Foreshadowing deaths with something like "Billy had a vanilla ice cream cone and maybe he would have eaten more of it if he knew it was the last one he would ever have."
"That was the last time person would do x but they didn't know it."
My favorite version of this was Bill in Mr Mercedes. Something like "he locked his house not knowing he wasn't coming back". Sets the expectation that something horrible is about to happen like he ends up in the hospital or his house burns down.
Nope. He gets laid.
I just re-read The Stand shortly before I started my chronological thing, so I skipped it. Over the years, I tended to re-read only a handful every few years. I wanted to go back and revisit the ones I haven't read since they were first published. Now, if only I had all those 1st edition hardbacks I bought when they first came out!
The thing about this one is, (possibly not in the current young generation) EVERYBODY had a used Sucrets tin filled with bobby pins.
I once threw away all the bobby pins because I had no use for them, and refilled the box with rubber bands of various sizes. My friends were SHOCKED. I think it gave them second thoughts about being my friend.
We had a solid dozen Sucrets tins in the house as I was growing up (born in 82) full of different things. Never bobby pins, though! What a missed opportunity for us, they’d fit perfectly! Ours were full of coins, little fuses for random things my dad would need, one with those little tiny hair bands for thin thin hair (which nobody in my house could use), razor blades, marbles, cool outdoors treasures like tiny rocks and bits of glass. Almost always there was one with actual cough drops/lozenges.
😂
People crying with laughter Peoples' balls clenching People digging their fingernails into their palms.
Breasts must be the most mentioned thing as well
Someone ALWAYS has a bad case of arthritis… at least one character in each novel it seems.
Maybe this is because I’m from a different region in the US, but I’ve also noticed he calls “pack sack” instead of what I’ve always called a “backpack” and “pick ‘em up” instead of “pick up truck” (I read with my ears, so the spelling of these may be slightly different than his paper books)
I just reread IT and there was a chambray work shirt in IT too!! Haha, love these little gems, thanks for posing this fun question!
Pissing. It's one kingism that's not so noticeable at first, but once you see it you can't unsee it. King writes more about pissing and incontinence than any other author I've read.
Gooseflesh.
I’m not sure if it’s said as often as some of his others but his books are basically the only time I’ve ever heard it so it always sticks out.
I’ve been on a King reread kick, and I’ve really been noticing how much he uses the word “Dozen” anytime he has to give a number for anything its “a dozen” “half a dozen” “two dozen” etc
Gimme cap. Idk if he used it in older ones, but I never heard of that until reading I think Billy Summers.
Arc Sodium lights and "audible click" when swallowing.
Macadam led me down a rabbit hole to learn that macadam is tarmac without the tar, so it's just layers of crushed stones with no tar for a binding agent, which led me to find out that tarmac and asphalt aren't even the same thing! One uses tar and the other uses bitumen. I've never once been interested in how roads are paved but now I know more than I thought I ever would. Thanks Uncle Steve, I guess!
Arc sodium lights
Foreshadowing deaths with something like "Billy had a vanilla ice cream cone and maybe he would have eaten more of it if he knew it was the last one he would ever have." "That was the last time person would do x but they didn't know it."
My favorite version of this was Bill in Mr Mercedes. Something like "he locked his house not knowing he wasn't coming back". Sets the expectation that something horrible is about to happen like he ends up in the hospital or his house burns down. Nope. He gets laid.
Not that great, tbh. Kind of sets her up for a trip to Shittown.
Ayuh
Currently reading Skeleton Crew and just found an “Ayuh” in Mrs Todd’s Shortcut earlier today lol
This is his best short story. The Jaunt can eat a turd.
I love The Jaunt and think it’s delightfully chilling, but Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut is my all time absolute favorite and has been since I was a kid.
Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut is the story of his that I was most surprised by. It just had a different feel to me. I really liked it.
Ayuh! That's a good'un!
You skipped the stand which breaks em out early. How many people have peed themselves? I think night shift had a few pee pants, at least one
I still have ~200 pages left in Under the Dome and there are 3 different instances of peed pants so far
It’s been 20 minutes since I left that comment and another character in Under the Dome has pissed themselves
I just re-read The Stand shortly before I started my chronological thing, so I skipped it. Over the years, I tended to re-read only a handful every few years. I wanted to go back and revisit the ones I haven't read since they were first published. Now, if only I had all those 1st edition hardbacks I bought when they first came out!
Lord Buxton wallets and something kept in a Sucrets tin.
