Four stories represent the different seasons from spring to winter.

I'm amazed that spring is "The Shawshank Redemption" which King held in several stories.

The first story "Goodbye, Shawshank" and I don't know here what does spring symbolize?! Is it the spring of life that was lost in prison unjustly or is it the spring that began after escaping from this terrible prison.

The second summer story is "The Body". That young student who looks forward to working as a private investigator in the future and begins his adventure by getting to know a Nazi war criminal and trying to gather evidence of his guilt, listening to his story and controlling him, and then it ends with him becoming a criminal himself, no less guilty than the Nazi criminal.

The third story is the autumn story "Apt Pupil" about children in their blooming age who look forward to seeing a corpse for the first time in their lives in an adventure for excitement and the pursuit of fame and glory.

And the last story is the winter story where King teaches us "The Breathing Method" and as if there is a certain way of breathing without which life cannot be straightened and King combines death and life in one moment and one self as they say, for he is the outer self and the inner self at the same time.

A fun collection overall and its stories vary between very good and good.

I'm going to attempt to do this book justice, but deep down, I know it's an almost impossible task.

So, here's a favor for you. If you have never picked up this book, just stop whatever you are doing right now and rush to get it.

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption: This is pure perfection. In just 101 pages, Stephen King crafted a story that will stay with me for eternity. I've been a die-hard fan of the movie version ever since I first laid eyes on it. I was absolutely furious when Forrest Gump beat it out for the Oscar for best picture that year. I raged and fumed. But over time, I've calmed down because Forrest Gump was also a great movie. Still, I've watched the movie so many times that I can recite entire passages from memory, and I'm not even a big TV watcher. If it comes on, I watch it. If it comes on again the next day, I watch it. To me, the movie is a bit darker than Stephen King's original story.

This story is not about horror. It's about hope, about picking yourself up every single day and persevering, about redemption.

Apt Pupil: For me, this was the darkest story in the book. A young boy discovers that a former Nazi general is living nearby, and he stalks him and then latches onto him. He essentially forces him into a strange and disturbing relationship. They are both among the most vile characters I've ever encountered, but you don't have to like the characters to recognize what an amazing story this is.

The Body: Another one of my favorite films was made from this story - "Stand by Me". I actually haven't seen this movie in years, but I will now. This story is about the sadness of remembering your childhood friends and the crap you managed to survive.

Breathing Method: This one started off slowly for me. But as the story unfolded, I found myself sitting here, shaking my head in disbelief. A woman's desire to have her child outweighed every obstacle in her path.

Overall, this book is a solid five stars. I would give it more if I could. It's difficult to describe these stories. They aren't horror, but they are about life. I wish I could have done them more justice, but I don't think there are enough words to truly capture their essence.

This quote from the afterword of the book sums it up perfectly. Mr. King tells how he got typed as a horror author, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I've been in love with these stories, too, and a part of me always will be in love with them, I guess. I hope that you liked them, Reader; that they did for you what any good story should do - make you forget the real stuff weighing on your mind for a little while and take you away to a place you've never been. It's the most amiable sort of magic I know.

In my opinion, there is no one who doesn't know this film. Here is the story, which was written by Stephen King. Although I have watched the film for several years, today I read the story.

"Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Andy Dufresne




"تذكر يا ريد، الأمل شيء جيد، بل ربما كان أعظم الأشياء، والأشياء الجيدة لا تموت."
Andy Dufresne...






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The Shawshank Redemption



Of course, the story is beautiful. It is told by Andy's friend in prison from his point of view, so it doesn't lack the loopholes and moments that he didn't witness himself.



With some differences from the film - I won't spoil it - and I'll tell you of course...

It's very beautiful... 5/5

....




Note:

The story is more detailed than the film..






I recommend it to all of you... even if you have watched the film, you won't feel bored :)

Wow, the breathing method was just really not my jam :/

It felt a bit off for me and didn't quite click. Maybe overall it would rate a 3.75 - 4 stars.

The first three stories, however, were truly enjoyable. They had engaging plots and interesting characters that kept me hooked from the start.

I found myself immersed in the worlds created by the author and eager to see what would happen next.

Despite the breathing method not being to my taste, the quality of the stories themselves was enough to make this a worthwhile read.

