|
The Body (Penguin Longman Penguin Readers) | 
| Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Longman
Category: Book
New (1) Used (4) from £14.25
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 246897
Media: Paperback
Edition: New edition
Pages: 80
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 4.9 x 0.2
ISBN: 0582418178
Dewey Decimal Number: 428.6
EAN: 9780582418172
ASIN: 0582418178
Publication Date: December 20, 1999
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
Some parts are autobiographical September 24, 2007
"The Body" is a novella (shorter than a novel and longer than a short story), and was originally published as one of four novellas in the collection "Different Seasons" (1982). The book "Different Seasons" contains one story for each season, and "The Body" is subtitled "Fall from Innocence".
In "The Body" we are in the company of four 12-year-old boys who are very good friends. The leader of the group is Chris, a tough but smart guy from a down-and-out family with a drunken father. Chris is trying to break out of the destiny his background is forcing him into, and he's the real hero of the story.
Gordie is more the intellectual and sensitive type and is second in command in the group. Gordie tells the story in the first person and sounds very much like Stephen King's alter ego. (The adult Gordie, in writing the story, tells briefly how he has become a successful writer of horror books.)
The last two members of the group are Teddy, the wild one, and Vern, the cautious one. Neither Vern nor Teddy are leaders but they are each very unique and real boys, and almost as important to the story as Chris and Gordie.
Chris, Gordie, Teddy and Vern set out on an adventure, a "pilgrimage" to see the dead body of a boy from another town. Their trek stretches out over two days, much longer than they expected, and involves several unexpected encounters and dangerous situations.
What makes "The Body" such a wonderful story is the way we can relate to these four boys and their lives and the way they interact with each other. Stephen King does a fantastic job of writing about people in a way that makes them seem completely real and authentic. We think back to our own childhood and the struggles and the friendships and the pain of growing up. We nod in agreement to many of the things Stephen King tells us about what he has discovered as being the important things in life.
It is this honesty and insight into human nature that makes "The Body" such a good story.
The audio version of "The Body" lasts almost six hours and is read by Frank Muller, who does a great job. If you're not into audio books then it might be a better idea to buy "Different Seasons" as a printed book instead of "The Body", and get an additional three Stephen King novellas.
The movie "Stand By Me" (1986) is based on "The Body" and was directed by Rob Reiner. The movie follows the novella quite closely, although many minor things are changed / omitted / added as is always the case when a book is turned into a movie. The most important difference is that Gordie becomes the main character instead of Chris.
Included in the DVD version of "Stand By Me" is a 37-minute "featurette" with interviews with Stephen King, Rob Reiner and several of the actors (now all adult). Stephen King mentions that he thinks it's interesting that Rob Reiner made Gordie the main character, and that he had no objection to this change in emphasis between Gordie and Chris. Stephen King also confirms that much of "The Body" is autobiographical, in that he used several experiences from his own childhood in the story.
Highly recommended, both "The Body" and "Stand By Me".
Rennie Petersen
Brilliant!! September 20, 2005
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
The book, Is better than the film in many ways, but also not as good! You don't really get the kindness of Chris & the dopeyness of Vern in the book, but you get alot more detail in other aspects. So, in cases like this, GET THEM BOTH!!
THE BODY July 14, 2005
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
This story is the best stephen king book i have ever read. I had seen the film which was ace and i went out to buy the book which was even better! well worth reading and watching the film called stand by me!:)
 Better than the film October 3, 2003
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I love Steven King's books they leave you on edge and you can get into the book straight away. This book tells of four young boys who go on an "adventure" to find the body of another young boy. Very excting it is better than the film, as the book gets straight to the point were as the film drags some of the "adventure" out.
The best King book June 16, 2002
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
This is my absolute favourite Stephen King book of all time. Despite popular belief, King doesn't only write horror - he writes beautiful, meaningful stories like this too.
The style of writing and the insight into young boys' minds is wonderful. I laughed, I cried, I loved it.
Bear in mind, though, that this is adapted from the original "The Body" (from "Different Seasons"). This is the same story, simplified for schoolchildren.
|
|
|
| |
