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Stephen King (Complete Exploration) - Reviews
The first one I've seen:
This book offers one-stop shopping for anyone who wants to know about the life and works of one of the most popular and prolific genre fiction writers ever, Stephen King. The book is built around decade-by-decade examination of the books that King published as well as the adaptations that those books spawned (film, tv, comic book, theater, etc.) It’s arranged in an encyclopedic fashion (though chronologically) with entries on all of King’s titles, and has many textboxes about niche subjects including: King’s side hustles (e.g. owning radio stations, playing in a rock bank, etc.,) major events in King’s life, fictional places and characters that grew lives of their own, adaptations other than film and tv [film & tv adaptations are presented in the body of the text,] and various other quirky King-related topics.
The book is illustrated with a large collection of photos of King from various time periods and engaged in various activities.
Many fascinating insights can be discovered throughout the book. I learned, for example, that the Richard Bachman alias resulted from King’s prolific nature (and because BTO was playing at the time.) Publishers thought that readers would only buy one or two titles from a given author per year, but King had a back log of unpublished material – so he started publishing books under the Bachman persona. King was ever experimenting with various approaches to publishing and that makes the book potentially interesting for those with a curiosity about publishing innovations. The book is forthright about King’s alcohol and drug addictions and the influence they had on his work.
Oddly, I’m not the target audience for this book. I’ve only read a couple of King’s books (and one of those was “On Writing,” his nonfiction guide to writing.) That said, I found the book quite interesting.
the !n(tro)verted yogi
Bernie Gourley. Traveling Poet-Philosopher
My rating: 5 of 5 starsThis book offers one-stop shopping for anyone who wants to know about the life and works of one of the most popular and prolific genre fiction writers ever, Stephen King. The book is built around decade-by-decade examination of the books that King published as well as the adaptations that those books spawned (film, tv, comic book, theater, etc.) It’s arranged in an encyclopedic fashion (though chronologically) with entries on all of King’s titles, and has many textboxes about niche subjects including: King’s side hustles (e.g. owning radio stations, playing in a rock bank, etc.,) major events in King’s life, fictional places and characters that grew lives of their own, adaptations other than film and tv [film & tv adaptations are presented in the body of the text,] and various other quirky King-related topics.
The book is illustrated with a large collection of photos of King from various time periods and engaged in various activities.
Many fascinating insights can be discovered throughout the book. I learned, for example, that the Richard Bachman alias resulted from King’s prolific nature (and because BTO was playing at the time.) Publishers thought that readers would only buy one or two titles from a given author per year, but King had a back log of unpublished material – so he started publishing books under the Bachman persona. King was ever experimenting with various approaches to publishing and that makes the book potentially interesting for those with a curiosity about publishing innovations. The book is forthright about King’s alcohol and drug addictions and the influence they had on his work.
Oddly, I’m not the target audience for this book. I’ve only read a couple of King’s books (and one of those was “On Writing,” his nonfiction guide to writing.) That said, I found the book quite interesting.
Comments
Holy smokes, what an awesome book. I’m a huge King fan. I own all his books in hardback and have read all but 10 of them. I pre-order them when they come out and have read Eyes of the Dragon to my kid. I’m starting him early, of course. I love the Kingcast podcast. The Stand is one of my all-time favorite books. I’ve reviewed Billy Summers, Later, The Colorado Kid, Different Seasons, The Dark Half, The Regulators, The Talisman, Joyland, If It Bleeds, and The Shining And as popular as he is, he’s severely underrated by the critical world. He might not be as “literary” as some, but he’s a master storyteller, no question. This book is not only an overview of his work, but it also offers some insight into who he is as a person. It’s a must read for any fan.
Even though I own this digitally, this book will be one that I own a physical copy of. It’s full of photos, handwritten pages of manuscripts, letters, and various other media. I loved the discussion of each book, but what I really found interesting were the side notes about King’s philanthropy, his love of the Red Sox, his near-fatal accident, and the like. The sidebars provided a lot of information I was unaware of. This book is really a beautiful work, I’m excited to see it in person.
By befictional
This new book by Bev Vincent is the sort of book I would have wanted to read when I was 14 years old. I had gotten into King In a big way, and reading books by George Beahm, Stephen Spignesi, Michael Collings, and Douglas Winter helped to fuel my interest in the writer and the man behind these books I liked so much.
This book falls into that category, halfway between an appreciation and a primer for the work of King. It’s not fan nonsense, which is always a worry when you pick up a book about a writer is popular as Stephen King. It also doesn’t go down that literary rabbit hole where everything has to be rationalized in order to justify an interest in a pop writer. Vincent strikes and excellent balance, serving both a new reader, and somebody who has spent 3/4 of their life steeped in the man’s fiction and lore.
