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Danse Macabre Audiobook
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(3.45) - 24,002 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Before he gave us the “one of a kind classic” (The Wall Street Journal) memoir On Writing, Stephen King wrote a nonfiction masterpiece in Danse Macabre, “one of the best books on American popular culture” (Philadelphia Inquirer).
From the author of dozens of #1 New York Times bestsellers and the creator of many unforgettable movies comes a vivid, intelligent, and nostalgic journey through three decades of horror as experienced through the eyes of the most popular writer in the genre. In 1981, years before he sat down to tackle On Writing, Stephen King decided to address the topic of what makes horror horrifying and what makes terror terrifying. Here, in ten brilliantly written chapters, King delivers one colorful observation after another about the great stories, books, and films that comprise the horror genre—from Frankenstein and Dracula to The Exorcist, The Twilight Zone, and Earth vs. The Flying Saucers.
With the insight and good humor his fans appreciated in On Writing, Danse Macabre is an enjoyably entertaining tour through Stephen King’s beloved world of horror.
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"Love him or hate him, everyone has to admit that Stephen King knows his shit. This book is basically just him rambling on about his own favorites in the extensive and ever varying horror spectrum. I tend to disagree with some of the things he says - he disses Blatty (The Exorcist) for crying out loud!! - but all the same, he proves here that his opinion on what makes good horror is definitely one that you must read if you are either keen on writing your own horror novel, or if you just like to read scary stuff - or both of course. He gives a fascinating insight, writing it out in a way that is totally enjoyable and addictive and funny. It's not a fictional story this time, but don't let that trick you into thinking you won't be mesmerized by it..."
— Benjamin (4 out of 5 stars)
Danse Macabre Listener Reviews
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" I read this a long time ago and it remains the best Stephen King book I've read,.. And it's non fiction. Go figure. "
— Dave, 2/17/2014 -
" This book is a little dated, well, really dated, but here Stephen King just writes with insight and apparent glee about what he loves and does best. Too bad he apparently was castrated somewhere around 1991 and never wrote another great book after that. "
— Clint, 2/11/2014 -
" Very enjoyable- dated, but a good summation of the genre and as King proposes, a good starting point. "
— Jake, 1/30/2014 -
" ~*~This was a great book for being a non-fiction book! I really thought that it was going to be dumb because of the non-fiction part of the whole thing, but IT WAS GREAT! "
— Jenya, 1/16/2014 -
" It was interesting to read about but it took awhile to finish as it felt a chore at times to finish. "
— Ryan, 1/6/2014 -
" A good overview of horror as a genre and what influences authors who write it. I found it a bit slow going, but what really carried the book for me was King's distinctive voice. I love reading nonfiction by him because it feels as though he's sitting next to you on the porch and just shooting the shit. Very interesting reading for budding horror authors as well as fans of the genre in general, and of King in particular. "
— J.M., 1/4/2014 -
" Terrific nonfiction overview of the horror genre in print and film. (Current as of its printing--pretty dated now, I'd guess.) Still, an excellent intro into not only Stephen King's very fine mind but the various motifs and subgenres within the Horror genre. A fun, informative read. "
— Joe, 1/3/2014 -
" An unusual and extremely entertaining "history" of the horror business, including literature, movies, television and comic books. Great fun! "
— Rae, 12/2/2013 -
" I learned a good deal about pop culture horror from this. "
— Stephen, 11/27/2013 -
" I was way too young to enjoy this book when I bought it. I just like the word macabre. "
— Gina, 10/1/2013 -
" An interesting discourse, but needs updating "
— John, 9/30/2013 -
" EXCELLENT!! A perfect study of the horror genre. "
— Ari, 9/24/2013 -
" It's cool! If Stephen King read the audio version on Cd it would've been a classroom for somebody who wanted to know the history and the evolution of horror/suspense. "
— Luke, 9/21/2013 -
" Stephen King writes about horror, in the process analyzing what scares us & why and sharing some of his favorite horror tidbits. This is probably my favorite King book; not only does he know his stuff, but his affection for the subject shines through. "
— Ronny, 9/10/2013 -
" A great, fun romp through the horror genre with one of its greatest fans, if not practitioners. "
— Isadora, 8/27/2013 -
" I learned about more good authors (Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson and several others) from this book than I did from high school English. "
— Comedian999, 6/2/2013 -
" IT told me what I needed to know "
— Jason, 4/6/2013 -
" Fan of the horror genre? Read it! "
— Lauren, 11/26/2012 -
" A fun non-fiction book that was just to dated to really give it a higher rating. I WISH that King would go back and update the book to include at least the 80s and 90s. Still if you are looking for a book on horror during the 50s-70s you couldn't do any better. "
— Jp992751, 1/20/2012 -
" The best SK book ever!!!! "
— Maggiemay, 11/21/2011 -
" One of the few books that I had yet to read by SK. One of his two non fiction books, this was a great exploration of horror in books and film "
— Garrett, 7/20/2011 -
" I learned about more good authors (Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson and several others) from this book than I did from high school English. "
— Comedian999, 5/18/2011 -
" Very enjoyable- dated, but a good summation of the genre and as King proposes, a good starting point. "
— Jake, 5/2/2011 -
" Liked it. It's a nonfiction account of horror and writing, based on Stephen King's experience teaching a class on the subject matter. "
— Ryan, 4/5/2011 -
" I mostly re-read it for the chapter on what inspired him to write The Stand, but the whole thing is an interesting treatise on horror in books and films. Was fun to read his 2010 updated opening. "
— Suzanne, 3/11/2011 -
" It was just as perfect for me as "On writing". I felt the same way while reading it: like I was having nice long evening conversations with Stephen King at a fireplace. <br/>This is really worth reading for those who like horrors, thrillers etc. "
— Angelica, 1/27/2011 -
" IT told me what I needed to know "
— Jason, 1/24/2011 -
" One of my favorite King books. It's a joy to read for any fantasy/horror fan and reveals just how deeply read and intelligent Stephen really is. Between this and "On Writing," I really wish he'd write and publish more essays and non-fiction. "
— Daniel, 1/9/2011 -
" interesting but dated essay on horror "
— Sandyboy, 12/10/2010
About Stephen King
Stephen King has written more than sixty books, many hitting the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. He has won the World Fantasy Award, several Bram Stoker Awards, and the O. Henry Award for his story “The Man in the Black Suit.” He is the 2003 recipient of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and in 2007 he received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. His epic works The Dark Tower and It are the basis for major motion pictures.
About Holter Graham
Holter Graham, winner of three of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voice of the Year awards, is a stage, television, and screen actor. He has recorded numerous audiobooks and earned multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. As an actor, his film credits include Fly Away Home, Maximum Overdrive, Hairspray, and The Diversion, a short film which he acted in and produced. On television, he has appeared in Army Wives, Damages, As the World Turns, Rescue Me, Law & Order, and New York Undercover. He received a BA degree from Skidmore College and an MFA from Vermont College.