I would definitely recommend it to others who enjoy a good collection of tales.

Overall, it was a mixed bag but with enough亮点 to make it值得一读.

I'll tell you what I know and what I think. That's all I can do, right?

I reread the unforgettable and brilliant "Different Seasons" again. The same strong feelings overwhelmed me as when I first read it. With the writing of this collection, King becomes a true master of stories, creating many more captivating short works later!

"Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" remains my favorite among the four stories. It truly represents a chronicle of the prison life. The main problem of the prisoners is actually that the system encourages them to be institutionalized, so after the end of their sentences, they can't fit into the free life, and in most cases, they commit new crimes to return to their familiar environment. The narrator of the events in Shawshank is the long-term prisoner Red, who presents the story of Andy Dufresne in a very interesting way. Andy is remarkable - the only one who is not institutionalized, but withstands the pressure and keeps his free spirit, despite all the injustices and violence.

"Apt Pupil" is the scariest work in the collection. In it, we witness the absolute moral decline of a boy. He discovers that his elderly neighbor is a hidden Nazi war criminal and threatens to expose him if Dussander doesn't tell him all the details. Later, Todd turns into a cruel psychopath.

"The Body" is a wonderful story about the growth of a group of boys from Castle Rock. One of them becomes a writer years later and tells about the exciting past adventures, as well as reaches some wise conclusions. Here, one of the most interesting bad boys in my opinion, Ace Merrill, also participates. He is a character in my favorite "It" by King.

"Breathing Method" is a short but very emotional story. In this work, King weaves supernatural elements. The readers are immersed in the atmosphere of a mysterious secret club, in which the members tell quite interesting and scary stories.

And still... memory is a devilishly subjective thing.

The prison economy is built on a smaller scale. If you've been inside for a while, you'll realize that a dollar bill in your hand looks like a twenty outside.

Surely you feel that I've heard part of what I'm telling: someone saw something, I heard it and I'm telling you. Well, sometimes I show things even a little simpler than they were, and repeat or will repeat information from the fourth and fifth hand. That's how it is here. The keyhole network is completely real and you have to use it if you want to survive. Also, of course, you have to know how to extract the grains of truth from the sand of lies, rumors and "I want it this way".

Yes, if you want me to give you a direct answer to the question of whether I'm trying to tell you about the man or the legend about the man that winds around the man like a pearl surrounds a small grain of sand, I'll tell you that the answer is somewhere in the middle.

There is a very thin line here. Some people, Red, simply refuse to dirty their hands with what comes to them. This is called holiness - the deep cats on your shoulder and little by little they ring out your whole life. The other extreme is to wallow in the muck and deliver every damned thing that turns into money - pistols, switchblade knives, whatever, to the devil. Is there always a prisoner who comes to you and offers you a deal?

Kimnach. It happened many times over the years. Isn't there always a person at the end of the world who can be useful?

Often you can hear how some new member of our happy little family hits the bars of the cell and screams to be let out. And before the years go far, in the cell block, the song starts: "Fresh fish, hey, little fish, fresh fish, fresh fish, today we got fresh fish!"

But, as someone would note, he was an American boy and they were constantly stuffing into him that perseverance is a virtue.

- Are you crazy? - Todd developed. - I don't understand German. How can I read you a letter in German, you stinking old man?

- Why would Willy write to me in English? - said the stunned Dussander. - If you read me the letter in German, I'll understand it, and you - not. Of course, your pronunciation will be atrocious, and still, I could...

Dussander was right again and Todd didn't wait to hear the end of his words. Even after the heart attack, the old man walked with his chest forward.

This is the worst, I think: when the secret remains locked not by the will of the storyteller, but by the will of the person who should understand you.

Different words for different people, they say now, but that's heartless. If I tell you summer, you'll imagine some of your own personal memories, completely different from mine. But for me, summer is the path to the Florida Market with small change jingling in my pocket, a temperature of at least thirty-five degrees Celsius and my feet, shod in sneakers. This word evokes the image of the railway line with the wagons that shrink in the distance, and the embankment of the line is so white under the burning sun that when you close your eyes, you can see it in the dark, only it's blue instead of white.

- Come back here! - Mylo shouted. - Come back here or I'll let my dog after you, you bastard!

