Danse Macabre
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3.7 • 53 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Before he gave us the “one of a kind classic” (The Wall Street Journal) memoir On Writing, Stephen King wrote a nonfiction masterpiece in Danse Macabre, “one of the best books on American popular culture” (Philadelphia Inquirer).
From the author of dozens of #1 New York Times bestsellers and the creator of many unforgettable movies comes a vivid, intelligent, and nostalgic journey through three decades of horror as experienced through the eyes of the most popular writer in the genre. In 1981, years before he sat down to tackle On Writing, Stephen King decided to address the topic of what makes horror horrifying and what makes terror terrifying. Here, in ten brilliantly written chapters, King delivers one colorful observation after another about the great stories, books, and films that comprise the horror genre—from Frankenstein and Dracula to The Exorcist, The Twilight Zone, and Earth vs. The Flying Saucers.
With the insight and good humor his fans appreciated in On Writing, Danse Macabre is an enjoyably entertaining tour through Stephen King’s beloved world of horror.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
King s 1987 disquisition on the nature, quality, and substance of the horror genre from 1950 to 1980 gains new life as an audiobook, and listeners will enjoy (and enjoy disagreeing with) King s conclusions and seeing which ones have held up. A new introduction features King revisiting his book and recent horror narratives. William Dufris narrates with a clear, easygoing tone that works well with King s playful and enthusiastic prose. Dufris keeps up with King s shifting tone and even attempts the occasional goofy impersonation when King s writing suggests it, such as the devious laugh of the Crypt Keeper. Though its breadth can be overwhelming, the book becomes a delight to listen to in the hands of Dufris s skillful performance and listeners will leave with an extensive list of must-see and must-read material. A Berkley paperback.
Customer Reviews
A blast for any horror fan to read!
I loved reading this book, Stephen King’s first nonfiction book, because this examination of the horror genre felt like a conversation with the author—and a fun one, at that! I don’t share his negative opinions on some of the movies and TV shows he mentions, and out of the few books I’ve read that he mentions, or talks about, I disagree with his praise for one book that is an obvious favorite of his, but when you consider all of the movies, books, and shows he mentions, or covers, it’s a fun book just for that reason alone! After all, I can honestly tell you that he talks about lots of movies that I liked, some of them are even movies I loved, he mentions at least a few books I’ve enjoyed reading, while also discussing authors I really like, including himself, but also Ramsey Campbell and Peter Straub. Another thing that makes the topic of books a treat to read about, once you reach that portion of this book, is that he also mentions authors I would like to read, like Anne Rivers Siddons—her book The House Next Door would, at the very least, be worth reading since I saw the Lifetime movie and really liked it—and James Herbert. So, to make a long story short(too late), here is a list of some of the great movies, TV shows, and books Stephen King talks about, briefly or not. Movies: Night of the Living Dead, Psycho, Rosemary’s Baby, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alien, The Amityville Horror, When a Stranger Calls, The Fury, and Dawn of the Dead. TV shows: Night Gallery, The Twilight Zone, Boris Karloff’s Thriller, and Dark Shadows. Books: To his fans, the most exciting books King discusses would include some of his earliest work: Carrie, Salem’s Lot, The Shining, and The Stand. But he also talks about The Fog by James Herbert, The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, The Face That Must Die by Ramsey Campbell, The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney, Julia, If You Could See Me Now, and Ghost Story by Peter Straub. This book is not only a must-read book for Stephen King fans, it’s also a must-read book for horror fans!