and the day gone by to the mystery-dump where spent days go.”
“Maybe Magic Hat really is magic.”
“For a mad moment Chuck actually considers it, and sees the girl is, too. Not in a serious way, but in the way you daydream of an alternate life.”
“And what makes you think you’re a main character in anything but your own mind?”
“The universe is large, he thought. It contains multitudes. It also contains me, and in this moment I am wonderful. I have a right to be wonderful.”
August 5, 2025
I first read this short story in King's collection If It Bleeds. It feels like I only read it recently, but I see it was actually five years ago!
The Life of Chuck is a life story told backwards, that is depressing & uplifting in equal measures. The dance scene is an absolute delight. Now I'm looking forward to see how well it works as a film.
The Life of Chuck is a life story told backwards, that is depressing & uplifting in equal measures. The dance scene is an absolute delight. Now I'm looking forward to see how well it works as a film.
August 3, 2025
Esta es una de esas historias que desconciertan y conmueven a partes iguales. No es una novela en el sentido tradicional, sino más bien una meditación estructurada en tres actos sobre lo que significa ser humano, tener memoria y estar vivos. Originalmente publicada como parte de la colección "La Sangre Manda", esta edición independiente invita a leerla como una obra con entidad propia, y la verdad es que lo merece. La historia comienza al final y retrocede paso a paso hacia los inicios de su protagonista, Charles Krantz, un hombre aparentemente común cuya existencia tiene, sin explicación aparente, un vínculo directo con el colapso del mundo tal como lo conocemos.
La narración arranca con un mundo que se desmorona: terremotos, fallas eléctricas, cielos que se oscurecen, y en medio de todo, aparecen por todas partes unos enigmáticos anuncios que rezan: "Charles Krantz. Treinta y nueve grandes años. Gracias, Chuck." ¿Quién es Chuck? ¿Por qué su nombre aparece cuando todo se va al abismo? La historia, dividida en tres partes contadas en orden inverso, no busca una respuesta clara, sino una exploración de la vida misma. A través de escenas sueltas, momentos aparentemente cotidianos y recuerdos que se transforman en epifanías, vamos armando la historia de un hombre cuya existencia está tejida con momentos sencillos, cargados de emoción, y una conexión casi mística con el mundo que lo rodea.
Chuck, el protagonista, es un personaje que evoluciona a medida que retrocedemos en su vida. En la primera parte lo vemos solo como una presencia simbólica, una figura ausente pero omnipotente; luego, en el segundo acto, lo conocemos como un ejecutivo de mediana edad que vive momentos de belleza inesperada en una ciudad que comienza a desplomarse; y por último, lo encontramos como un niño en una casa antigua con una abuela que guarda secretos y fantasmas, en el sentido más literal y más emocional del término. Es un personaje introspectivo, sensible, con una capacidad para el asombro que resulta conmovedora. Chuck no es un héroe, pero su vida, con sus pérdidas, sus danzas callejeras y sus recuerdos melancólicos, se vuelve heroica en su intimidad.
Entre los personajes secundarios destacan Marty Anderson, el profesor que se obsesiona con los anuncios sobre Chuck, y que sirve como el primer eslabón del lector con el misterio de esta figura. Su desconcierto y su deseo de entender lo inexplicable nos reflejan. También la abuela de Chuck, figura maternal, sabia y extraña, es fundamental para entender la conexión entre la infancia, la muerte y la memoria. Aunque son pocos los personajes que tienen un desarrollo extenso, cada uno deja una huella importante y ayuda a construir una atmósfera que alterna entre lo cotidiano y lo sobrenatural.
Los temas que aborda esta historia son, ante todo, la mortalidad y la maravilla de lo efímero. Es un homenaje a la vida desde su final, y un recordatorio de que hasta los momentos más triviales pueden contener una belleza que nos define. También se habla de la soledad, del miedo al olvido, del poder de la memoria, y de cómo lo personal puede tener un impacto cósmico. La idea de que un solo individuo contenga multitudes, se repite de forma sutil pero constante. Los símbolos más fuertes son los anuncios, claro, pero también la danza, el cielo, los fantasmas, y el corazón como centro metafórico del universo personal de Chuck.