I didn't think this was the voice of reason and reconciliation, and I quickened my pace even more towards the fence, waving my hands, and the brown grocery bag burned my skin. Teddy let out his idiotic bleating laugh iii-iii-iiii in the air, like a lunatic playing a tin whistle.

I've never talked or written about this until now, until today. And I have to tell you that what happened seems smaller when written down, it seems almost meaningless, to the devil! But for me, this was the most beautiful, purest part of the journey, the moment to which I instinctively returned in times of danger in my life.

Friends come and go from your life like boys from a restaurant, have you noticed? But when I think about that dream, about the bodies under the water that pull me irresistibly by the feet, what happened to me seems normal. Some people drown, that's all. It's not fair, but it happens. Some people drown.

- What will this say? - I asked and pointed to the inscription on the stone. - Do you have any idea?

Waterhouse read it carefully, as if seeing it for the first time. THIS IS THE STORY, NOT THE MAN WHO TELLS IT.

- I think I understand - he said. - And you'll understand too if you come back. Yes, I tell you, after a while you'll remember one or two things. Have fun, David.

He handed me the coat and I put it on.

- Will there be new stories?

- There are always new stories here, sir.

By 1982, Stephen King had firmly established himself as a brand. He remained unexposed as Richard Bachman, and very few had crossed paths with Roland Deschain and his pursuit of the Dark Tower. At that time, he was widely regarded as a talented horror writer. The movies based on his works further strengthened this perception, and King himself never refuted the label. However, those who had seriously delved into his novels and short story collections knew there was far more to Stephen King than just a popular writer enjoying a streak of fame. "Different Seasons" provided ample ammunition for those who firmly believed King was more than a hack churning out bestsellers.

It would take another two decades for the literary establishment to grudgingly recognize him as a serious author and a major contributor to western literature. But "Different Seasons" was the first indication of what was to come.

This remarkable collection holds its own alongside the works of literary giants like Twain and Hemingway, painting an honest, albeit somewhat disturbing, portrait of American life and tragedy. Filled with life, humor, darkness, and hope, "Different Seasons," with its four novellas, delves deep into the human condition, creating believable characters and allowing them to respond authentically to the situations they find themselves in.

"Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption" is a unique prison escape story. Without guns, spectacular chases, or elaborate masterplans, it focuses on friendship, hardship, and life in prison. Andy, the "hero," is quite different from what one might expect in a prison setting, making it a bit challenging to empathize with him, despite the circumstances of his incarceration. However, Stephen King's careful portrayal makes it impossible not to cheer for his every victory. Red, the everyman, guides Andy through life behind bars, narrating the story as a fascinated observer and transforming a tale with little action into a page-turner. "Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption" is a masterfully told story that invokes the best of Steinbeck while maintaining King's own distinct voice.

"Apt Pupil" is not a traditional horror story in any sense, yet it is one of the most harrowing tales Stephen King has ever written. Similar in tone to his work as Bachman, the novella explores the depths of human depravity and how normalcy on the outside can conceal the monster within. Blackmail, fraud, and murder are all part of this story, which serves as a portal into the evil that people can unleash given the right (or wrong) circumstances. And then there's the Nazi...

"The Body," popularized by the movie "Stand By Me," is a true gem in Stephen King's bibliography. With a simple plot and not much action, King manages to fully explore the characters of Gordie, Chris, Vern, and Teddy, taking readers back to their pre-teen years with an honesty rarely seen in literature or film. The trials of the kids are handled with care and empathy, allowing readers to shed a tear as their hardships are revealed. Although given limited page time, the toughs are a realistic and truly frightening group, evoking the worst nightmares of the biggest bullies we can remember. The death of a child is an extremely difficult subject to handle, but "The Body" does so with dignity and just the right amount of realistic horror. This is a remarkable piece of writing that was, not surprisingly, turned into a wonderful movie, the first to truly capture the "Stephen King voice" on film.

"The Breathing Method" is a slightly odd, yet fun and gruesome tale, with a touch of Edgar Alan Poe and Lovecraft. It features a club that I would definitely love to join, with a vast library of out-of-this-world books and the comfort of tales told by the fire, accompanied by brandy, a pipe or cigar, and good company. While the story is named "The Breathing Method," it is actually the club that takes center stage, leaving the question of where exactly they are meeting unanswered. Is it in the Territories, Mid-World, End-World, or somewhere less exotic but still a bit out of phase?

