C. (Comment, don't blank click reviews).'s Reviews > Stephen King's Danse Macabre
Stephen King's Danse Macabre
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I began buying discount Stephen King hardcovers as a teen. “Danse Macabre” is a serious essay about horror literature and films, from the 1950s to this 1981 publication. This treatise has given me invaluable education. Understand how thorough, organized, and insightful this work is when I say: I am no horror fan! I must have originally been drawn to one of his more ghostly novels. I give 4 stars because drier fact segments resulted in taking 6 months to read this. My 400-page hardcover translates to 800 paperback pages; daunting but this is excellent work.
The very pleasant host rightfully presumes to address horror fans but I didn’t mind being in the minority. I loved the external vantage point and believe my journey was exceptional for it. With knowledge of only a few of the most infamous horror shows, films, and books; I was an utterly blank slate as a pupil! Having no impressions of the titles we analyzed, put me in a rare position of fully gleaning the meaning of Stephen’s examples. I wasn’t reminiscing but learning: there’s a difference between horror and terror, how we scare from culture to culture and decade to decade. Why the entertainment mediums of radio, television and theatre excelled in some eras over others.
Even though horror is not for me, I would like Stephen to know I feel enriched by his explanations of what the appeal is. Fans admit many aspects are cheesy and unlikely but they sift for gems: a moment that is undeniably scary, superb presentation in words or technical artistry, and genuine platforms illuminating our societal positions. There is nothing trite about the implications of horror’s subject matter and our reactions to it. This education about fear and suspense is essential to any author. I felt absolutely enlightened throughout.
The very pleasant host rightfully presumes to address horror fans but I didn’t mind being in the minority. I loved the external vantage point and believe my journey was exceptional for it. With knowledge of only a few of the most infamous horror shows, films, and books; I was an utterly blank slate as a pupil! Having no impressions of the titles we analyzed, put me in a rare position of fully gleaning the meaning of Stephen’s examples. I wasn’t reminiscing but learning: there’s a difference between horror and terror, how we scare from culture to culture and decade to decade. Why the entertainment mediums of radio, television and theatre excelled in some eras over others.
Even though horror is not for me, I would like Stephen to know I feel enriched by his explanations of what the appeal is. Fans admit many aspects are cheesy and unlikely but they sift for gems: a moment that is undeniably scary, superb presentation in words or technical artistry, and genuine platforms illuminating our societal positions. There is nothing trite about the implications of horror’s subject matter and our reactions to it. This education about fear and suspense is essential to any author. I felt absolutely enlightened throughout.
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Reading Progress
January 16, 2015
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Started Reading
January 16, 2015
– Shelved
January 16, 2015
– Shelved as:
riedel-titles-2015
January 17, 2015
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7.5%
"I love it from the first page. It was spontaneous to take this one from my display shelf of honour and instantly begin reading it. Stephen King is the answer to my last challenge riddle of 2014 at my blog and thus, on my mind. I will divide its reading with "The Lost Steps", Alejo Carpentier sitting unfinished since last month. I believe I'm approaching excitement in it."
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30
February 20, 2015
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10.5%
"Finally continuing this conversation with 'Mr. Maine'. Even if the essay nature of this publication, or the topic, weren't near the top of my preference; their reading doesn't bore in any way. Stephen really does engage you with a tour guide-like tone. He actually concludes the introductory chapters, asking very chivalrously: if he might have the pleasure of a dance! I consider any chat with him worthy."
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42
March 8, 2015
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14.0%
"Mr. King said he'd be bummed out if anyone were bored by this essay and that is not the cause of my snail's pace. He is welcoming and endearing but I relished a wide variety of stories in between. I've become especially pumped in my progress tonight because it dawns on me that this is prime schooling for my authorship! I don't write horror but that's an ingredient in any suspense or fear! I feel refreshed."
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56
March 9, 2015
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20.5%
"I'm really getting into this and learning a lot, in an unexpected way. If I read or watched horror, I might know what we're discussing and have cemented, or old opinions of these oeuvres. That all of them are a blank slate, make me a peculiarily perfect pupil. I am absent of any opinion or impression and just listen to Stephen's talk."
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82
May 17, 2015
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32.5%
"This is a good, worthwhile, non-fiction book. The reason I'm dragging through it is because the immense hardcover pages, which probably double to 800, feel like no progress is being made when I take a stab at reading. If I weren't a reading challenge competitor, trying to achieve large quantities of books I might pick away at this. But I need a good quantity behind me. Too bad covering a few pages shows no dent."
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130
July 16, 2015
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35.0%
"Near the beginning of this discourse on horror, Stephen said he didn't mind how readers reacted; would only consider boredom "a bummer". So I feel a little apprehensive that the wrong impression not arise, from taking long to read it. It has to do with meeting goals and finding a few hardcover pages hardly make a dent. They more accurately amount to 800. I'm enjoying this immensely, learning tremendously."
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140
July 17, 2015
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40.5%
"I'm making progress on this baby. It remains daunting that reading these large hardcover pages only rise by ten or twenty in a day because they easily double a paperback. Nonetheless I continue to feel my personal authoring education is enriched by Stephen's essay on horror. This isn't my genre but every author could benefit from his analysis of fear in books, films, as a society, individually and taboo barriers."
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162
July 21, 2015
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45.5%
"The long construction of the book and pages and lengthy chapters too, are out of my hand. However if I ignore glancing at page progress, the content itself is enligthening and stimulating too. Now that I've been educated about horror and any film having an understated commentary, message, or nuance and that there are many kinds; I can look beyond ensuring my own books have a well-written surface story and phrases."
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182
July 22, 2015
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52.5%
"I disagree with Stephen in a few places but experience and updated times may have changed narrow interpretation of the 6th sense and placing animal lives and intellect beneath ours. Even if one's line-drawing is respectful. I disagree too, that there's something to a kid who doesn't notice animals can be hurt and have feelings. In most instances, he has educated me noticibly and I am finding these essays valuable."
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210
July 27, 2015
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61.0%
"I have gained momentum in this gigantic, hardcover treatise. I continue to marvel at how helpful and informative these indepth discussions of horror are, considering I sparingly read and certainly never watch the genre. But horror and suspense aren't even half about monsters and gore. Any author mounting a climactic situation in her book would do well to learn the many whys and hows of its workings."
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244
July 28, 2015
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68.0%
"I feel rewarded that the most applicable education of all to me is last: novels! Since suspense pairs with horror and a little of my reading peeks into its lighter offerings; I *can* relate to this portion as audience too. Its rewarding as a student that I own a few of the books Stephen is discussing, at the beginning and now: notably Anne River Siddons and Horace Walpole. The gothic: now THIS is my milieu!"
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272
July 29, 2015
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83.0%
"Home stretch! These chapters of novel analysis, their nuances and implications, is phenomenal. There are author's personal remarks about their ideas for writing infamous stories Stephen covered, as readers hope. He contacted Anne River Siddons and others. This portion is most invaluable to me as an author-in-training. I deem this entire book, without horror being my bag, essential and enlightening!"
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332
July 29, 2015
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Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)
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message 1:
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Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*
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rated it 2 stars
20 jan. 2015 20:47
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C. (Comment, don't blank click reviews).
(last edited 11 mar. 2020 04:21)
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rated it 4 stars
In real life too, there is fear and horror. I only found the length of lists dry. Stephen's life and humour made this readable and I am infintely better informed. Contrary to geometry and algebra: I shall not say "I will not use this in real life"!