El estilo narrativo de King aquí es notablemente distinto al que emplea en sus historias más reconocidas de terror. Su prosa es contenida, lírica en algunos momentos, y con una calidez casi poética. No hay sustos ni monstruos, sino una sensación de misterio profundo, de lo inexplicable que acompaña la vida cotidiana. El tono es melancólico pero no desesperanzador; hay una tristeza dulce en la forma en que se nos recuerda que todo termina, pero también una invitación a saborear cada instante como un milagro. La lectura fluye con naturalidad, y aunque el formato pueda parecer desorientador al principio, uno termina agradeciendo el viaje hacia atrás, como quien rebobina una película que no quiere que acabe.
Uno de los mayores aciertos del libro es justamente su estructura: contar la vida hacia atrás no es solo un truco narrativo, sino una declaración de intenciones. Así como en la vida rara vez entendemos lo importante de los momentos mientras los vivimos, esta historia nos hace ir descubriendo el valor de Chuck desde su ausencia hasta su infancia. La mezcla de lo real y lo fantástico está lograda con elegancia, sin subrayados innecesarios. Como aspecto mejorable, quizá algunos lectores puedan sentir que la falta de una trama lineal y de respuestas concretas los deja con una sensación de incompletitud, pero es precisamente esa ambigüedad la que le da poder a la historia.
El contexto de escritura también es interesante: King escribió esta historia poco después de la pandemia del COVID-19, en un mundo donde la muerte, la fragilidad del sistema y la importancia de los vínculos personales eran temas latentes. Eso se nota en cada página. La Vida de Chuck no busca respuestas, pero sí logra hacerte sentir que la vida, incluso en su forma más silenciosa, puede ser extraordinaria.
La narración arranca con un mundo que se desmorona: terremotos, fallas eléctricas, cielos que se oscurecen, y en medio de todo, aparecen por todas partes unos enigmáticos anuncios que rezan: "Charles Krantz. Treinta y nueve grandes años. Gracias, Chuck." ¿Quién es Chuck? ¿Por qué su nombre aparece cuando todo se va al abismo? La historia, dividida en tres partes contadas en orden inverso, no busca una respuesta clara, sino una exploración de la vida misma. A través de escenas sueltas, momentos aparentemente cotidianos y recuerdos que se transforman en epifanías, vamos armando la historia de un hombre cuya existencia está tejida con momentos sencillos, cargados de emoción, y una conexión casi mística con el mundo que lo rodea.
Chuck, el protagonista, es un personaje que evoluciona a medida que retrocedemos en su vida. En la primera parte lo vemos solo como una presencia simbólica, una figura ausente pero omnipotente; luego, en el segundo acto, lo conocemos como un ejecutivo de mediana edad que vive momentos de belleza inesperada en una ciudad que comienza a desplomarse; y por último, lo encontramos como un niño en una casa antigua con una abuela que guarda secretos y fantasmas, en el sentido más literal y más emocional del término. Es un personaje introspectivo, sensible, con una capacidad para el asombro que resulta conmovedora. Chuck no es un héroe, pero su vida, con sus pérdidas, sus danzas callejeras y sus recuerdos melancólicos, se vuelve heroica en su intimidad.
Entre los personajes secundarios destacan Marty Anderson, el profesor que se obsesiona con los anuncios sobre Chuck, y que sirve como el primer eslabón del lector con el misterio de esta figura. Su desconcierto y su deseo de entender lo inexplicable nos reflejan. También la abuela de Chuck, figura maternal, sabia y extraña, es fundamental para entender la conexión entre la infancia, la muerte y la memoria. Aunque son pocos los personajes que tienen un desarrollo extenso, cada uno deja una huella importante y ayuda a construir una atmósfera que alterna entre lo cotidiano y lo sobrenatural.
Los temas que aborda esta historia son, ante todo, la mortalidad y la maravilla de lo efímero. Es un homenaje a la vida desde su final, y un recordatorio de que hasta los momentos más triviales pueden contener una belleza que nos define. También se habla de la soledad, del miedo al olvido, del poder de la memoria, y de cómo lo personal puede tener un impacto cósmico. La idea de que un solo individuo contenga multitudes, se repite de forma sutil pero constante. Los símbolos más fuertes son los anuncios, claro, pero también la danza, el cielo, los fantasmas, y el corazón como centro metafórico del universo personal de Chuck.