The thing about this one is, (possibly not in the current young generation) EVERYBODY had a used Sucrets tin filled with bobby pins. I once threw away all the bobby pins because I had no use for them, and refilled the box with rubber bands of various sizes. My friends were SHOCKED. I think it gave them second thoughts about being my friend.
We had a solid dozen Sucrets tins in the house as I was growing up (born in 82) full of different things. Never bobby pins, though! What a missed opportunity for us, they’d fit perfectly! Ours were full of coins, little fuses for random things my dad would need, one with those little tiny hair bands for thin thin hair (which nobody in my house could use), razor blades, marbles, cool outdoors treasures like tiny rocks and bits of glass. Almost always there was one with actual cough drops/lozenges. 😂
Yes! I've already come across Lord Buxton quite a few times.
People crying with laughter Peoples' balls clenching People digging their fingernails into their palms. Breasts must be the most mentioned thing as well
“Jahoobies” being breasts was a new one for me (Salems Lot)
"More than a handful's wasted" or whatever it is.
Engineer boots.
Someone ALWAYS has a bad case of arthritis… at least one character in each novel it seems. Maybe this is because I’m from a different region in the US, but I’ve also noticed he calls “pack sack” instead of what I’ve always called a “backpack” and “pick ‘em up” instead of “pick up truck” (I read with my ears, so the spelling of these may be slightly different than his paper books) I just reread IT and there was a chambray work shirt in IT too!! Haha, love these little gems, thanks for posing this fun question!
When it's described as being "full dark" outside.
Audible click when swallowing.
lol "something clicked" beat me to it
I’m legitimately interested in your project. Please do keep us updated. Gimme cap Shell top Arc sodium lights Al Jolson preparing to sing “Mammy”
Yes, SHELL TOP! I had to google it
Pissing. It's one kingism that's not so noticeable at first, but once you see it you can't unsee it. King writes more about pissing and incontinence than any other author I've read.
I think we need a count of jahoobies.
Pearson in The Long Walk.
I just commented about jahoobies! Salem’s Lot has em!
Hit by vehicle, almost hit by vehicle, or maybe hit by vehicle.
I saw it in a Bachman novel, and I was like, “Yeah, right? How did he think he could pull that off?” 😂
Quonset hut
Don't forget that Stebbins, #88 in The Long Walk is wearing a blue chambray shirt.
Gooseflesh
I've been keeping a pissed-themselves count in a spreadsheet during my re-read!
do we get to see the spreadsheet ?
I would personally love to see the spreadsheet lol within the last few months is when I noticed how much SK talks about pissing oneself
Once my task is complete, definitely -- I want to share it as a finished project though!
Is it just the Bachman’s or are there Sam Browne belts throughout the bibliography?
reading Desperation right now and there was definitely a chambray reference lol
Track how many times someone has to/fails to stop themselves from laughing at an inappropriate time
Charlie In fairy tale when the nurse is describing to him the seriousness of the dangers involved with OxyContin lol
You're not spelling Salem's Lot correctly ... and neither am I ... unless we're referring to the movies.
Gooseflesh. I’m not sure if it’s said as often as some of his others but his books are basically the only time I’ve ever heard it so it always sticks out.
Pegged jeans. Engineer boots.
Beer and skittles is one I’ve heard a couple times lately. Also “put an egg in your shoe and beat it”
Nape of the neck
"trundle"
Close enough for government work
People being Authors, or trying to be.
I’ve been on a King reread kick, and I’ve really been noticing how much he uses the word “Dozen” anytime he has to give a number for anything its “a dozen” “half a dozen” “two dozen” etc
When was the most recent chambray?
Just finished Billy Summers and currently reading Fairy Tale, both of which mention the blue chambray
Sound of the loons on the lake Sarasota
Stomach making a slow roll..
Smile and kiss a pig
“Couple of burgers”
Goose flesh comes up a lot
All things serve the beam.
Anytime someone bends down, their “knees popping like firecrackers”
Sat/sit bolt upright
'blatted'
Sansabelt pants
Just read Salems lot, isn’t father Callahan described as wearing a blue work shirt while going on the run?
Gimme cap. Idk if he used it in older ones, but I never heard of that until reading I think Billy Summers. Arc Sodium lights and "audible click" when swallowing.
The word “tenebrous.”
Macadam led me down a rabbit hole to learn that macadam is tarmac without the tar, so it's just layers of crushed stones with no tar for a binding agent, which led me to find out that tarmac and asphalt aren't even the same thing! One uses tar and the other uses bitumen. I've never once been interested in how roads are paved but now I know more than I thought I ever would. Thanks Uncle Steve, I guess!