The afterword is one of the best analyses of his work and process that King has ever written, and the explanation of the novella is absolutely hilarious. Overall, "Different Seasons" is a remarkable achievement, standing tall in the pantheon of Stephen King's bibliography and giving rise to two of the very best King film adaptations (along with a not-so-bad one as well). For readers who have yet to experience King, this may be the perfect place to start, as his voice gently draws you in, not overwhelming you with too many monsters and preparing you for the true terror that lies ahead.

I'm not precisely a devotee of Stephen King. One could argue he's a casualty of his own renown. I've witnessed numerous movie adaptations of his novels, so I don't feel compelled to explore the book versions. The first book of his that I read nearly 30 years ago was The Stand. It began with captivating storytelling and engaging characters but later devolved into self-indulgent filler and confusion. Consequently, it's been a long time since I relegated him to the back burner, mislabeling him as a commercial hack who found success in the horror genre.

However, I'm now about to pen a full retraction of my biased and hasty judgment, based almost entirely on two of the four novellas in the present collection. The man can write! His stories are gripping, deeply felt human interest tales with little to no supernatural elements, featuring strong, direct prose, convincing dialogue, and incredible emotional intensity.

Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption is the source material for the top movie on the IMDb all-time best 250 list. The reason can be summed up in one quote: "It always comes down to just two choices. Get busy living or get busy dying." The story of Andrew Dufresne's struggle to maintain his sanity and keep his dreams alive within the Shawshank prison becomes the story of each and every one of us and should serve as an inspiration to never give up, just as it was for Red, the lifer who managed to adapt and use the system for his own survival and comfort.

We get to know Andy Dufresne indirectly, through the eyes of Red. The initial portrait emphasizes how different Andy is from the other murderers and criminals sentenced to life in one of the country's most notorious prisons. Despite claiming innocence, he must learn to survive by the brutal rules governing this alternate world. The story is filled with Andy's refusal to accept his fate and succumb to mistreatment, and his accounting talents, fighting spirit, and honorable behavior gradually earn him friendship and a reputation.

Apt Pupil follows Shawshank and perhaps suffers unjustly in comparison. It can be described as a horror story where the monsters are ordinary people. Todd Bowden, a bright young kid, blackmails his elderly neighbor Dussander into conversations about his time as a death camp commander. Todd's curiosity is awakened on Career Day, but he soon finds himself falling under the spell of the old devil. The situation escalates as they battle for control, with real victims becoming prey to their criminal mind games. While the set-up felt a bit contrived and Todd's character seemed a little too gullible, King managed to keep me interested.

The Body is my personal favorite in the collection, even though Shawshank is probably better written and has a deeper message. It likely helps that the movie version, "Stand By Me," is also one of my all-time favorites, complete with a fantastic soundtrack mentioned in the novella. The story is filled with nostalgia for teenage summers, enduring friendships, and an early awareness of death. Gordie Lachance, a natural storyteller, treats his friends to improvised sessions, and the strongest passages are those happening within his mind. Through Gordie, King explores not only adolescence but also writing, dreams, family, and growing old.

Breathing Method is the final novella and, like the others, suffers by being placed after a masterpiece. It's a well-crafted yarn about the power of stories to entertain and disturb, feeding our imagination and relieving the boredom of routine. There are two nested tales, one about an elderly gentleman invited to an exclusive club and one about a possibly supernatural occurrence. The club itself is the main attraction for me, a haven for impossible books and a gathering place for dreamers and storytellers.

In conclusion, "Different Seasons" may have started as an afterthought, but it turned out to be King's most honest and accomplished work for me, convincing me to read more of his books. I'll close with a phrase he borrowed from Flaubert: "Tout s’en va, tout passe, l’eau coule, et le coeur oublie."