El estilo narrativo de King aquí es notablemente distinto al que emplea en sus historias más reconocidas de terror. Su prosa es contenida, lírica en algunos momentos, y con una calidez casi poética. No hay sustos ni monstruos, sino una sensación de misterio profundo, de lo inexplicable que acompaña la vida cotidiana. El tono es melancólico pero no desesperanzador; hay una tristeza dulce en la forma en que se nos recuerda que todo termina, pero también una invitación a saborear cada instante como un milagro. La lectura fluye con naturalidad, y aunque el formato pueda parecer desorientador al principio, uno termina agradeciendo el viaje hacia atrás, como quien rebobina una película que no quiere que acabe.
Uno de los mayores aciertos del libro es justamente su estructura: contar la vida hacia atrás no es solo un truco narrativo, sino una declaración de intenciones. Así como en la vida rara vez entendemos lo importante de los momentos mientras los vivimos, esta historia nos hace ir descubriendo el valor de Chuck desde su ausencia hasta su infancia. La mezcla de lo real y lo fantástico está lograda con elegancia, sin subrayados innecesarios. Como aspecto mejorable, quizá algunos lectores puedan sentir que la falta de una trama lineal y de respuestas concretas los deja con una sensación de incompletitud, pero es precisamente esa ambigüedad la que le da poder a la historia.
El contexto de escritura también es interesante: King escribió esta historia poco después de la pandemia del COVID-19, en un mundo donde la muerte, la fragilidad del sistema y la importancia de los vínculos personales eran temas latentes. Eso se nota en cada página. La Vida de Chuck no busca respuestas, pero sí logra hacerte sentir que la vida, incluso en su forma más silenciosa, puede ser extraordinaria.
September 4, 2025
No creo haber leído nunca un libro luego de ver la película.
Me encantó la experiencia aunque sean tan distintas una de otra.
Es que luego de ver la película (ya dos veces) y de convertirse en una de mis favoritas de la vida, no podría imaginar que el libro se le equipare. Y bueno, no.
Es distinto.
Y es igual. Las mismas frases, el mismo diálogo y muy pocas cosas que cambian, nada en la esencia.
Esta vez era yo la que me anteponía a lo que iba a suceder mientras leía, le puse música a cada baile, cara a cada personaje y cara a cada estrella.
No sé a qué me hubiera sabido sin mirar este cuento en pantalla antes.
No concibo cómo se le ocurre algo así a Stephen King pero sé que es un genio, la introducción al libro es bellísima, porque habla de la película.
Un pequeño milagro se hizo uno grande.
Una meditación sobre la vida y la muerte, lo que representa un sólo ser humano para todo el universo y las multitudes que cada uno de nosotros, contiene.
Adorable.
Me encantó la experiencia aunque sean tan distintas una de otra.
Es que luego de ver la película (ya dos veces) y de convertirse en una de mis favoritas de la vida, no podría imaginar que el libro se le equipare. Y bueno, no.
Es distinto.
Y es igual. Las mismas frases, el mismo diálogo y muy pocas cosas que cambian, nada en la esencia.
Esta vez era yo la que me anteponía a lo que iba a suceder mientras leía, le puse música a cada baile, cara a cada personaje y cara a cada estrella.
No sé a qué me hubiera sabido sin mirar este cuento en pantalla antes.
No concibo cómo se le ocurre algo así a Stephen King pero sé que es un genio, la introducción al libro es bellísima, porque habla de la película.
Un pequeño milagro se hizo uno grande.
Una meditación sobre la vida y la muerte, lo que representa un sólo ser humano para todo el universo y las multitudes que cada uno de nosotros, contiene.
Adorable.
June 11, 2025
Having read this story before in one of King’s various short story collections, I thought I ought to post the review of that piece again, as my views have remained the same:
The piece is told in three parts, though this is perhaps the most straightforward aspect of the entire reading experience. Each part is in reverse chronological order, beginning with an apocalyptic event where many of the people lose everything, but billboards and online advertisements hail Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz as having served well over the last 39 years. As the story progresses (regresses?), the reader learns a little more about the earlier Chuck and the life he lived, but adds an ending that will likely leave the reader scratching their heads. Not the stellar King of which I am used to praising!
Anytime a reader chooses something by Stephen King, they can expect something exciting and unique. King did not disappoint in that regard, though this story’s ideas may leave the reader less than impressed. The fact that King leaves that unsettled feeling proves his abilities, as his ideas appear all over the spectrum. This story proves a unique experience, giving readers a chance to roll the dice. While King always makes some social commentary, it is up to the reader to decide what they wish to take from the piece. King keeps his fans on their toes as they push through this piece, forcing those who are keen on details to see how the pieces all fit together. Not his best short work, though others may disagree.
