Stephen King’s 5 favorite Stephen King stories
What are Stephen King’s favorite Stephen King books?
So, Stephen King stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote his novel Billy Summers. Colbert and King talked about a few things—and during their conversation, Colbert asked his guest which of Stephen King’s books are his favorites. Watch the video below for the conversation. But if you just want to know King’s favorite stories, he names the books and stories in the list below the video…
Stephen King Reveals His Top Five Stephen King Stories
In Stephen King’s conversation with talk show host Stephen Colbert, here are the favorite stories and novels listed by the author:
“Survivor Type”—This story comes from the collection Skeleton Crew: The #1 New York Times bestseller and winner of the 1986 Locus Award for Best Collection, Skeleton Crew is “Stephen King at his best” (The Denver Post)—a terrifying, mesmerizing collection of stories from the outer limits of one of the greatest imaginations of our time. Buy Skeleton Crew from Amazon.
Misery—This is the #1 New York Times bestseller about a famous novelist held hostage in a remote location by his “number one fan.” One of “Stephen King’s best…genuinely scary” (USA TODAY). This novel was the inspiration for the 1990 movie starring Kathy Bates and James Caan. Buy Misery from Amazon.
The Stand—When a man escapes from a biological testing facility, he sets in motion a deadly domino effect, spreading a mutated strain of the flu that will wipe out 99 percent of humanity within a few weeks. The survivors who remain are scared, bewildered, and in need of a leader. Two emerge—and the survivors will have to choose between them, ultimately deciding the fate of all humanity. This hefty novel has led to numerous adaptations, including two TV mini-series, more than one comic book mini-series, and even inspired bands Metallica, The Alarm, and Anthrax. Buy The Stand from Amazon.
“The Body”—The basis for the 1986 movie Stand By Me, “The Body” comes from the collection Different Seasons, a “hypnotic” (The New York Times Book Review) collection of four novellas. The book also includes the novella that inspired the 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption. The novellas in this collection from Stephen King are associated by the changing of seasons, each taking on the theme of a journey with strikingly different tones and characters. Buy Different Seasons from Amazon.
Billy Summers—Part war story and part love letter to small-town America and the people who live there, this spectacular thriller of luck, fate, and love will grip readers with its electrifying narrative, as a complex antihero with one last shot at redemption must avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. You won’t ever forget this stunning novel from master storyteller Stephen King…and you will never forget Billy. Buy Billy Summers from Amazon.
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Stephen King is the author of dozens of books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His work includes the classic novels Carrie (1974), Salem’s Lot (1975), The Shining (1977) The Dead Zone (1979), Firestarter (1980), Pet Sematary (1983), and It (1986), as well as more recent hits as Doctor Sleep (2013), Sleeping Beauties (2017, cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: Mr. Mercedes (2014, an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock), Finders Keepers (2015), and End of Watch (2016).
His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, and Doctor Sleep are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time.
He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
