The books that I've listed below are my personal favorites. If you've never had the pleasure of reading a Stephen King book, I implore you to give him a chance. His books are so fantastic that there aren't any that I don't finish in about 3 days. And I'd say that about 90% of his books are between 400-700 pages long. He isn't like you imagine. It's not all blood and gore and terror. It's typically good vs. evil stories that will have you completely immersed within a chapter or two. Mr. King has a way of painting his characters in such a way that makes you feel like you are right there experiencing what they are experiencing and, to make it all the better, believing it all, no matter how far-fetched and unlikely the premise may be. You will get scared occasionally, but it's well worth it. And who doesn't love a good scare now and then??

In summary, Stephen King is without a doubt a fantastic writer. And to prove my point let me list just three stories that you probably had no idea Mr. King was responsible for. If that doesn't change your mind, then you are beyond help. ;-)

• Shawshank Redemption
• The Green Mile
• Stand By Me

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The Stand This is by far his greatest book. Not to mention the longest, which definitely has its own appeal as far as I'm concerned. (I always get depressed when they're over). This book is about a flu bug that, through typical measures, manages to infect and kill nearly the entire world, save a few souls. The ensuing battle between dark and light is terrific.	IT This is the only King book that scared the bejeebers out of me. Had to sleep with the light on for a week. The great thing about his books is how he takes our most hidden and childlike fears and makes them real. "IT" will take your emotions on a roller coaster ride that is at once heartbreaking, thrilling and terrifying. The story is about 7 men and women who return to their hometown to face the nightmares of their youth.	Firestarter I read this one when I was a teenager and still love it. Which of us doesn't wish we had telekenetic powers and the ability to hurl fire at people who are inherently hateful and evil?
Insomnia This is my 2nd runner up in the best of King books. It centers on a man who, after the death of his wife (from old age, not bludgeoning like I'm sure you were thinking), begins to suffer with insomnia and the effects thereof. It's terrific and one of the more spiritual books he's written. One of my very favorites.	Gerald's Game Now this one is a bit delicate. At least the subject matter is. It's about a woman dealing with past sexual abuse. I do not know how Mr. King did it, but he managed to hit the emotions *right* on the nail. Great book.	Needful Things I enjoyed this one in that it deals with how greedy humans can be and how it can come back to haunt you. It's centered on a small town that suddenly gains a mysterious new 'antique' shop that is guaranteed to have whatever you want. But it all comes at quite a price.
Delores Claiborne If you're just too chicken for the scarier fare, then this is a great book to get your feet wet with. This is more of a mystery and is told in the first person by cranky old Delores Claiborne who, at 65, decides to come clean with the police about how and why she killed her husband 30 years ago. It's a very good book.	The Green Mile This book was written ala Charles Dickens in series style. Each segment was left with a cliff-hanger, and (oh-the-horror) we had to wait 30 days for each installment. You won't have to. This story is about a prison guard working in the death row ward of a small, VERY Southern prison in 1932, and about a remarkable prisoner under his watch. It's available in paperback, audio, CD and, of course, video.	Misery Kathy Bates was fantastic as the psychotic over-zealous fan of an author who has the misfortune of having a car accident near her home. Stephen King obviously is a little nervous about all those people out there in Readersville who love his works.