Kudos, Mr. King, for an entertaining short reading experience.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
The piece is told in three parts, though this is perhaps the most straightforward aspect of the entire reading experience. Each part is in reverse chronological order, beginning with an apocalyptic event where many of the people lose everything, but billboards and online advertisements hail Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz as having served well over the last 39 years. As the story progresses (regresses?), the reader learns a little more about the earlier Chuck and the life he lived, but adds an ending that will likely leave the reader scratching their heads. Not the stellar King of which I am used to praising!
Anytime a reader chooses something by Stephen King, they can expect something exciting and unique. King did not disappoint in that regard, though this story’s ideas may leave the reader less than impressed. The fact that King leaves that unsettled feeling proves his abilities, as his ideas appear all over the spectrum. This story proves a unique experience, giving readers a chance to roll the dice. While King always makes some social commentary, it is up to the reader to decide what they wish to take from the piece. King keeps his fans on their toes as they push through this piece, forcing those who are keen on details to see how the pieces all fit together. Not his best short work, though others may disagree.
Kudos, Mr. King, for an entertaining short reading experience.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
August 24, 2025
A short story from stephen king
I've bought this as a stand alone as I know now it being made into a major film that's out this year
I know that it's in if it bleeds but I'm not the greatest at remembering the stories from king
Told in 3 parts about the life of chuck his death his dancing to a drummer on the street and his youth being taught how to dance at school also his life living with his grandparents
I've bought this as a stand alone as I know now it being made into a major film that's out this year
I know that it's in if it bleeds but I'm not the greatest at remembering the stories from king
Told in 3 parts about the life of chuck his death his dancing to a drummer on the street and his youth being taught how to dance at school also his life living with his grandparents
March 30, 2021
Far from horror, but a decent and odd story. This story is told in 3 parts and each part details a portion of the life of Chuck. The first part was the strongest and closest to horror. The other 2 were just blah, more of little slices of a person's life.
June 10, 2025
"...but the mind within the brain is infinite. Its storage capacity is colossal, its imaginative reach beyond our ability to comprehend. I think when a man or woman dies, a whole world falls to ruin -- the world that person knew and believed in. Think of that, kiddo -- billions of people on earth, and each one of those billions with a world inside. The earth their minds have conceived."
"Later he will lose the ability to walk, never mind dancing with little sister on Boylston Street. Later he will lose the ability to chew food, and his meals will come from a blender. Later he will lose his grip on the difference between waking and sleeping and enter a land of pain so great that he will wonder why God made the world. Later he will forget his wife's name. What he will remember -- occasionally -- is how he stopped, and dropped his briefcase, and began to move his hips to the beat of the drums, and he will think that is why God made the world. Just that."
"The universe is large, he thought. It contains multitudes. It also contains me, and in this moment I am wonderful. I have a right to be wonderful."
"...I will live my life until my life runs out. I am wonderful, I deserve to be wonderful, and I contain multitudes."
"Later he will lose the ability to walk, never mind dancing with little sister on Boylston Street. Later he will lose the ability to chew food, and his meals will come from a blender. Later he will lose his grip on the difference between waking and sleeping and enter a land of pain so great that he will wonder why God made the world. Later he will forget his wife's name. What he will remember -- occasionally -- is how he stopped, and dropped his briefcase, and began to move his hips to the beat of the drums, and he will think that is why God made the world. Just that."
"The universe is large, he thought. It contains multitudes. It also contains me, and in this moment I am wonderful. I have a right to be wonderful."
"...I will live my life until my life runs out. I am wonderful, I deserve to be wonderful, and I contain multitudes."
February 12, 2022
Like the first in the "If It Bleeds" novellas ("Mr. Harrigan's Phone"), this was enjoyable to read but never really went anywhere. I feel like Mr. King could have done more in these 80 or so pages, but he wasted a lot of time and it kind of just stalled.
November 13, 2021
I think this is a beautiful piece of work by Stephen King. I had to sit there for a moment and take in what I had read, but I loved it
July 31, 2025
Re-read this in preparation for watching the movie and, once again, had a wonderful time with it.
The story being told in reverse could easily have come across as a gimmick, but actually works brilliantly, giving this beautiful tale an extra layer of magic and majesty.
