My Top Five Stephen King Good Guys

I first wrote this list as part of my Friday Top Five series a few years ago, And I thought it was worth revisiting!!!

So it's not new information that I am a Stephen King fan. Look to your right.. over there... yep, check out The Illustrated Stephen King Universe Flow Chart if you haven't already... it's kinda like my 4th child....

Anyhoo, I know I have spoken about my favorite SK books before, but today, I thought I would look at my favourite:

Stephen King GOOD GUYS 

1) Jack Sawyer (The Talisman/ Black House) 

In the Talisman, Jack is the eternal little boy lost on a big adventure (a character that is seen in many books/ films- parentless kids out trying to save the world eg: Harry Potter) Jack is just so likeable and charismatic and essentially GOOD. Everyone roots for him. Everyone wants him to win. And then to give him a big hug. Then we get to see him as a grown man in Black House. And we still wanna hug him, but now it's because he's a big, handsome cop.

2) Eddie Dean (The Dark Tower series) 

Yes, Yes, I am finally reading the DT series! I have just finished The Wolves of Calla (my favourite so far). For me, the star of the series is junkie-turned-gunlinger Eddie Dean. Eddie's character is reminiscent of some other fast talking, wise-cracking jokers in SK literature- think Richie Tozier in It or Teddy Duchamp in The Body. Eddie's smart-assery is awesome, but I am intrigued by his transformation and redemption. I will be very sad if he dies. Don't tell me. I don't wanna know.

3) Frannie Goldsmith (The Stand) 

Frannie is awesome. She doesn't take any bullshit from anyone. She shoulda know better than to let creepy Harold Lauder tag along with her when she left Oganquit, but whatevs. SK writes strong women expertly. Frannie, Polly Chalmers (Needful Things) Sussanah Dean (The Dark Tower Series) are all kick ass chicks who aren't perfect and handle all the crazy shit going on around them with style and grace.

4) WOLF! (The Talisman) 

As I read Talisman's sequel Black House, all I wanted was for Jack to go to the Territories and find another Wolf. Man, I loved Wolf. In the same way I love Tom Cullen (The Stand). Stephen King manages to write these mentally challenged characters with dignity, warmth and extreme love. Characters like Wolf and Tom (and Dudders in Dreamcatcher and Sheemie Ruiz in The Tower) often have the answers that the protagonists can't see. They are often more than they seem. I like to think that these characters remind us that people who are often marginalised in our society are so valuable and important. 

5) Ray Garraty (The Long Walk) 

I remember the first time I read the long walk, I developed a bit of a crush on Ray Garraty. I visualised him as about my age (I was probably 14/15 at the time), sensitive and handsome, willing to do anything for his family. That story is harsh, dude. The Long Walk is a story ahead of it's time. Ray's world, where teenagers are disposable pawns used for the entertainment of the masses came way before The Hunger Games. King builds the desperation, injustice and violence of this world. It is shocking and so very sad. But Stephen King still manages to create these compelling, developed, intriguing characters. Ray was my hero. Go Go Garraty!


OK, there it is. I would love to think that someone who isn't a big King fan may think, 'Oh, OK, I might give one of his books a read, I didn't realise there was more to the Stephen King Universe than rabid dogs and creepy clowns.' 

There is, people. Heaps more. There is time traveling and love stories and humour and gunslinging and a fair amount of bad swears. All the bestest stuff.

Cheers,
Gillian

Book vs Device

I recently reread three Stephen King Classics: Carrie, The Shining and 'Salems Lot. I spied this omnibus edition on my sisters bookshelf a few weeks ago, so I snuck it into my bag.

I love the dog eared, yellow paged history of this book. As it is obviously a rerelease of the three titles, it doesn't feature the original cover artwork, but you gotta love Jack, don't you? (If I was Jennifer Lawrence, I would consider being his new girlfriend too...) This book even smells funny. Maybe because it was in my sister's office, which was flooded in the Australia Day floods.. but I like to think it smells like awesomeness.

And I TOTALLY love that this book was obviously stolen from our high school about twenty five years ago JODI. I always thought you were the good sister.
I was surprised by the fact that it is a school library book, though- I don't know that Sai King's works would be in high school libraries today, would they? I don't know.

