I've never been an ardent Stephen King fan, even though he is extremely local to me. I grew up just one town away from the tiny rural tract in Maine where he attended elementary school (Durham, where my great great grandmother's brother started a cult and ultimately mismanaged his flock into a manslaughter charge). And I was two towns away from where he graduated from high school (Lisbon Falls...where Maine's first mass shooter's body was finally found two days ago...). I've hiked along the river referenced to locate Salem's Lot, and searched for minerals along the railroad tracks that supposedly inspired Stand by Me. Several of my favorite films are adapted from his work. But the couple of his novels I actually read in the 90s left me a bit underwhelmed, and I haven't really gone out of my way to seek them out.

However, I've always heard this early collection of stories highly praised. And last October, when I was looking for something blatantly seasonal to read on the subway while in costume on my way to a Halloween party, I came across this, in a marvelous demon-eye-hand mass market edition, and it seemed just about right. This year, I've finished the last few stories, and I'm pleasantly surprised with the whole collection. There's a powerful sense of mundanity here. King's characters are working-class guys just trying to get through another mill shift under an uncaring boss or to fend off the anxiety of facing a high school class. They are economically yet crisply characterized, and he doesn't waste a lot of words getting them into nightmarish scenarios. When he attempts to be especially weird or surprising, something in the imagination falls a little flat, and many stories turn out to be about what you expect (and fear). But some work precisely because they unashamedly, unrestrainedly pursue their premises to the end (The Children of the Corn!). And sometimes the most believably ordinary ones end up having the most power (The Bogeyman, chilling as a veiled story of domestic violence). There's a Lovecraft homage, a demonic laundry wringer, killer cars, and believable familial despairs. None of them really overstay their welcome. There's probably a reason so many of these became the source material for entire films. Maybe I'm due to go exploring for cursed ruins in the woods near the Royal River again.

Here are twenty stories by the Master that have little or much to do with each other.

Definitely, the first story, "The Mysteries of the Worm," has taken me back to the dreamlike times of Lovecraft. It's no wonder King is a great admirer of him.

In this collection of stories, my favorites are: "The Mysteries of the Worm" (for reminding me of Lovecraft), "I Am the Doorway," "The Coconut," "Trucks," "The Ledge," "Battlefield," "Sometimes They Come Back," "Enough," "S.A.," "I Know What You Need," "Children of the Corn," "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" (which makes a reference to Jerusalem's Lot), and "The Woman in the Room."

Among these twenty stories, 3 or 4 have been adapted for television. Which, to be honest, is well worth watching.

This collection of short stories is truly a gem for all Stephen King enthusiasts.

It delves deep into the lives of blue-collar characters, both in the real world and in the realm of the paranormal, as they battle against malevolence. King masterfully weaves together elements of typical American nostalgia with themes such as manifestation, the disintegration of society and authority, self-knowledge, and religion.

These short stories not only introduce ideas and settings that King would later expand upon in his novels but also offer a revisitation to Salem's Lot in two of the tales. Hollywood has clearly been captivated by these stories, with the majority being adapted into films.

Each story within this collection has its own unique charm and horror. From "Jerusalem’s Lot" which prequels Salem's Lot and explores an original evil manifestation, to "Graveyard Shift" where workers face a terrifying rat infestation in a disheveled cellar.

"Night Surf" introduces the "Captain Trips" virus that causes a global pandemic, as seen in "The Stand", while "I Am the Doorway" presents the idea of an evil alien presence infecting a disabled former-astronaut.

"The Mangler" features a possessed laundry press that a detective must exorcise, and "The Boogeyman" tells the tale of a man's children being killed by a creature lurking in the shadows.

"Gray Matter" shows a father's transformation into a gelatinous being after consuming tainted beer, and "Battleground" offers an amusing yet terrifying story of toy soldiers seeking revenge.

"Trucks" presents a world held hostage by cognizant murderous trucks, and "Sometimes They Come Back" follows a teacher's fear when a group of murderous teenagers reappear in his class.

"Strawberry Spring" brings back the elusive murderer Springheel Jack, and "The Ledge" tells the story of a wealthy criminal overlord forcing his wife's lover to undertake a death-defying challenge.

"The Lawnmower Man" uses hilarious imagery to bring horror to the simple task of lawn care, and "Quitters, Inc." explores the struggles of addiction.

"I Know What You Need" follows a young woman with a perfect boyfriend who fails to perceive his disturbing actions, and "Children of the Corn" examines the nature of religion when a couple encounters a cult of children worshiping a being in the corn.

"The Last Rung on the Ladder" sees a young lawyer re-evaluate his memories after his estranged sister's suicide, and "The Man Who Loved Flowers" shows that even the simple act of buying flowers can have unexpected twists.

"One for the Road" is set two years after the events of Salem's Lot, with vampires still roaming the streets, and the final story, "The Woman in the Room", examines the controversial topic of euthanasia.

This collection is a must-read for anyone who loves Stephen King's unique brand of horror and storytelling.