Also, it was darker - scarier - than I remembered, especially the first and last parts. Truly an excellent piece of writing and one of King’s finest short stories…particularly from his ‘post-accident’ era.
Oh, and I loved spotting a Dark Tower Easter egg I missed before…Chuck’s grandparents and their pet names for him. One called Chuck boychick, the other called him boychuck. Did-a-chick? Did-a-chuck?
The story being told in reverse could easily have come across as a gimmick, but actually works brilliantly, giving this beautiful tale an extra layer of magic and majesty.
Also, it was darker - scarier - than I remembered, especially the first and last parts. Truly an excellent piece of writing and one of King’s finest short stories…particularly from his ‘post-accident’ era.
Oh, and I loved spotting a Dark Tower Easter egg I missed before…Chuck’s grandparents and their pet names for him. One called Chuck boychick, the other called him boychuck. Did-a-chick? Did-a-chuck?
August 10, 2025
Great concept, but not among King's best novellas. I'm more excited about Mike Flanagan's movie version, which I'll be watching later tonight.
July 23, 2025
I expected it to be life-changing; it wasn't. It is a good story, though.
October 18, 2021
This short story of Stephen King reminded me much of CW Supernatural........of the Winchester Boys fighting God who was named Chuck. How this story started out really.made me feel like it was a story from the show but when I read further more, I came to realize it was more like Benjamin Button. A mixture of both.
Going from the old to the young in storyline but not in Chucks life. You start off in Chucks head just before he dies and then you move to 9 months earlier when he is in Boston dancing on the street with a lady. Then you move to his teenage years and how he got the scar. You continue to move on right until you read about the premonition of his own death that he is to wait for.
Truly a great story and one I could not stop reading. It was one of the best for sure.
Stephen King has done it again.
Going from the old to the young in storyline but not in Chucks life. You start off in Chucks head just before he dies and then you move to 9 months earlier when he is in Boston dancing on the street with a lady. Then you move to his teenage years and how he got the scar. You continue to move on right until you read about the premonition of his own death that he is to wait for.
Truly a great story and one I could not stop reading. It was one of the best for sure.
Stephen King has done it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2021
"But Mrs. Stanley widened her eyes until Chuck was actually afraid they might fall out, and grasped her neck like she had a piece of blueberry muffin stuck in there. “Oh, that was so sad! So awful! He was the bookkeeper who did your father’s accounts, you know. Other companies, too.” She leaned forward, her wrapper giving Chuck a view of a bosom so large it seemed hallucinatory."
Stephen King is a very silly man.
Stephen King is a very silly man.
August 17, 2025
“I am wonderful, I deserve to be wonderful, and I contain multitudes.”
.
.
What a brilliant and unique story! It tells us the life of a young man named Chuck, but in reverse, and that’s exactly what makes it so special.
Despite its simple plot and concepts, it carries deep and powerful meanings. I loved it so much that, right after finishing it, I went to watch the movie adaptation. Honestly, the film was as beautiful as the story itself.
I had such an amazing time with it, and I still can’t believe how a weird and wild writer like Stephen King can create something so delicate and tender.
.
.
“Life is a strange thing. Sometimes it ends the way it began: unexpectedly.”
.
.
What a brilliant and unique story! It tells us the life of a young man named Chuck, but in reverse, and that’s exactly what makes it so special.
Despite its simple plot and concepts, it carries deep and powerful meanings. I loved it so much that, right after finishing it, I went to watch the movie adaptation. Honestly, the film was as beautiful as the story itself.
I had such an amazing time with it, and I still can’t believe how a weird and wild writer like Stephen King can create something so delicate and tender.
.
.
“Life is a strange thing. Sometimes it ends the way it began: unexpectedly.”
June 28, 2025
“The human brain is finite—no more than a sponge of tissue inside a cage of bone—but the mind within the brain is infinite. Its storage capacity is colossal, its imaginative reach beyond our ability to comprehend. I think when a man or woman dies, a whole world falls to ruin—the world that person knew and believed in. Think of that, kiddo—billions of people on earth, and each one of those billions with a world inside. The earth their minds conceived.”
Charles Krantz. 39 great years. Thanks, Chuck! This novella is told in three acts presented in reverse order, exploring Chuck’s past. A creative and moving little story. Loved it!
Charles Krantz. 39 great years. Thanks, Chuck! This novella is told in three acts presented in reverse order, exploring Chuck’s past. A creative and moving little story. Loved it!
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