I used to always have a book in my bag. Always. Any down moment in life- read a book. Socially challenging situation? Read a book. Waiting for movie to start in cinema? Read a book. 

And since I converted to a Kindle, and then when that died, reading books via the Kindle app on my phone, I am never without a book. I do however, dislike that when people see me reading on my phone they probably think I am texting, or reading Twitter, or something equally trivial. I want to say, "I'm reading a BOOK, you guys. I am like, totally intellectual. You should see my tweets. I'm heaps smart"

But, I wanted to revisit these SK gems, so I carted this mammoth brick of a book around with me for two weeks. That thing is heavy! I think I put my old lady back out! And have you tried reading a book that big in bed lately? It's hard. And annoying. And when you fall asleep mid sentence, this old stinky book DOES NOT automatically save where you were up to! What is this the 1800's?!?

SO, I love books, I love their history, their smell, their physicality. But man, I love that no matter how many pages a book is, it is always the same size as my lovely little phone. Sorry, hipsters, I fail the class. I like reading on my phone. Oh and I don't listen to 'records' and I totally don't need those glasses I am wearing in my profile pics. I just like them. 

What do you like? Book or Device?

A Flowchart According to John Irving

The World According to Garp is probably my favourite book. Ever. I love many, many books, by many authors. But after Garp... I was linked to John Irving. I added him to my collection of special, awesome things that I consider to be mine.

During my early thirties, I made it  my mission to own every single John Irving book ever published. I searched them all out: online, in dusty bookstores, in the huge mega stores (back in the days when there WERE huge mega bookstores... Aaah Kindle. I love you, but you killed the bookstore. You know that, right? I mean, I don't know if you meant to do that. Maybe you thought you could co-exist... like Coke and Pepsi.... But Kindle, you're the Coke and Bookstores are the Pepsi... and NOBODY wants the Pepsi)

I love that John Irving loves Bears and prostitutes. I love that his kooky characters more often than not pass through Vienna and/or New Hampshire. Like Stephen King, a lot of his characters are writers. I love the recurring subjects and themes in his books. Again, connections. There is security and familiarity in connection. Like a strange family, these books are distant cousins, sharing their bizarre, unique tales, with a little bit of Bear thrown in. 

I like the Bears and the details. I remember it all..... Or, I imagine I do....

“Imagining something is better than remembering something.” 

John Irving. 'The World According to Garp'

Friday Top FIve: Stephen King Good Guys

So it's not new information that I am a Stephen King fan. Look to your right.. over there... yep, check out the Stephen King Universe Flow Chart if you haven't already... it's kinda like my 4th child....

Anyhoo, I know I have spoken about my favorite SK books before, but today, for Friday Top Five, I thought I would look at my favourite:

Stephen King GOOD GUYS 

1) Jack Sawyer (The Talisman/ Black House) 

In the Talisman, Jack is the eternal little boy lost on a big adventure (a character that is seen in many books/ films- parentless kids out trying to save the world eg: Harry Potter) Jack is just so likeable and charismatic and essentially GOOD. Everyone roots for him. Everyone wants him to win. And then to give him a big hug. Then we get to see him as a grown man in Black House. And we still wanna hug him, but now it's because he's a big, handsome cop.

2) Eddie Dean (The Dark Tower series) 

Yes, Yes, I am finally reading the DT series! I have just finished The Wolves of Calla (my favourite so far). For me, the star of the series is junkie-turned-gunlinger Eddie Dean. Eddie's character is reminiscent of some other fast talking, wise-cracking jokers in SK literature- think Richie Tozier in It or Teddy Duchamp in The Body. Eddie's smart-assery is awesome, but I am intrigued by his transformation and redemption. I will be very sad if he dies. Don't tell me. I don't wanna know.

3) Frannie Goldsmith (The Stand) 

Frannie is awesome. She doesn't take any bullshit from anyone. She shoulda know better than to let creepy Harold Lauder tag along with her when she left Oganquit, but whatevs. SK writes strong women expertly. Frannie, Polly Chalmers (Needful Things) Sussanah Dean (The Dark Tower Series) are all kick ass chicks who aren't perfect and handle all the crazy shit going on around them with style and grace.