Also, I’m a sucker for any book that looks at the newer work with an unjaundiced eye. I’ve been around long enough to have heard “Stephen king was good until…” for most of my reading life. I love Vincent’s look at King work from the beginning all the way up to present day, treating each novel and collection as an individual work, even as he takes on decade chunks as natural summations.
I wish I could give this book to myself at 14, when I was reading those Stephen King quiz books, and the Stephen King Companion for the first time. I might’ve helped me get better than a C- on that first essay on King I wrote. Or maybe it would just make me want to read more. And that, I think, is why book like this exists in the first place.
by Andy Hageman
September 2022 is an exciting month for Stephen King fans. Mr. King turns seventy-five; his new novel Fairy Tale hits shelves; and the expert in all things King, Bev Vincent, is releasing his expansive study, The Stephen King Ultimate Companion: A Complete Exploration of His Life, Work, and Influences.
The quick take is: Vincent’s book holds strong appeal for King’s “Constant Reader” fans, folks entirely new to King, and everyone in between. The author selects and synchronizes the insights, anecdotes, and details in this study with a blend of love for the topic and perspective of rigorous research and analysis. What’s more, the images of King and various documents, from draft pages to correspondences with editors and others, complement what’s written with a lively depth that pops off the pages. Frankly, it’s a beautiful book, designed with character and creepiness that enhance the experience without becoming a gimmick or nuisance to reading. When I received my review copy, the very first thing I did was flip page to page, giddy for what photos and layouts were coming up next.
The Stephen King Ultimate Companion moves mostly in chronological sequence. That said, Vincent innovates upon this temporal approach by opening up the sections on discreet King books to connections with life events and/or themes and tropes, characters, and concerns that appear at other points of the timeline. For example, the section on ‘Salem’s Lot takes us on a fascinating journey into the production and publication of the novel itself, while also identifying thematic concerns such as belief in and disavowal of monsters in diverse historical eras that creep across multiple King tales.
In a related way, the particular approach to chronological presentation in this book conjures a double vision of King’s literary production and the outward-facing cultural impacts he’s made. The bibliographic list of stories and their publication dates reflects the genealogies of social access to King’s work. Meanwhile, Vincent’s production history complicates that orderly narrative with the loopy and recursive tangle of how King built each work on the list.
Along the way, Vincent dips at times into King’s family life in connection with the writings. In these sections, Vincent draws connections between lived experience and the plots, characters, and motifs that emerged in the fiction. What makes this approach inviting is how Vincent often underwrites his assertions with direct quotes from King or others. It’s an approach to biographical criticism that’s grounded in primary source evidence rather than Vincent’s personal and subjective speculations. This approach sets the book apart from a lot of fan-expert writings that tend to grandstand their writers’ personal theories. Vincent masterfully crafts these sections without any sense of his own ego involved.
The backstory of King’s daughter Naomi and his writing of The Eyes of the Dragon is compelling, and the expansion of the role Tabitha played in the production of Carrie beyond the fairly well-known anecdote of her plucking pages from a trash bin is vital. The only complaint about the biographical element is that the book leaves us wanting more of these behind-the-scenes vignettes, particularly as they highlight the collaborative and empathic foundations of King’s creations.
While each book-centered section is a concentrated deep dive, there are numerous “Interlude” sections that visually disrupt the flow in order to reframe King and/or his works. Among these are compact histories of Castle Rock and Derry, the core fictional towns of King’s fiction that are on par with William Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi and David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks, WA. Readers just getting started with King will find these histories helpful guides to context and an inspiration of where to go next in their reading. Constant Readers who’ve read most or all of King’s works set in Castle Rock and Derry will find affinity in Vincent’s apt selection of details regarding the towns’ foundings, events, and cultures.
Other “Interlude” sections unfold an intriguing dialogue between King and his editor, Bill Thompson, on the sale of Carrie, King’s memory of an early screening of Carrie where intersections of race and gender shaped his hopes of how the film would do at the box office, and the antagonistic struggle King and his work encountered with the literary professor and cultural arbiter, Harold Bloom.
