Night Shift - Let's Discuss! *SPOILERS*

[Odetta]

OK, It's February 1st and time for a new book.

Let's discuss Night Shift, Stephen King's first collection of short stories. I find this collection to be one of my favorites as it is connected to many other books of King's.


What are your favorite stories from this collection?

[Jean]

Night Surf
The Mangler
Sometimes They Come Back*
Children of the Corn

*the favorite from this collection. Although I have to admit I am not very fond of King short stories.

[Storyslinger]

The one that revisits Salams Lot is probably my favorite.

I really enjoyed CotC though.

[Heather19]

Great book. I think it's actually the only collection of his short stories where I read every single one.

[Odetta]

I liked the one with the rats... that was Graveyard Shift, I think

[CyberGhostface]

I like The Lawnmower Man, I Am The Doorway, Sometimes They Come Back and Children of the Corn.

[Letti]

Night Surf
The Mangler
Sometimes They Come Back*
Children of the Corn

*the favorite from this collection. Although I have to admit I am not very fond of King short stories.

Why aren't you?

[Randall Flagg]

Some info and background on Night Shift:
Link to Collectors Catalog (http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?t=1067)

Title: Night Shift
Author: Stephen King
Artist:
Publisher: Doubleday
Year: 1978
State: Trade Hardback First Edition. Issue price $8.95
Comments: Quarter bound in black cloth with red boards having white pastedowns. Copyright page states: “FIRST EDITION.” Gutter code S52 on page 336.
Contains the following short stories:

"Jerusalem's Lot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem%27s_Lot_%28story%29)" (*1)
"Graveyard Shift (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_Shift)" (Cavalier, October 1970)
"Night Surf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Surf)" (Ubris, Spring 1969; revised version, Cavalier, August 1974)
"I Am the Doorway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_the_Doorway)" (Cavalier, March 1971)
"The Mangler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mangler)" (Cavalier, December 1972)
"The Boogeyman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boogeyman)" (Cavalier, March 1973)
"Gray Matter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Matter)" (Cavalier, October 1973)
"Battleground (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battleground_%28Stephen_King%29)" (Cavalier, September 1972)
"Trucks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trucks_%28short_story%29)" (Cavalier, June 1973)
"Sometimes They Come Back (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sometimes_They_Come_Back)" (Cavalier, March 1974)
"Strawberry Spring (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Spring)" (Ubris, Fall 1968; revised version, Cavalier, November 1975)
"The Ledge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ledge)" (Penthouse, July 1976)
"The Lawnmower Man (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lawnmower_Man)" (Cavalier, May 1975)
"Quitters, Inc. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quitters%2C_Inc.)" (*2)
"I Know What You Need (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_What_You_Need)" (Cosmopolitan, September 1976)
"Children of the Corn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_the_Corn)" (Penthouse, March 1977)
"The Last Rung on the Ladder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Rung_on_the_Ladder)" (*3)
"The Man Who Loved Flowers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Loved_Flowers)" (Gallery, August 1977)
"One for the Road (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_the_Road_%28short_story%29)" ( Maine, March/April 1977)
"The Woman in the Room (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Woman_in_the_Room) (*4)
Shortly after graduating the University of Maine at Orono, with A Bachelor’s of Science degree in English, King sold short stories to men’s magazines. Many of these stories appeared in Night Shift. The Mangler, and Big Wheels were based upon King’s work as a laborer in an industrial laundry.


(*1) Written in 1967 as a course requirement in King’s sophomore year in college. Told in an epistolary style, “Blood calls to blood” is the stories refrain.
(*2) Later adapted by King in his screenplay for the movie Cat’s Eye.
(*3)
(*4) An intense almost autobiographical piece, writes out King’s emotions at the death of his mother from cancer in 1974

Cool link (http://www.horrorking.com/night.html)

[Jean]

Night Surf
The Mangler
Sometimes They Come Back*
Children of the Corn

*the favorite from this collection. Although I have to admit I am not very fond of King short stories.

Why aren't you?

Every time I read a collection of his stories it seems to me it's some other author, not the one I love for his novels. In his stories, he is either painfully trivial (like The Last Rung on the Ladder or The Woman in the Room, In the Deathroom, L. T.'s Theory of Pets and, alas, many others), or there's just no story, only a picture, and for me as a reader it just is not enough: although those pictures may be very interesting, like that finger in the sink, or the Lawnmower and such like, they promise more than they give; or else, the evil triumphs and I find it cheap (evil comes, evil wins, the end). To sum it all up, King is for me an author of long breath, a marathon runner rather than a sprinter: the one to develop characters slowly and fully, to make his people grow and mature and change, to make his worlds move on and his storylines to achieve perfection. It's when he affords himself enough time and room that he is at his best.

[Girlystevedave]

Strawberry Spring has been one of my favorite stories since I read it. I was about 11 and I had really began to enjoy reading. The only SK book I had already read was Cujo. I still remember the feeling I had after finishing Strawberry Spring. Although it may seem simple compared to the complexity of SK's other stories, it truly impacted me. It made me realize how much potential literature held. The fact that ANYTHING could happen in a story. It still holds a special spot in my heart, and has a huge connection to my love for words.

