Has anyone else read Stephen King's "The Stand"?

[GreenPartyVoter]

I can't help but think of that book when I reflect upon the recovery work on the Gulf Coast. Mainly the retrieval of the dead bodies and the surreal moment of turning the power back on and houses leaping to life all around their dead owners.

I can't imagine the stress on the live victims and the rescue workers. I just can't.

------------------------------------------------------
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[blonndee]

1. Yes. I thought of The Stand when I saw all the people standing on the

freeway and the people fending for themselves while their government was AWOL. And now the disease...it's surreal.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Yep. It's been on my mind for days now. But will ** get his just desserts

King-style?

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[walldude]

14. Maybe in the "Dead Zone" style n/t

[MSgt213]

2. I read it. Great book.

[FormerRepublican]

4. Just wait until Bird Flu goes pandemic - then 'The Stand' will be reality.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

59. When Camp Casey was materializing I thought of the Stand. nt

[Autumn Colors]

5. The Dark Man is Here

Yes, that's immediately what I thought of when seeing a lot of these scenes.

[erinlough]

9. ditto for me

The Stand is the classic story of good verses evil.

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. I first thought of the Stand in the 2000 election - we are those in Denver

and Bush followers are all the pondscum that set up in Las Vegas....still feel that way, since I do find Bush to be quite an evil, malevolant being.

[intheflow]

11. The election cycles reminded me more of The Dead Zone.

Madman runs for president.

[MuseRider]

15. I read that when

Reagan was running (I think, he may have already been in office and I don't have the dates at hand)it felt very current at that moment. Works here too.

[intheflow]

7. I was just thinking about that today.

As they talk more about body recovery, I think about how Mother Abigail's colony had to clean up the bodies in Boulder. That was a hard chapter to read back when I first read The Stand in the '80's. It's much harder to live through it now in real life.

:cry:

[Carni]

8. YEP!

Been there read that and it's freaking me out--I hated that damned book although I read it twice when it came out.

I keep thinking of the Lincoln tunnel scene (chapter whatever)

[Systematic Chaos]

10. It should go down in history as an all-time literary classic.

It is seriously one of the most incredible works of fiction I've ever read. That, and the Dark Tower series, although I was pissed beyond belief at the ending. :)

[intheflow]

17. I agree.

Critics don't take King seriously because he's so prolific. But The Stand really is an incredibly well-crafted work of fiction, as well as an epic tale of good versus evil. Classic!

[tkmorris]

18. Just wanted to second that Dark Tower ending

Keeerist that sucked.

[kestrel91316]

35. One of my 5 favorite works of fiction!

[Occulus]

38. bahahahaha-- (WARNING: kinda a Dark Tower spoiler)

I was ready to murder him at the end of the Dark Tower series.

Seriously, I was thinking, "WHAT the FUCK? AGAIN!!!?!??!?"

If I were Roland, as soon as I knew what was going on, and before my memory faded, I would've shot myself. Who can go through THAT more than once?

[DearAbby]

44. I could not get into the Dark Tower series for some reason

The Stand struck a cord in me, the good vs evil in it. And may be more valid now with the airborne disease that had been reported. Do they realize what they may have unleashed with their negligence?

As Babs * would say, why worry your beautiful mind...Afterall they were just the underprivillaged...and most of them are doing much better now :) :sarcasm:

[MuseRider]

12. Actually like one of the posters above

I have been thinking a lot about the bird flu that is supposed to be here but this works too.

I love that book. In many ways I felt drawn to Crawford almost like they were drawn to Mother Abigail. I have been thinking about that book a lot lately.

[bluethruandthru]

13. Colorado or Vegas?

Yes! My husband said the othe day that he thought it would soon be time to pack our bags and head for Colorado. At first I wasn't sure what he was talking about. It feels like everything's coming to a head.. the "good people" will be in Colorado...the "evil doers" in Vegas!

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Scary thought, isn't it? Welcome to DU

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[walldude]

24. Already in Colorado.

Actually moved here when Poppy Bush started his little war. Figured I should be close to the mountains.. just in case.

[Joebert]

51. They still vote way too red here.

I am looking to leave.

I'm planning on heading out east, Vermont or so.

My state rep is the one who equated homosexuality with beastiality.

My governor is the one who wanted Ward Churchill classified as evil.

My US Rep is Marilyn Musgrave, enough said there.