This condensed presentation on Bloom’s critiques of King is one part of The Companion that left me wanting a more sustained engagement. Vincent poses several questions about Bloom’s public disparaging remarks alongside quotes from King that suggest Bloom hadn’t actually read any of his fiction. It’s true that Bloom addressed King’s widespread popularity with concern that it signaled a waning of American literature and culture more broadly, yet it’s also true that he edited not one, but two collections of academic essays on King’s work. It would be fascinating to read what perspectives Vincent would present if, rather than simply rejecting Bloom’s remarks, he explored them more piercingly to identify what ideological buttons King pushes, past and present, that make the protectors of certain hierarchies tremble and rage. What’s more, this same conversation in the book can indirectly point out just how magnanimous Stephen King has been in supporting fellow creators and causes for the common good.
On a final note, Vincent’s book includes an expert synopsis of rare editions and collecting. This gesture connects the economics and arts of publication and production with the energies and communities of fandom. Even though I don’t personally collect books, I loved learning about the diverse publishers and artists who create beautiful volumes for folks who want to build King displays as well as the quirky errata that have popped up on Stephen King dust jackets and elevated the collectible value of these mistake editions.
As a combination of beautifully-produced object and research-grounded perspective, Bev Vincent’s The Ultimate Stephen King Companion belongs in the collections of curious fans of King and horror fiction as well as analytical readers inside literary academia and out.
Do you want to know every protagonist who was an author and what all their books are named? Good, because you’ve got it! You want to know every notable person who came from Castle Rock? Good, because you’ve got it! Do you want to see the building blocks of all your favorite Stephen King stories set neatly in a row for you to enjoy? Good, because you’ve got it!
“Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences” by Bev Vincent comes out September 13th. Coincidentally, September 13th is also the day you need to purchase this book. Obviously since this review is coming out before the release date, I will state that I was fortunate enough to be sent a review copy from The Quarto Group. Less than a dozen pages in and I knew this was everything I had hoped for. Bev Vincent has found a way to celebrate King’s complete body of work in a way that feels both academic and casual (including talk about ‘Holly’ and ‘Fairy Tale’). A small but extremely valuable detail Vincent provides when discussing each book is the year of publication before setting the scene for how this work came to be. At a glance you’re reminded of the years between the birth of an idea and the time it became your favorite book.
That is only where my praise for this book begins. As a Constant Reader who fans of our show, ‘Derry Public Radio’, are aware, on the scale of Comfortably Familiar to Frighteningly Fanatic, I land firmly in the middle. I discovered King later than most in my age range and am reading many of his works for the first time. What “Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences” provides that makes this a perfect read as a fan is the soft hand of spoilers! There are many books you cannot discuss in depth without entering the unforgiving waters of ‘Spoilers’. Vincent is so careful with his words in regards to these moments that it wasn’t until reading about a book I’ve never read (Lisey’s Story), that I noticed the care that was being taken. If anything, it’s encouraged me to read these unread titles sooner so I can read these sections of Bev Vincent’s book again.
Beyond the works, as the title implies, we’re given a look into King’s life off the page. The balance of Vincent’s own writing and the selections quoted from the multitude of King’s interviews over his career leaves you feeling as though you’ve just sat down and had the conversation with King himself. Reflections on his desire to be an innovator, the infamous accident that nearly took his life, and battles with addiction are all laid bare for the reader. While these personal stories are ones some fans may already know, it feels so much more personal when Vincent shows you the roadmap of how these moments impacted his works.
If you have yet to pre-order “Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences” by Bev Vincent, do yourself a favor and do it now. For this Constant Reader, it’s 5 out of 5 Blue Chambray Shirts.
(Marcus Errico is Editor-in-chief of Yahoo Entertainment)
The TL:DR version of this review is simple: If you’re a fan of Stephen King’s work – whether you come to it via his fiction, the TV series or films based on his stories, or his various pieces of non-fiction writing – you need this book. Even for those of us who have researched and published our own guides to King over the years, there’s a plethora of information here that supplements what was previously available – and because it’s so well illustrated, you get to experience things in a way that hasn’t previously been possible.
Vincent provides a chronological account, with plenty of sidebars that pick up on elements that deserve further expansion that cross the decades – King as innovator (The Green Mile / Riding the Bullet / The Plant); King the movie star; King the sports fan and sportswriter – which make this far more than simply a dive into the genesis of the fiction. Illustrations range from the familiar to the outré, with script pages, call sheets, old maps of Derry, pages from copyedited manuscripts, a photo of him looking uncannily like his son Joe, all vying for space.
Kudos to Kim Winscher and all those involved with the design of the book – it has the feel of a large scrapbook yet at no point do any spreads feel overly cluttered (and even my major bugbear – white text on a black background – is presented clearly). It’s a hefty tome but not one with a hefty price tag for what you get – £21 RRP in the UK, $30 States-side.