[woodpryan]

I couldn't find a thread for this. If there is one already, feel free to merge this with it. I just finished reading "Children of the Corn" last night. I don't want to be rash and say it's my favorite short story that I've ever read so far but... I still haven't thought of one that I enjoyed more. I thought this story was masterful.

[Odetta]

My favorite collection of short stories! It's really the book that got me hooked on King.


(this may get merged as I think there is a thread somewhere... I'll have a lookie)

[Girlystevedave]

(I never actually got around to reading Children of the Corn because I'd seen the movie so many times.) But, I love Night Shift. I agree with you, Odetta. It's what got me hooked on SK. Strawberry Spring will always be my avorite from the collection, and one of my favorite short stories. It's what first made me realize how magical story telling could be. Without Night Shift I may have never began my journey toward reading The Dark Tower. :)

[woodpryan]

(I never actually got around to reading Children of the Corn because I'd seen the movie so many times.) But, I love Night Shift. I agree with you, Odetta. It's what got me hooked on SK. Strawberry Spring will always be my avorite from the collection, and one of my favorite short stories. It's what first made me realize how magical story telling could be. Without Night Shift I may have never began my journey toward reading The Dark Tower. :)

If you still have Night Shift, I highly recommend reading Children of the Corn. It was an excellent read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[woodpryan]

I just finished watching the movie (1984). I don't know about the 2009 version but this thing didn't have a whole lot in common with the short story.
Hollywood does not seem to like for their main characters to die. That ending really sucked.

[woodpryan]

I'm a moron.:beat: I just found the original thread on Night Shift.
http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?t=2024
Jean, you can go ahead and merge this whenever you're ready, my friend :couple: . Sorry about that. :harrier: I'm still a Gunslinger Apprentice. :shoot: Just barely above a noob. :doh:

[Odetta]

don't worry about it, I'll merge it... just glad you revived the discussion of this book!

[Jean]

thank you O.!!! http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bearheart.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bearheart.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bearheart.gif

[Brice]

(I never actually got around to reading Children of the Corn because I'd seen the movie so many times.) But, I love Night Shift. I agree with you, Odetta. It's what got me hooked on SK. Strawberry Spring will always be my avorite from the collection, and one of my favorite short stories. It's what first made me realize how magical story telling could be. Without Night Shift I may have never began my journey toward reading The Dark Tower. :)

You must read Children Of The Corn.

[Girlystevedave]

You know after reading the spoiler up there about the main character dying, it made me realize: I think I did read the story afterall.:lol:
It's just been a while.
Like...15+ years or something. :orely:

[Jean]

the story is worth rereading, though

[woodpryan]

I've gone through a few of the short stories in here and so far I haven't read one that I enjoyed as much as "Children of the Corn". I have placed at number one on my list of favorite short stories.

[Odetta]

My favorties are...
The Ledge
Graveyard Shift
Quitters Inc.
Grey Matter
I am the Doorway

[Odetta]

Story List

•Battleground
•The Boogeyman
•Children of the Corn
•Graveyard Shift
•Gray Matter
•I Am the Doorway
•I Know What You Need
•Jerusalem's Lot
•Last Rung on the Ladder
•The Lawnmower Man
•The Ledge
•The Man Who Loved Flowers
•The Mangler
•Night Surf
•One for the Road
•Quitters Inc.
•Sometimes They Come Back
•Strawberry Spring
•Trucks
•The Woman in the Room

[divemaster]

Night Shift is my favorite King short story collection, and The Last Rung on the Ladder is my favorite short story regardless of author. I could not disagree more with Jean regarding this story; although I do find much of King's post-Skeleton Crew short story efforts lacking. In fact, I remember being very excited to get Nightmares & Dreamscapes when it came out and then after reading it realizing none of those stories I would consider to be in the excellent category, and most weren't even particularly good.) Anyway, on to Night Shift.

I group the stories as such (no particular order within each grouping):

Excellent:
The Mangler
The Boogeyman
Gray Matter
Battleground
The Ledge
Quitters, Inc.
The Last Rung on the Ladder

Very good:
Jerusalem's Lot
Graveyard Shift
Trucks
Children of the Corn

Ok story:
Night Surf
I Am the Doorway
Sometimes They Come Back
Strawberry Spring
The Lawnmower Man
I Know What You Need
The Man Who Loved Flowers
One for the Road
The Woman in the Room

Just didn't do it for me:
none fall into this category

[mae]

Here's the link to The Losers Club podcast discussion of the book:

https://consequenceofsound.net/podcast-episode/episode-5-night-shift-pt-1/

https://consequenceofsound.net/podcast-episode/episode-6-night-shift-pt-2/

https://consequenceofsound.net/podcast-episode/episode-8-night-shift-pt-3/