4) WOLF! (The Talisman) 

As I read Talisman's sequel Black House, all I wanted was for Jack to go to the Territories and find another Wolf. Man, I loved Wolf. In the same way I love Tom Cullen (The Stand). Stephen King manages to write these mentally challenged characters with dignity, warmth and extreme love. Characters like Wolf and Tom (and Dudders in Dreamcatcher and Sheemie Ruiz in The Tower) often have the answers that the protagonists can't see. They are often more than they seem. I like to think that these characters remind us that people who are often marginalised in our society are so valuable and important. 

5) Ray Garraty (The Long Walk) 

I remember the first time I read the long walk, I developed a bit of a crush on Ray Garraty. I visualised him as about my age (I was probably 14/15 at the time), sensitive and handsome, willing to do anything for his family. That story is harsh, dude. The Long Walk is a story ahead of it's time. Ray's world, where teenagers are disposable pawns used for the entertainment of the masses came way before The Hunger Games. King builds the desperation, injustice and violence of this world. It is shocking and so very sad. But Stephen King still manages to create these compelling, developed, intriguing characters. Ray was my hero. Go Go Garraty!


OK, so that may have been a bit specialised for the Stephen King readers out there. But I would love to think that someone who isn't a big King fan may think, 'Oh, OK, I might give one of his books a read, I didn't realise there was more to the Stephen King Universe than rabid dogs and creepy clowns.' 

There is, people. Heaps more. There is time traveling and love stories and humour and gunslinging and a fair amount of bad swears. All the bestest stuff.

The Stephen King Universe Flow Chart

UPDATE: The Stephen King Universe Flowchart (including The Dark Tower Series) has been updated and can be found here

GO! GO! GO!

When I was in Grade 5 (guess I was ten), my friend Tarnya Smyth brought her mum's battered copy of Stephen King's 'Carrie' to school. We broke it into about 4 pieces and passed them around, all taking turns reading each battered section. I told mum about it and she FLIPPED HER WIG and told me to 'Stop reading that book immediately!!' So I finished it.

Now, I TOTALLY do not recommend  ten year olds reading Stephen King books (messed me up good), but this was when my life long relationship with Mr King began. My love for his books is based around his characters. They are so full. I love Stephen King dialogue. I love his sense of humour. And I love the links and connections between the books. I am the kind of annoying person who likes to know the 'In Joke'. So, of course, I MADE A FLOW CHART!!!

My Top Five Stephen King Books:
1 The Stand
2 The Bachman Books (especially The Long Walk)
3 The Talisman 
4 The Dead Zone
5 11/22/63

*** UPDATE @ 11 JANUARY 2013

CLICK HERE to find out details for UPDATED chart coming soon which TOTALLY includes the Dark Tower :-) See what I do for you guys???

Are you a King Fan?

Middlesex. A flow Chart.

So, the universe sent me the most Flow-Chart-Worthy book to read this last week. 'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides. I had heard of this book, but had a totally whack perception of what it was about. In my mind, it was a gritty working class family tale set in a grungy London underbelly.


Wrong!


How bout a multi generational family tale about a Greek hermaphrodite? Awesome!!


It's like when you hear a DJ on the radio, then you see them and you say, "That is totally not what you look like."


And they say, "Shut up, weird stranger. I should know what I look like. This is it. I'm a Greek hermaphrodite."


This book is fantastic. I read it in about 24 hours. I didn't want to put it down. And when I did put it down, I was worrying about whether it was thinking about me a much as I was thinking about it. 


I don't think it was.


And then I made a flow chart.

I may have a flow chart addiction.....

Julia Satchel and Lou Lou Toe and The Persnickety Post

These two lovely ladies are now listed over at the Etsy Shop.  

Julia Satchel

Lou Lou Tote

I think Julia Satchel and Lou Lou Toe sound like the names of a pair of plucky girl detectives. 
"Lou Lou Tote and Julia Satchel and the Belligerent Bartender"
"Julia Satchel and Lou Lou Tote and the Mysterious Mitsubishi"
"Satchel and Tote and the Arrogant Armchair"


Alliteration is the key to a good teen girl detective novel....