**"Different Seasons" by Stephen King: A Second Look**

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption - I often wonder if the number of people who have seen the movie adaptation of this story exceeds those who have read the book. I would wager it's the former. I've seen the movie as well, and now I'm on my second reading of the novella. There are indeed some significant differences between the two, yet for the most part, the core story remains the same. One of the notable differences is the character of Red, played by Morgan Freeman. His portrayal brought a unique dimension to the role, especially in terms of his color. Freeman did an outstanding job, and as I read, I couldn't help but hear his voice in my mind during the narration. Red's account of Andy Dufresne's arrival at the prison, their unlikely friendship, and Andy's hardships along the way is truly captivating. The beginning and middle of this novella are excellent, but it's the ending that truly makes it exceptional. The movie was great too, but I firmly believe the book has the edge, as without the book, there would be no movie.

Apt Pupil - Some might say that King didn't include a horror story in "Different Seasons," but that's not the case. As I turned the last page of "Apt Pupil," I knew I was wrong. I thought I knew the story, but Todd Bowmen is a character who is difficult to empathize with, especially when compared to the old man who may have committed thousands of murders. So, who do I like in this story? It doesn't really matter because it's the story itself that I was rooting for. A third of the way through, I was completely perplexed, wondering what possible path it could take to the end. And boy, was I surprised by its darkness.

The Body - The subtitle, "Fall from Innocence," is a perfect fit for this multi-faceted tale about four 12-year-old friends and their journey to see the body of a dead boy. It sounds morbid, which is typical of Stephen King. However, at some point early on, that morbidity takes a backseat in your mind. It did for me, at least on my second reading, because I got completely lost in the words of Gordie, who narrates the story of many years ago in the past tense. The bond these four friends share seems unbreakable, and their weekend together is something that will never be forgotten. There's a sense of nostalgia in looking back at childhood, and I also realized there's a tinge of sadness because things never stay the same. There's so much I could say about this story. Reading it a second time has solidified its place as one of my all-time favorites. Stephen King often inserts himself into his characters, and I can't help but wonder if Gordie is the closest to him. At times, it felt like I was looking through a window into King's own childhood.

The Breathing Method - The final installment of "Different Seasons" is like a slow train. I kept thinking, "This can't last. This is King, after all." It's a story within a story, with each part being about equal in length. I enjoyed both parts, but part two is really the heart of the matter. Maybe the whole thing would have benefited from being a bit shorter. The payoff was just okay. In the afterword, King discusses the "type-casting" he faced early in his career, why novellas can be a challenge for writers, and how "Different Seasons" came together as a novel. He also mentions that "The Breathing Method" is the only straight-up horror story in the collection, but elements of horror can be found in each of the four tales. I believe that without those elements, something essential would be missing. After this reread, I've decided to upgrade my initial rating from a four to a five. I'd previously only read two of the four stories, so I really had no business rating it before now. I have this urge to rank them in order of my favorite, but isn't it obvious?

Different Seasons was truly like a rejuvenating force for me, especially during the new year. I had received quite positive feedback about it, which piqued my curiosity and made me eager to explore it on my own. Initially, I bought it mainly to read 'The Body' as the film adaptation 'Stand by Me' has always been one of my all-time favorite movies. This collection consists of four novellas, three of which have been successfully adapted into films. I must admit that I've only watched one of those adaptations.

Over the years, I have delved deep into some truly remarkable King books. Titles like Pet Sematary, The Green Mile, and The Shining have left a lasting impression on me. Although I didn't rate all the novellas in Different Seasons as highly as those three particular ones, I could clearly sense that I was reading King at his best. It's important to note that King's more recent releases, such as The Institute, have been a disappointment for me. They simply didn't have that same essence of King that I've come to love. So, reading Different Seasons was an absolute delight.

Rita Hayworth and Shankshaw Redemption: I can't really explain why, perhaps I've been living under a rock all these years, but I had no idea what this novella was about, nor had I ever watched the film adaptation (and I still haven't). Without going into too much detail, it's about an innocent man who is wrongly accused of murdering his wife and lover and his time in prison, along with his coping mechanisms. King does an excellent job of building the characters in this story. It was a worthwhile read for me, and maybe one day I'll get around to watching the adaptation.

Apt Pupil: This was by far my favorite. It was a dark, well-structured, slow-burning, and psychologically disturbing thriller that had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Apt Pupil is essentially a study of human behavior, where the kind gentleman across the street turns out to be a monster. Todd, a seemingly normal and rather clever 13-year-old, discovers that a former Nazi general is living not far from him during his paper route. The story then unfolds to show who among the two is the worse. It was full of unexpected twists that left me in disbelief. Just moments ago, I read about the film adaptation and saw that the Nazi general is portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen. I can't imagine him as such a vile and messed-up character. Either way, this was an amazing read that really disturbed me.

