The Shining Moment (NY Times grudgingly agrees with National Book Foundation's Stephen King honor)

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When they call the roll of the great figures of modern American literature — Bellow, Miller, Morrison, Updike, Roth — they can now add a name: Stephen King.

Yes, the Stephen King who wrote "Carrie," "The Shining" and "Christine," not to mention "The Dark Tower" books, I through V. The National Book Foundation, which hands out the prestigious National Book Awards, has decided to bestow its annual medal for distinguished contribution to American letters on the man who bestowed pig's blood, homicidal jalopies and ax-wielding nurses on our libraries.

You're probably tempted, as we were at first, to work up a sputtering head of indignation about this . . . this . . . indignity. But hang on a second. Ray Bradbury got the medal in 2000, and while he can now be painted as a man who gave a popular genre a literary flair, were they saying that when "The Martian Chronicles" made its debut in 1950?

Mr. King will get his award at a ceremony where the host will be Steve Martin — remember him from the Oscars? And he will be feted by the same publishing world where Madonna is being touted as a children's book writer.

Mr. King has certainly contributed — a lot. The foundation's Web site claims the 70 films, television movies and miniseries made from his work as a Guinness world record. He has created a subgenre that is said to have drawn in readers who may otherwise not have been inclined to pick up a book at all. He has also done something that many other National Book Awardees have not done: made a pile of money. The publishing industry would very much like to figure out how he does it. As would we all.

[raybbr]

I agree about Barker's homosexuality in his later novels. I could not finish Imajica. It was horrible. I did not notice it at all in Weaveworld, The Great and Secret Show, Cabal, et. al. I just find that I am much more involved in Barker's story rather than King's. I have read several of King's books. He just doesn't draw me in anymore. His earlier books (Salem's Lot, The Other Half) were good. They just don't have the same after effect that Barker and Straub have.

Have you read Algernon Blackwood. Now, there is a horror writer. Read The Wendigo or The Willows and you will never think about nature the same way. I personally feel that King is overrated. Maybe I was a little too vehement in my criticism. He just does not involve me.

[raybbr]

Huh????

[Prodigal Son]

Have you read Algernon Blackwood.

No, I haven't. Thanks for the tip.