Verdict: Celebrate Mr King’s 75th birthday with this analysis that more than lives up to the subtitle’s promise. 10/10
The timing of the release of the new book, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences (Epic Ink), is not random. Indeed, Halloween is just weeks away and what better way to celebrate the holiday than with Stephen King? However, author Bev Vincent does not spin a horror story, but rather focuses on the "Master of Horror" himself and delves into Stephen King's work, life and influences. Much of this 200 plus page effort discusses King's prolific library of best selling novels, which include mystery, crime, and thrillers, as well as horror. For instance, one of King's most recent novels, Billy Summers, is a crime novel with a supernatural overtone or two. In fact, if King decides to pen a sequel, that book could easily become a horror effort. Another recent release, Later, can also be considered a crime novel/thriller and also includes a supernatural element.
I've read many books surrounding the works of author Stephen King. Each author has their own perspective and style, and many pick certain areas of King's work. Bev Vincent's new book is unique in the fact that he has brought us a piece of work that is not only visually captivating, but within the pages it is very informative, and yes, fun to read. This book will appeal to not only longtime fans of King's works, but those who are new as well. Bev has broken Stephen King's life into chapters, wherein each represents a decade in King's life. We begin with Stephen King's early life as a boy, his college years, his struggles to become a best selling author, etc. You'll find yourself relating to King as though you are cheering him on. The book continues on through the decades with Bev breaking down each of King's books, short stories, life events, even backstories of everything we know, or have wanted to know, that surrounds this great author.
Bev Vincent takes us on an amazing journey throughout nearly every aspect that surrounds the life of Stephen King. We even get a glimpse of some of the behind-the-scenes, adaptations, props, letters, and more. I was impressed with how current Bev Vincent is with his information in this book with his mention of the first ever Stephen King Rules Dollar Baby Film Fest (which I was a host of), that was held online in April of 2021. I was elated when this year at the live Stephen King Rules Dollar Baby 2 Film Fest, which just passed in August of 2022, I had the great privilege and honor of interviewing Mr. Bev Vincent, via studio feed for the live audience, and our guests across the world via satellite, as he discussed his thoughts on King, and, of course Bev shared a little about his upcoming book. I was particularly happy to read in this book about King's latest novel, FAIRY TALE, which was released on September 6, 2022.
I enjoyed so many things about this book. It is a solid bound hardback, with an exquisite cover, is heavy, as it's packed full with information, beautiful and colorful rare photos, and all the behind-the-scenes stories. I enjoyed that there were facts, so many of them, even some that I didn't know. The book ends with a pleasant afterthought called, Conclusion: The Test of Time. I won't say anything further regarding the afterthought, as it truly is a part of this book that is a must read, for yourself.
Bev Vincent is one of the few people that I go to when I have a question about Stephen King. I have been doing that for the last 20+ years and still there has never been a question he hasn’t been able to answer for me. He’s written books about King and his stories. He’s written reviews and news columns about him and is active on social media. He’s a huge source of knowledge when it comes to Stephen King. Now, in time for King’s 75th birthday, he’s released a book with the exciting (but long) title The Stephen King Ultimate Companion: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences.
Library Journal
This volume’s release coincides with King’s 75th birthday and is an excellent addition to libraries looking to expand their collection of biographies. Stephen King–expert Vincent (The Dark Tower Companion) is well-placed to closely examine the work and life of the novelist, having also co-edited the anthology Flight or Fright with King. Vincent here explores what influenced King as well as King’s own impact on both the horror genre and on pop culture. The book is organized chronologically, and each chapter includes one or more “interludes” that explore aspects of King’s life or work that are intriguing, but tangential to the focus of the main narrative of the book. One of the most engaging aspects of this book is its design. Drawing inspiration from pop-culture depictions of police casefiles, horror movies, and scrapbooks, the layout will draw readers in with archival photographs, images of the covers of King’s book, and reproductions of materials from King’s archives. The almost conversational tone of the book is engaging and accessible, with extensive footnotes, credits, and appendices to extend readers’ experience with the topic.
VERDICT Best suited to libraries with strong horror collections.
The Stephen King Ultimate Companion book: The most interesting things we learned
The spookiest thing about the just-published Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences is how many fascinating tidbits of information about Stephen King writer Bev Vincent fits into the book, while still leaving space aplenty for archival photos and documents from the Carrie writer's personal collections. You'll have to buy the tome to see the images but you can entertain (and terrify!) your friends with these ten fascinating facts we gleaned from reading Vincent's book.