The Body: Oh, what a treat it was to finally read this after watching the film countless times! With every page, I could imagine the screenplay characters coming to life. It was a wonderful experience. Four boys who regularly meet in a treehouse in Castle Rock to talk, smoke, and play cards. All of them come from dysfunctional families, so they've grown up faster than their years, so to speak. Vern hears about a missing body that is being searched for, and he and the boys embark on a two-day trip to find it, hoping to receive a reward. Gordie Lachance was an excellent narrator for this wonderful story, and I loved the meanings behind his words.

Breathing Method: Honestly, this was my least favorite of the four. I understood what King was trying to achieve, but for me, it was largely a disappointment. There are two stories within this novella, one about a gentleman who receives an invitation to a private club, and the other is of the supernatural kind. While I liked the concept of people meeting at a club and telling each other stories, it just wasn't enough to keep me engaged or give me any chills. It fell flat.

In conclusion, this was a remarkable collection of stories that were written, I believe, when King was at his absolute peak. The imagination that went into creating these stories is truly breathtaking, especially in 'Apt Pupil', which I doubt I'll forget anytime soon. This collection definitely has a well-deserved place on my bookshelf.

For the sake of argument, let's assume that when I was younger, I firmly believed Stephen King was the ultimate. However, now that I'm 34, I've noticed that the last few of his books have, interestingly, not lived up to expectations. This would naturally force me - again, hypothetically - to reevaluate my stance on him being a great storyteller. I've grown, matured, and now have the means to compare him to other authors I hadn't read in my youth. And I must conclude that he isn't nearly as good an author as I once thought.

But wait a minute. I recently revisited this book, a collection of novellas published over two decades ago. It has done everything to remind me of what I used to love about King, perhaps even confirming that I haven't necessarily outgrown him, but rather that he has been phoning it in lately. These stories are excellent. King showcases his talent for drawing you in from the start and maintaining your interest throughout, delighting you with tales of humanity and inhumanity, childhood and old age, all of which feel incredibly authentic.

Here's a quick rundown of my thoughts on each story individually:

\\n  Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption\\n (★★★★☆)

A superb story. I saw the movie years ago but remembered little when I started this novella. I also haven't read the Tolstoy short story it was based on. I loved the characters, even the murderers we're not supposed to identify with. The friendship between Andy and the narrator is touching, and King paces the plot perfectly. (Pacing is crucial, folks!)

\\n  Apt Pupil\\n (★★★☆☆)

This one might stretch believability a bit, but it was still a good read. Todd Bowden is a little psychopath, and I enjoyed the role reversal as a reader when he takes on the malicious Nazi Dussander. You almost start rooting for the Nazi until, of course, you don't root for either of them. Overall, it's some pretty disturbing stuff, but disturbing can be fun sometimes.

\\n  The Body\\n (★★★★★)

This story has a movie adaptation I'll never forget. I grew up claiming it as my favorite movie, and I bet it would still hold up if I saw it again. With great performances from River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, and Wil Wheaton (a little joke), it has left a strong impression on me. Jerry O'Connell wasn't bad either. And Richard Dreyfuss narrates, if I recall correctly. But this review is about the book, and it was phenomenal - just as good as I remember the movie being. King manages to evoke a sense of nostalgia for 1960s backcountry Maine (although in the movie it was Oregon) in a way that's reminiscent of Bradbury. One thing King does well is capture the voice of the adolescent, which is very believable here, as it is in novels like It and The Long Walk. The characters are at an age where the "shine" has started to wear off. Also, this story is written so well that it made me wish I had had a best friend like Chris Chambers growing up.

\\n  The Breathing Method\\n (★★★★☆)

King concludes the collection with a story about a story, and the story-within-the-story is so vividly drawn that I'm not sure which is the main one being told: the secondhand story or the one that frames it. Both are great and contain some classic King-style otherworldliness.

Different Seasons is truly what the concept of an anthology was designed for. Okay, perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point. This collection features four outstanding short stories that are at the pinnacle of literary achievement. Three of these stories have been adapted into films, and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them.