[Tesha]

62. Don't go to Stovington, though. ..Waste of time... (NT)

[davsand]

19. I loved that book.

Scared hell out of me. I was just into the section where everyone has died off with Captain Trips, and I was at a grocery store waiting to check out. A woman turned around and sneezed on me. I almost ran screaming from the store...

King has an ability to play with our minds, no doubt.

Something else that has been buggin hell out of me lately, however, is that guy on the internet who claimed to be from the future. He was talking about the collapse of the American society and the civil war that brought us down. He was also talking about areas of the country that were no longer safe for humans to live. I can't find it online now, but I could SWEAR that he talked about New Orleans being one of those uninhabitable areas...

THAT is really creeping me out.


Laura

[fiveleafclover]

27. John Titor?

www.johntitor.com

[davsand]

30. That would be the one!

Thank you! That had been bugging me for a while now, trying to remember that name.

Thanks!


Laura

[Cleita]

20. It was the first Stephen King book I ever read and as far as

I'm concerned his best. I have read it a couple of times.

[Warren DeMontague]

21. I still posit that we're living in DUNE

He who controls the spice, controls the universe.

[Pied Piper]

25. Totally agree

I've been telling my friends since Selection 2000 that they should read Dune. I told them that it was our future.

What a great book - the feuding Houses, the inbreeding, the unworthy nephews rising to power, the desert people who are not so easily defeated.. I mean, really, it's almost the playbook for the * administration.

[Blue_In_AK]

22. Best Stephen King book ever...

precisely because it is so possible.

[orleans]

28. agree--i used to read it over and over. n/t

[fishwax]

23. i've thought of that too

:(

[cmf]

26. I read it about once a year

I had been telling DH to read it for a while, and he had just started before Katrina hit. Boy did he pick the time to read it, or what?

[Pharlo]

29. I read it.

Eight hours of my life I shall never get back.

However, I did learn one thing - I don't care for Stephen King's writing style.

[nonconformist]

31. I've read it - and it's crossed my mind a couple of times lately. nt

[Enraged_Ape]

32. Bush has always reminded me of "The Walkin' Dude"

Bush walks like him, talks like him, acts like him--it's almost like he's trying to BE the Randall Flagg from the book, like he's his hero.

It's pretty damn scary. And I can see all the Bushbots following their leader to Las Vegas. They would love every second of the journey.

[6000eliot]

33. I think he's more like the creepy arsonist

I can't remember the character's name, though.

[Heddi]

34. Trashcan Man

"Hey Trashy! Ya burn up old lady Stimple's Pension Check yet ha ha ha"

Ci-bo-la!
ci-bo-la!

[MuseRider]

36. Rummy is that you? n/t

[6000eliot]

43. We have a winner!

You have a better memory than I do.

[Heddi]

46. Thanks! I've only read The Stand about...oh...

134980835783465 times. I know the motherfucker by heart.

Love the book

The Movie---hated, nay, LOATHED IT WITH EVER FIBER OF MY FUCKING BEING

I have come to the conclusion that as good of a writer Steven King is, he is NOT made to oversee movies. Every movie made from his books stinks so fucking badly. I don't see how he can lend his name to such consecutive peices of fucking garbage.

[6000eliot]

65. The only ones I like are Pet Semetary

and The Shining. I didn't read Pet Semetary, so I can't compare them. I did read The Shining, but I like the movie for completely different reasons. I agree about The Stand: all other films based on King's books stink.

[kestrel91316]

37. When they made the TV miniseries of The Stand, though the guy

who played Randall Flagg was VERY easy on the eyes, IMHO. Bush is stupid-looking.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

55. That was uber RW'er Gary Sinese

if I remember correctly.
http://leftandrightfight.com/

[GreenPartyVoter]

60. Gary is a righty? *sad*

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

61. Yeah... Good actor, bad thinker.

http://leftandrightfight.com/

[kestrel91316]

66. No, no, Gary Sinese was the protagonist who got the girl!

Rob Lowe was the deaf guy, can't recall names of the others.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

68. Oh good lord, you're right.... He was Stu Redman....

I guess I mentally put him in the role of the antagonist after I found out his political leanings...