My sisters and I used to love Trixie Belden books. Trixie was a freckly ginger who fell ass backwards into trouble in every book. 

We also loved the lesser known Dana Girls Mysteries. There was a blonde one and a brunette one. They were sisters. I think that was the core of every book....

And, although he is not a girl, I can't forget the plucky talking dog detective, and master of alliteration, Tee Bo!

Persnickety.  

The thing I loved most about these books was the cover art. I loved the watercoloury innocence of Trixie, the retro typeface of Tee Bo and the supermodel elegance of the Danas. I would grab my baking paper and trace the covers of the books, then I would grab my sketchbook and try to draw them freehand. 

As a converted kindle-lover, I do lament the loss of covert art. I do miss the feel of books. I can still remember now, how that Dana Girls book felt- the texture of the cover, the smell of the pages. The slight indentations around the girls figures from frequent tracing...

My kindle feels like plastic. It smells like plastic.  And when I trace it, it looks like this.....

Lame, Kindle. Lame.

Do you miss books? Cover Art? Did you read teen girl detective novels? Do you still read them? Am I asking too many Questions? Does anyone use the word 'persnickety'? Really?

Oh, and I got totally side tracked... Do you like my new bags?

A Visit From The Goon Squad in flowchart form...

UPDATED: 13 May 2013 to include corrections and additions :-)

I love a good flowchart. I like graphs. And lists. And filling in forms. And parallel remote controls. But I really love flow charts. 

So, when I finished  the novel 'A Visit From the Goon Squad' by Jennifer Egan yesterday, I thought "I need to make a damn flowchart of that!!"

This book was awesome. Music, New York, punk, youth, despair, theft, Powerpoint presentations and a billion interconnecting characters who hook up across decades, continents and time. Ever since I saw Robert Altman's 'Shortcuts', I have loved the seemingly disjointed, that becomes a chain of connections that cross and link back on themselves. Lovetey love, love love. 

I also loved the concepts within the book around the passage of time, of ageing, of wondering who you have become and who were you in the first place.  

And how awesome is a book with a whole chapter written as a Powerpoint presentation? I'll tell you how awesome- Totally.

If you haven't read the book, I hope you can just appreciate my Character Map as a piece of art. I think the links and connections between us all are beautiful. I would love to  map my friendship group- how we all came to know and love each other, who links to who and in how many ways. then I would love to map Brisbane- the ultimate small town. I love knowing that I have met people who I could have met through one or two totally different people. I have been thinking in Six Degrees of Separation for years... even before Kevin Bacon was the key....

In the mid-late nineties, I became obsessed with a flow chart I created that developed into a concept called The Seinfeld Theory of Reality... One day I will Blog about that... If I feel like exposing even more of my crazy...

Have you read 'A Visit From the Goon Squad'? If not, why not?!?

x Gillian

If I was a character in a book.....

I have been reviewing books for The Circle for about  a year now. What a great experience it has been!! The Circle is such a  smart, funny show, and I loooooooove Chrissie Swan, so it is such a  delight to pretend I am like, totally, actually part of the team.


Each month, they send me a book, I read it and send back my review and a pic of me with the book. Most of my reviews and pics have even made it to air...

book from the top are: Calebs Crossing, Last Summer, Cuckoo, Before I Go To Sleep, Left Neglected, The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul, One Day

Reading has always been such a huge part of who I am. I love to know that I am the kind of person who always has a book in their handbag.... well, now that's a lot easier since my Lovely Husband gave me a Kindle.


Ah, Kindle, where have you been all my life?? With your awesome page-turny button that I just have to touch ever so slightly with one finger... I barely have to move. Me, who has ben turning pages MANUALLY and holding books open until my hand cramps into a claw FOR YEARS! Like some kind of animal....


