Stephen King Fans discussion
The Stand Buddy Read
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The Stand Part One: June 1 - June 30
I said earlier we were reading Part I in June. What I meant to say was Book 1 - to avoid confusion.
I haven't started this yet, in part because I'm in the middle of other books and in part because I know it starts so slowly. Fran is my least favorite of the characters (ugh, I dislike her so much) and spending all that time with her in Ogunquit early on just isn't appealing. I'll get cracking soon, though.
Nicole wrote: " ..."[spoilers removed]"That's so right!
Yes Karen I read the same thing, I actually preferred the uncut version but I am currently left with the original version. I am almost half way through part 1 I have to slow down.
I thought the same thing, Joanie! I just never started it because of how long the book is. I'm about 100 pages in and love how the story flows. My first time reading it and I already believe it will be a definite reread.
Okay, in Part II of the Preface, right near the end King says that this is a "long tale of dark Christianity." (view spoiler)
Another interesting note about Part II of the Preface is that the song he quotes by Bruce Springsteen (Jungleland) talks about making an "honest stand" but it is also a nine and a half minute song. That's pretty epic for a song. I don't know if this was included in the original version of The Stand or not. Jungleland was on the Born to Run Album that was released in 1975 so it could have been included.And by the way, I am a sucker for songs that include violins, and this song has a beautiful opening with violins.
Nicole wrote: "ElleEm wrote: "I wasn't able to start today but I will catch up!"I couldn't start either, my original copy hasn't come in the mail yet and I lent my uncut copy to my best friend last week, haha."
I've ordered the original version too. It hasn't arrived and now I'm off on vacation so I may have to wait or convince my family that THE STAND is a good audiobook to listen to as we drive to the grand canyon.
Have a good time on vacation, Nick. Too bad your book didn't come in so you would have it with you.
Have a great vacation, Nick! Also, if anyone's curious, King talks about the genesis of The Stand in chaoter 10, section 16 of Danse Macabre. Pretty interesting stuff.
ElleEm wrote: "Okay, in Part II of the Preface, right near the end King says that this is a "long tale of dark Christianity..."
I think that idea might be referring to (view spoiler)
Last night I sneezed and without a second's thought said, "Oh no, not now!" to myself. I think I'm really into the book.
ElleEm-I love your point about Jungleland being and epic song. I wrote a note "why Jungleland?" and need to sit and listen to it in the context of the Stand.I keep thinking of the line "a barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a Dodge drinking warm beer in a soft summer rain" and thinking it may relate later (or maybe I just love that line)
Joanie, Is that line from Jungleland in the quote King uses? I didn't see it in the preface Part 2. I am looking for it. In a sense Frannie is something like that.
Karen are you running a low fever and feel a swelling in you neck or along the jaw line? Nick enjoy your vacation and tell your family it is a life and death issue and you have to listen to the Stand. Who knows maybe they will get into it as well and want to know what happens and how it ends.
Mr. Books, you named it. I guess Captain Tripps came for a visit.
I am always reading more than one book and today while doing chores I was listening to an audio book that didn't require intense focus. When one of the characters was said to be getting a cold my first thought was "Oh no, she's a gonner"
Your getting there Karen everything is starting to link up with the Stand.
mrbooks, it is just so impacting. It stays with me.
That's show how good an author he is. Not just anyone can grab you and hold you and make you keep reading, but you knew that already that's why we are all here.
Okay, so King updated this novel on the uncut version. I am a little annoyed that the Larry's song wasn't updated and also the royalty checks. (view spoiler)
ElleEm wrote: "Okay, so King updated this novel on the uncut version. I am a little annoyed that the Larry's song wasn't updated and also the royalty checks. [spoilers removed]"I bet if it was sung in a sexy voice it could be!
ElleEm wrote: "Okay, so King updated this novel on the uncut version. I am a little annoyed that the Larry's song wasn't updated and also the royalty checks. [spoilers removed]"I think a lot of the pop culture references weren't updated. No cell phones? By 1990 at least the SOME would have cell phones. There were other musical references to songs more appropriate for the 70's. What do you think would be different if it were updated to say 2010? Would technology of today make a difference in the first part of the book?
Are we just as vulnerable to Captain Trip or similar today? Or maybe more so? I keep imagining that today's danger would be in someone selling the virus to a foreign country. Would it be more likely that the virus would be introduced from a terrorist? What about containment ... do you think that would be any different today?For one thing I don't think a man and his family would be living on base today. Speculation anyone?
I am reading The Stand for the third time. The first time I didn't read it with anybody. The second time I read it on goodreads with a group in a science-fiction/fantasy group. It will be interesting to see what King fans versus sci-fi/fantasy fans have to say about it. I expect a lot more positive. The size of the book was probably the biggest group of criticisms. I'm reading the uncut version, which is the only version that I have read. So I'm interested to know differences from the people reading the cut version.
It's a minor annoyance about the lyrics. There was a reference to rap music so I thought that surely this was added in the uncut version but maybe there was rap in the 70's and I just don't remember it. If we were exposed today I don't think that cell phones or the internet would be of much benefit. The panic would spread quicker but I don't think it would contain it.
Karen, that's a very interesting question, about our vulnerability. Let me think about it for a little bit.
