Different Seasons (1982) is a collection of four novellas, markedly different in tone and subject, each on the theme of a journey. The first is a rich, satisfying, nonhorrific tale about an innocent man who carefully nurtures hope and devises a wily scheme to escape from prison. The second concerns a boy who discards his innocence by enticing an old man to travel with him into a reawakening of long-buried evil. In the third story, a writer looks back on the trek he took with three friends on the brink of adolescence to find another boy's corpse. The trip becomes a character-rich rite of passage from youth to maturity.

These first three novellas have been made into well-received movies: "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" into Frank Darabont's 1994 The Shawshank Redemption (available as a screenplay, a DVD film, and an audiocassette), "Apt Pupil" into Bryan Singer's 1998 film Apt Pupil (also released in 1998 on audiocassette), and "The Body" into Rob Reiner's Stand by Me (1986).

A Different King

Stephen King does nothing but horror right? He's all about the monsters and things that go bump in the night. Right? Nope. And if you really think horror is what Stephen King is all about then you obviously haven't read "Different Seasons".

"Different Seasons" is, I think, some of King's best written work ever! Four tales, and they're not horror! As King said in the first page of the book "It is the tale, not he who tells it." This is very much true in this book. Four novellas, each of them accompanied by a "season" theme.

The four Novellas are breathtaking stories (three of them were movies... VERY GOOD MOVIES) that are not about monsters or anything like that, but portraying the human spirit, and the human heart.

"Hope Springs Eternal: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" is the perfect example. Andy Dufrense is a man sentenceed to serve a life sentence in prison for a murder he didn't commit. You'd think the prison known as Shawshank would get to him, but it doesn't. It's Andy's hope that allows him to get through Shawshank and survive a sadistic warden. "Rita Haywroth and Shawshank Redemption" also made the best movie of the lot (I'm sure most of you have seen it).

"Fall From Innocence: The Body" is another perfect example of the common human emotion. Fear. When four boys stumble across a body, they're faced with ultimately the fact that they're not invincible, and that mortality is a reality. "The Body" was perhaps the best story in the entire collection.

Perhaps the only story I didn't like was "A Winter's Tale: The Breathing Method". The only reason I didn't like it was because the other three stories (Including "Summer of Corruption: Apt Pupil" which I didn't talk about) were all about common human emotions. But "The Breathing Method" seemed like a short horror story that King threw in because he can't seem to leave it (he even mentions so in the afterward).

Overall, if you want to see a different side of Stephen King, then "Different Seasons" is the book you want. Other great reads to see King outside of horror are "The Green Mile" and "Delores Claiborne". Have fun, and happy reading. These tales are amazing.

A GREAT THRILL RIDE!

Some of Stephen King's most insightful work is in here and he writes it in a way that is exciting and so on and so forth...My two favorite stories in this book are APT PUPIL and THE BODY (renamed "Stand By Me" when turned into a motion picture). Apt Pupil reminds me of a suicidal teen's diary and The Body is like a truely beautiful reminiscing of "the good ol' days" in one's life; "Reta Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption" makes a little more sense than the movie did; Andy (that was his name, right?) and his pal Red were in prison for like 30+ years and the same warden ran the place all that time? Give me a break! However, if in the film, the same warden HADN'T been running the place, the triumphant ending wouldn't have been possible; as far as "The Breathing Method" goes, I'm not sure I like it. It's been a long time since I read it and back then I was always concerned with finishing a book ASAP. So I'm not sure I judged that story very well then.
I would have to say that by far, this is Stephen King's best work(s). However, if being scared or being grossed out suits you better, it would make sense for you to disagree. I, on the other hand, don't get scared that easily.

baseball

i only read two of the storys in this book, but for the thoes two that i read in this book were really good because that were real problems and things that could happen to anybody. That is why i think people should go out and get this book, and take the time to read, and trust me u will like it.