So as well as my latest book club read The Hypnotists Love Story, in the last few weeks I have read:


Bossypants by Tina Fey
You'll Be Sorry When I am Dead by Marieke Hardy
Under the Dome by Stephen King
Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King


Two inspiring, hilarious (and in Marieke's case, very, very naughty) autobiographies and two books by one of my enduring favourites.

If you asked me who my favourite author was (and you totally are, right?) I would say John Irving. Hands down. Closely followed by Armistead Maupin.... but Mr King has been with me for a looooong time.


 I first read Carrie when I was in Grade Five. Yes, Grade Five. I was ten. And it messed me up good and proper. I NEVER should have been reading that book at that age (YES, Mum, you told me not to, and I did it anyway!!!) That is NOT the book for an early developing pre-adolescent girl to read!!


But it also sparked my love for Stephen King's incredible books. While, sure, they can be crazy and gross and totally unbelievable, the reason I love him so is for his character development. Characters that stay with you, that are real and full and deeply drawn. Characters like Nick Andros from The Stand and  Ray Garraty from the lesser know Long Walk. I heart those guys.

SO, any book addicts out there- Who is your most loved book character? Is it that perennial favourite Holden Caulfield (lone gunmen need not apply....) or maybe little Scout from To kill a Mockingbird. Or Garp. 


I hope somebody's favourite is Garp......

x Gillian

Maryann arrived today...

Is there anything more awesome than a man delivering the newest book in one of your favourite series of books RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR!!!

I recieved my copy of Maryann in Autumn today, ordered from QBD online. It is the eight book in the Tales Form The City Series by Armistead Maupin.

This series of books is so important to me. I read the first about 15 years ago. They tell the story of a group of friends in hip, seventies San Francisco. These hilarious, poignant books follow Michael, Maryann, Brian, Mrs Madgigal and my favouritest favourite Mona Ramsey through the seventies and  into the eighties. The series finished with Sure of You (Book 6) and it seemed the story was over. Then about 3 years ago, we were given the amazing gift of Michael Tolliver Lives. Set in the present Day, Micheal has gone from super cute poster boy for seventies gay San Francisco to a settled middle aged man. Loved it.

I cannot wait to read Maryann in Autumn. I have a conflicted relationship with Maryann and I am interested to see if Maupin attempts to get the reader to forgive her, or if he just seeks to illustrate why she may have made the choices she has.

Lovely Husband, Awesome Teenager and I went to San Francisco in 2008. It was so surreal to be in a city so alien, yet so familiar. I looked for Barbary Lane, but apparently it doesn't exist... How could that be? So, we took a cable car to Lombard Street instead and I pretended Mrs Madgrigal was smoking a doobie somewhere nearby...

BUT this week I also received the latest book for the Circle Book Club. I will be reviewing it for next week's show. It is Cuckoo by Julia Crouch. I have only just started it, but I'm interested.

I was in the middle of The Slap, which I have put down until I have read Cuckoo. Whoah. The Slap is such an Australian novel. In the same way that Peter Carey's Tax Inspector shows a dirty, violent side of the suburbs, The Slap in uncomfortably honest. I understand the hype around this book and I am looking forward to getting back to it.

So, Mayann, I am making you wait until I have finished these two other books. It's so hard! I just wanna grab you and lock myself in a quiet room until we are done!! But I will be good.

x Gillian for Tessie Designs

i heart books...

 I review books once a month for The Book Club on the morning TV show The Circle (that's one of the coolest sentences I have ever written!!) I love the show, and it is such a treat to be involved- they send me books, I read them and tell them what I think- how awesome is that!! This month's book was 'Left Neglected' by Lisa Genova.




So, I thought I would share my Top Five Books of All Time.
 I love these books like family... some of them (Catch 22 and Garp) I have reread about 15 times each. I love them to death.. literally. As you can see, they have all seen better days! Garp is missing the cover, and as this is the second copy I have owned and read to death, I may have to get a new one soon!!

1 Catch 22 Joseph Heller
2 The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffenegger
3 The World According to Garp John Irving
4 The Tales From the City series Armistead Maupin
5 Rachel's Holiday Marian Keyes


I won't go on about them all, but trust me on this: Catch 22 will change your life. 


x Gil for Tessie Designs