My apologies, i just joined a few minutes ago. May I ask what is a "Buddy Read"? How does it work? I know you have the "Group Read". Just wondering what the differences are. Thank you! :)
Syrina wrote: "My apologies, i just joined a few minutes ago. May I ask what is a "Buddy Read"? How does it work? I know you have the "Group Read". Just wondering what the differences are. Thank you! :)"
Group Read is voted on by the entire group and many, many people read along for one month. You can always read later and revisit those threads. They are left open.
A Buddy read is a smaller group of people that just want to read a book together. There's no formal vote and the time frame is decided upon by that smaller group. Again, threads are left open so you can always comment later.
Karen B. wrote: "Are we just as vulnerable to Captain Trip or similar today? Or maybe more so? I keep imagining that today's danger would be in someone selling the virus to a foreign country. Would it be more likel..."Karen, I do think we are just as vulnerable today. I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist in that I think there is so much going on in our government and military that very few people know of it. I think there are government agencies (small ones) that don't even exist on record. I think there are experiments going on with super-flu's and who all knows what in underground labs. (view spoiler)
Hi everyone, I am reading The Stand for the first time , so I am very excited! (The uncut version) , I have mainly heard some good things about the book, but recently some negative as well. I've read about 100 pages so far, and it's ok, but sometimes I'm a bit confused with all the characters. Anyway, I'm sure that as I read on it will make more sense :)
Madeleine wrote: "Hi everyone, I am reading The Stand for the first time , so I am very excited! (The uncut version) , I have mainly heard some good things about the book, but recently some negative as well. I've re..."What negatives have you heard? I've read some bad reviews, but wonder about specifics.
Matthewcross87 wrote: "have a great holiday nick !"Thanks for all the good wishes on our trip through Arizona, and yes we are all into the audio of the Stand. I've heard it before and read it, that's why I was looking for the original shorter version, I wanted to see how King had cut it down. Anyway, you can never hear this story too many times.
The audio edition is really good. I indulge and spoil myself by using the audio and the e-book together on my Kindle. Usually when I am listening to an audio I can do other things at the same time but I am just enjoying concentrating when I read this.
Madeleine wrote: "Hi everyone, I am reading The Stand for the first time , so I am very excited! (The uncut version) , I have mainly heard some good things about the book, but recently some negative as well. I've re..."Hi Madeleine... it will start melding together- I've read both cut and uncut version numerous times- never tire of this one -of all of Stephen's novels- this is by far my favorite --ENJOY!
I think that if the book were set current day, (view spoiler)On a different note, I really like Frannie's dad. (view spoiler)
Summer wrote: "I think that if the book were set current day, [spoilers removed]On a different note, I really like Frannie's dad. [spoilers removed]"
I'd have to say I agree with you Summer and I really liked Frannie's dad too.
Summer wrote: "Have a great vacation, Nick! Also, if anyone's curious, King talks about the genesis of The Stand in chaoter 10, section 16 of Danse Macabre. Pretty interesting stuff.
ElleEm wrote: "Okay, in P..."
Summer, I can see that. (view spoiler)
Hey Kandice, the negative comments that I remember in general is the problem with the representation of women in the book, and so far there are already a few things that bothered me in that sense. But it is definitely not something that will keep me from reading the whole book and I know I will enjoy it!
Hey Vicki, thank you for the encouragement!! I hope I will enjoy it as much as you have! IT was my first SK book and I fell in love with it!
as you go on you'll see strength in some of the women, not as many as I'd like to see but it's still, in my opinion, his best!!
I've read this quite a few times, but I don't remember there being issues with his representation of female characters. Some were awful people or cowards, for sure, but there were also men like that. I've always thought King showed a healthy respect for men in general throughout his writing career. I'll keep my eyes open for things I may have missed.
Reading for the second time, but reading the un-cut version. I always like the way things from the Dark Tower cross over into his other stories and I'm already seeing hints here. If I remember right, those become more obvious. I'm on page 383 already, so devouring this pretty quickly. But then I always do with King's writing. I can what others are talking about here with the representation of women; they've been mostly useless so far. Though I think Frannie's showing herself to be pretty tough.
Maybe it's the number of strong women. Thinking of the main characters we have these strong and noble men and really only two women are strong characters (not counting Mother Abigail)
Was there another character named Campion in a different King book?For some reason, other than I've read this book before, it seems familiar to me.
Karen B. wrote: "Thinking of the main characters we have these strong and noble men..."Thats interesting. I always saw the men quite differently. (view spoiler)
Starting this novel with a nagging cold was not a good idea. ;)
Steven, we have a name for it ... Reading the Stand flu. Several of us have gotten it this time around. Goodness I hope we're not spreading it when we post on here.
Claire wrote: "Reading for the second time, but reading the un-cut version. I always like the way things from the Dark Tower cross over into his other stories and I'm already seeing hints here. If I remember righ..."Claire, if you wouldn't mind could you tell us when you reach a cross-over from The Dark Tower? I haven't read that book yet.
I totally agree mrbooks (view spoiler)[I keep freaking out that I'm getting sick! It also doesn't help that I just finished Station Eleven which is also about a flu pandemic. (hide spoiler)]