The Cast:


Gary Sinise .... Stu Redman
Molly Ringwald .... Frannie Goldsmith
Jamey Sheridan .... Randall Flagg
Laura San Giacomo.... Nadine Cross
Ruby Dee .... Mother Abigail Freemantle
Ossie Davis .... Judge Richard Farris
Miguel Ferrer .... Lloyd Henreid
Corin Nemec .... Harold Lauder
Matt Frewer .... Trashcan Man
Adam Storke .... Larry Underwood
Ray Walston .... Glen Bateman
Rob Lowe .... Nick Andros
Bill Fagerbakke .... Tom Cullen
Peter Van Norden.... Ralph Brentner
Rick Aviles .... Rat Man

Gotta go get egg off of my face now!

:toast:

[Tesha]

63. Randall Flagg, though, is intelligent. (NT)

[artemisia1]

39. I thought of the "Stand" immediately after the pictures of the Dome

started coming out - "The Stand" and "Titanic". Scary stuff. King wrote so accurately about the breakdown of society following an apocalypse.

[krkaufman]

40. Yeah, just like getting Boulder going. Ugh. n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

41. We were discussing this earlier in the week

It was pointed out to me that the "you don't speak for me Cindy" bus tour was heading to Las Vegas next. :scared:

[tamtam]

42. Big King fan here

That is an excellent book. I couldn't help but think about those people when I heard some disease was spreading. That book scared the hell out of me but it was a good read.

[Greylyn58]

45. It's my favorite King book

Also the very first one of his books I read.

As this horror show down on the Gulf Coast has unfolded day after day, I've been thinking of that particular story.

Very spooky!!!

[DearAbby]

47. This is really soopky because I was actually thinking the same thing

this morning. Tiggered by the retrival of all the bodies. I was staring out the window, thinking of this exact thing...Its really spooky that so many people are thinking the same thing I am. :hide: What really scared me in the book, the radio talk show host was gunned down by government troops for broadcasting the truth...that scared me.

I was thinking, looking out my window this morning...what if that happened. How would I be prepared to deal with it? To tell the truth guys, I have never been this fearful in my life, in America, the land of the free. If we can't believe in this what do we have?

[omega minimo]

48. Wait until we start

having the same dream.


"I was staring out the window, thinking of this exact thing...Its really spooky that so many people are thinking the same thing I am."

:evilgrin:

[Heddi]

49. It's like...it's like

we're all having the same dream of going to Nebraska...with the corn...and Mother Abagail singing "Whudd a fran we hab in jeeeezuuuuhhhhssss...." :)

Rats in the corn! Rats in the corn!!!

[omega minimo]

50. When do we break out of our shells?

:hide:

[Heddi]

52. When I start dreaming of an old black lady with a guitar

I'll post a goodbye note to DU as I head on out to Nebraska and Hemminger Farm.

God. I know this book TOO well.....

I finally (FINALLY!) got my husband to read The Stand last year. He's new to reading "books" (he's literate, but his family was never into pleasure reading). Had to start him slowly---books about planes and boats, then onto simple fiction, then 1984, Animal Farm, and finally "The Stand"

Every day I'd ask him which part he was on and he'd tell me and then I'd give him a line from that part of the book. He said to stop because it creeped him out.

Then he'd tell me where he was and I'd say "ooooh I know what's gonna happen next" but would never tell him. He said to stop that because it was pissing him off.

Then he got to the end and said it was the biggest book, and the best book he ever read.

Then we rented the 6-hour miniseries and he wanted to vomit blood from his ears it was so bad. I already WAS vomiting blood from my ears, but only because I had the misfortune of watching some Jessica Simpson Variety Show on TV earlier.

"every dog has its day"

[Tesha]

64. Hemmingford Home. And there's definitely rats in the corn... (NT)

[Alamom]

53. Great book.

SELF DELETE

[SlowDownFast]

54. Yeah, where's the Trashcan Man

and his god-damned master Flagg?

[spacelady]

70. My Life For You---Bush as Flagg. 35% Follow him to Vegas. n/t

[RebelOne]

56. That is King's best book ever.

Especially the unedited edition.

[artemisia1]

57. I just dug it out of my closet for a re-read. Why not? We're living throug

it at some level.

[reprehensor]

58. Fine book.

I think Salem's Lot is better, but just slightly.

[WeRQ4U]

67. Yep. Couldn't put it down. Read that monster in 2 days.

I read it while going to visit my friends who were throwing bags at the airport in Aspen, CO. GREAT read.

And eerily prophetic huh?

[spacelady]

69. My favorite Novel. The TV treatment was actually good. I especially

got into the Old Lady in Nebraska part. Ruby Dee played it perfectly.