First, we have Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. Virtually everyone has seen the film. It tells the story of 30-year-old Andy Dufresne, who is sentenced to life in Shawshank for the murder of his unfaithful wife and her lover. The story is narrated through the eyes of someone who considers himself one of Andy's few friends, a facilitator who obtains the things Andy requests. The first item, of course, is a large poster of Rita Hayworth for his cell wall. Andy is an unassuming man, not outspoken but resolute in his claim of innocence and in a plan that will take nearly 27 years to come to fruition.

Next is my personal favorite among the four, Apt Pupil. After reading this, I immediately purchased the film. While it's not 100% faithful to the book, it's still very good. I mean, it has Gandalf as the Nazi in hiding, Kurt Dussander. In my eyes, that's a winning combination. Thirteen-year-old Todd Bowden develops what some might call an unhealthy obsession with the war, the Nazis, and the Holocaust. When he spots an old man he recognizes from his research, a sickness takes hold in his mind, and he engages in a game with Dussander that starts with him in control but quickly turns into a nightmare. Dussander directly references Andy Dufresne of Shawshank as a banker who handled some transactions for him but is now in jail for murdering his wife.

The Body is the third story, and the film adaptation was called Stand By Me. Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, after a boy named Ray Brower disappears and is presumed dead, Gordie Lachance and his three friends, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio, set out to find his body after telling their parents they will be camping out. On their journey, the boys, who all come from abusive and dysfunctional families, encounter some of the harsh realities of growing up in a small town that offers them little hope for the future. The story is told in the first person by the now forty-something novelist Gordon Lachance, and during the story, he shares some of his early writing with his friends. On their trip, we also encounter a dog named Chopper, who is compared to Cujo, and Chamberlain, the setting for his first novel Carrie, is mentioned, as is the town of Jerusalem's Lot.

The final story is called The Breathing Method and is told from the perspective of David, a middle-aged lawyer. At the invitation of a senior partner, he joins a strange men's club where the members, in addition to reading, chatting, and playing chess, enjoy telling stories that range from heartfelt to bizarre. One Thursday before Christmas, the elderly physician Dr. Emlyn McCarron tells a story of a patient who is determined to give birth to her illegitimate child, regardless of financial difficulties and social disapproval. McCarron comes to admire her bravery and humor and may even have fallen a little in love with her. The breathing method is meant to assist her during childbirth, but when she goes into labor and is on her way to the hospital on an icy winter night, her taxi crashes, and she is decapitated. Amazingly, the breathing method prevails in an almost macabre conclusion.

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What an amazing compilation of short stories by Stephen King! It's truly FANTASTIC!!

I was aware that I had seen movies based on two of the stories in this book. I thought to myself, "Since I've already watched the movies, do I really need to read the actual book?"

And the answer is a resounding YES. A huge HELL YES!

1st story: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption

I'm certain that most of us have seen this movie at least once or maybe even 50 times in our lives. The book is incredibly well-written. There were some subtle differences between the book and the movie, but they didn't detract from the masterpiece that this story is. Shawshank is about redemption, revenge, and hope. And King nails it with this one. Bravo, King!!

2nd story: Apt Pupil

Woah! What a mind-bendingly dark story this turned out to be. It's about a young kid who discovers that a former Nazi general is living in a house on his paper route. It's a psychological, epic tale of who is the worst, and I still haven't decided on the answer between these two messed-up individuals. I think evil has a way of finding evil in all aspects of life, and this was a perfect example of that. I really enjoyed this one!

3rd story: The Body

Or as most of you know it, "Stand By Me". What a great story!! It's about childhood friendship, dealing with crappy family members, and coming to terms with doing the right thing. There is a well-written level of conflict in this story. You really want these kids to succeed after all the trials and tribulations they face on their journey in this book. The movie and the book were quite similar in terms of the plot. It was nice to see that the movie industry didn't change much about this beloved tale.

4th story: Breathing Method

This story started off slowly, and I wasn't sure where it was headed. It ended in a rather creepy situation involving a pregnant woman and a strange building in New York City. I'm glad I stuck with it. It was the weakest of the four stories, but it was still decent.

If you've ever wondered whether Stephen King is a good storyteller, read this book!