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The Musicals We Deserve's avatar

You're aware that when you get to The Stand, you'll have a decision to make, right? The choice whether to read the original 1978 version, or the unabridged version from 1990 will be critical. And you'll need to let us know which one you chose!

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Mari, the Happy Wanderer's avatar

Is it possible to find the original 1978 version? That is what I read, waaaay back in 1980 (I was 13), and I used to have the paperback, but it was lost in a move. I have wanted to reread The Stand, but not the baggy, bloated version. I want to read the one I read as a kid, dagnabbit!

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radicaledward's avatar

I'm sure it's possible to find! But it would take some looking

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radicaledward's avatar

I am aware of this!

Unless someone has a good reason for me to do otherwise, I'm going to be reading the revised and expanded edition. It's possible I'll read both, but I'll probably stick with the most widely available one and the one that's King's preferred edition.

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The Musicals We Deserve's avatar

There really isn't a reason you HAVE to read either one. It's really about editing. There's some awesome stuff in the extended version that King got to write when nobody could tell him what to do anymore. However, as anyone who writes knows, EVERYONE needs an editor. If you go 1990, you have to take the bad with the good.

I would say don't bother with both. Your time is better spent elsewhere. You can find many write-ups of the differences online. That's good enough (though don't look at those until after you've read whichever one you choose).

Carrie is also worth adding to your list, mostly because it is SUPER short and subversive-- especially when you consider the era it was written in.

Also, after you read The Stand, but probably not immediately after, you should read Swan Song by Robert McCammon.

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radicaledward's avatar

Oh, there's rarely a reason to read both versions of the same book, but this is the kind of thing that I find fun, haha

I've been meaning to read McCammon for a long time so this is a good reminder!

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Dave Postma's avatar

You will be continuing howling earth right? It's been a blast so far. Last 2 books were my favorite books I've read last year.

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radicaledward's avatar

Yes! There'll be more news about this soon.

Some things came up last year that caused most of my projects to get sidelined. But expect more news soon!

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Dave Postma's avatar

Wonderful can't wait!

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Jayson Young's avatar

I had a feeling you’d appreciate From a Buick 8, and you do, for all the same reasons I do. And let me state that I’m absolutely in favour of mentioning King in the same sentence as James Joyce (whose work I also love, but haven’t read in 20 years). If humans are still analyzing literature a hundred years from now, I have a feeling King and Joyce will be regular sentence-mention cohabitants, considering their impact and their mastery, and the way spaces between eras tend to shrink in retrospect.

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Erica Phillips Graves 🔮's avatar

Yes the “black man” is from DT. As well as who was seen abandoning the Buick in the first place. DT fanatic…

There are a few side stories in the DT universe you should pick up as well. It weaves into the story so well.

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radicaledward's avatar

Right now those are the last things on the list! But I will be getting to them eventually.

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Erica Phillips Graves 🔮's avatar

There a a few stories you can pluck out of other books, namely from “hearts in Atlantis” and the story “little sisters of Euleria” (I may have butchered the spelling there). Quicker reads tho.

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