You may be responsible for starting another Kingasance!
@BevVincent - the reviews there are awesome as well!
Bev Vincent’s book Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work Life, and Influences charters a 50-year career like no other author in the history of humanity. King has so much still to offer. I recently read Later a few months ago and dug the book. I enjoyed the “Under the Dome” series till it imploded and lost direction. In a nutshell, Stephen King offers so much that you can start at any point. Bev Vincent did an amazing job putting this book together. It has everything you need to know about Stephen King. If you are about to delve into Stephen King, I recommend you start with Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work Life, and Influences by Bev Vincent.
If you are a casual fan like me, you will discover stuff you never knew existed. This guy has been busy for 50 years. Some authors live off a few books, King puts all these guys to shame. He created such a vast universe, unlike any other writer.
Stephen King has been thrilling readers and cinema-goers with his New England brand of chills and thrills since Carrie was published in 1973. The rest, as they say, is history.
This year marks King’s 75th birthday and Bev Vincent’s latest book, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences takes fans on an in-depth look at exactly what it is that makes the King of Horror tick.
Vincent previously wrote the Bram Stoker Award–nominated companion to Stephen King’s Dark Tower series (The Road to the Dark Tower) and the 2010 Edgar Award nominee, The Stephen King Illustrated Companion. So fans can be reassured that they’re in safe hands. Vincent knows his material and delivers the sort of depth and detail that many ‘behind the scenes’ books promise, but rarely deliver. The tone is conversational, but never chatty, fun, but never frivolous. Extensive notes reward the dedicated aficionado with plenty of extra goodies, while never overwhelming the casual reader.
Stephen King features 240 pages of archival photos and documents from King’s personal collection alongside the stories of how his novels, novellas, short stories, and adaptations came to be. Explore the evolution and influences of Stephen King’s body of work over his nearly 50-year career, and discover how the themes of his writing reflect the changing times and events within his life.
Stephen King’s work has been turned into TV miniseries and blockbuster movies, like The Shining and It, but it’s the history of the writer’s struggles and triumphs, his lesser-known stories and collaborations that thrill, and Vincent uncovers these and much much more. Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences is a triumph. The perfect addition to any Stephen King fan’s collection.
With sleek production and sheer enthusiasm peppered throughout, this is an excellent companion to King’s own words on his craft.
What can you say about Stephen King that hasn’t been said a million times before? Bev Vincent’s ‘complete exploration’ recycles a lot of his 2013 work, Stephen King: An Illustrated Companion, but the little touches are what make this coffee table book worth picking up: sleek and glossy production, and a sheer enthusiasm for King that peppers the pages throughout.
Written with a wide-open style and a chipper slant, Vincent has crafted a readable, accessible chronicle of King and his works. He weaves quotes with prose to place you gently in the centre of King’s thought process and influences, while ‘interludes’ deal with the Bachman years, early poetry, his recent Hard Case Crime novels, and the interconnectedness of his universes.
Vincent sets the scene nicely, starting at the absolute beginning: we get a brief tour of King’s early life as a young fan forced to snatch snippets of horror where he could, his childhood yarns to amuse friends and family, and his short stories submitted to the likes of Famous Monsters of Filmland magnate, Forrest J. Ackerman. We’re also treated to more insight into King’s relationship with his wife and “ideal reader”, Tabitha, and her input on his writing. Not only did she save several pages of Carrie from the trash but she also forced King to change the name of ’Salem’s Lot because the original title, Second Coming, sounded too raunchy for her tastes. King’s youthful vigour shines through in these sections, buoyed by Vincent’s genial voice, and continues well beyond those early years. This is what has kept King’s name in the mouths of readers around the world: he’s managed to hold on to the joy and zeal for scaring people with the written word.
As you might expect, his earlier hits get the most airtime, particularly The Shining and It, while more recent efforts are lucky to get a few paragraphs. It’s disappointing to not get more in-depth on these. Only a select few of the later entries in the King canon get any real ink: 11/22/63, Lisey’s Story, Doctor Sleep and Under the Dome are the few that penetrate in the downhill stretch. There are no shocking revelations here, but just enough to perhaps make some people feel better about that disappointing ending.
It’s nice to see his entire oeuvre given some shine alongside his classics, which makes the book feel exhaustive — even if it’s about a tenth the size of your favourite King novel. There may be little new meat in Vincent’s tour through King’s work, but it’s an absolute pleasure to dip into, particularly in those early sections. Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences is perfect for a keen reader or even for fans of the movies based on his works, and an excellent companion to King’s own words on the craft, On Writing.