Heart Shaped Box, Joe Hill

PeeDee

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A teensy tiny bit of bragging: I have a lovely copy of Joe Hill's debut full-length novel at home that says Pete, this is the one with ghosts, sex & rock 'n' roll. Best, Joe Hill.

:D :D :D :D :D

Anyway, I've started reading it, and I think I'm probably just going to give up writing now. It's one of those books that's just too good. I read it, and then I go to work on my own stuff and just stare at it with a sinking feeling. If we were dancing, Mister Joe Hill (King) would be leaving me with two left feet.

Has anyone else read it yet? For that matter, did anyone read 20th Century Ghosts, his short story collection (which was also really, really good)?
 

PeeDee

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It's told very simply. He doesn't expound and he doesn't do much but just tell the story, and it works wonderfully. He's very much his own writer, and I really like that.

I'm really impressed. It's making me really happy.
 

Will Lavender

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I saw it in the bookstore tonight. It was shelved right up front, with the JD Robb book and all the other blockbusters. It was the only one up there, so I assume it has sold well here in Louisville.

I didn't buy it but I thought really hard about it. (I instead went with Robert Graysmith's Zodiac, only because I've been craving a true crime yarn for some reason.)

I'll pick it up next week. It sounded really cool.
 

Will Lavender

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I assume most people know this, but Joe Hill is actually Stephen King's son.
 

seun

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I finished it a couple of days ago and agree with everything Pete said. This is a great book. Fair play to the guy for not using his dad's success. He would have no need to in any case.
 

madderblue

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Just borrowed it from a friend. He told me he had to stop reading it at night. I'm excited.

Oh, and I was browsing through some anthology and found a short story by Joe Hill. I see he has his dad's gift of making you want to turn pages.
 
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Heart-Shaped Box...Joe Hill

Yesterday, I has just buyed. Today, I are start to be reading. Me likey.
 

Tymolee

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I got that awhile ago and finally read it last week... I pretty much couldn't put it down. What did you think of it?
 

PeeDee

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Stunning book. Absolutely amazing. I have a sixty minute interview on my hard drive that we did for BBT magazine, and I have a copy of the book that's signed to me. Such a talented and smart author.
 

Leva

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I think it's a very, very good book. And also pretty cool that he's not riding on his Daddy's fame ... nowhere in the publicity for the book is it mentioned who his father is.
 

vfury

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I also haven't heard a bad review of it. I respect him even more for not mention who his father is either until it was already obvious the book was doing well - and then continuing to not mention it. :D
 

Tymolee

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I really want to pick up the other one he's done... the collection of short stories. I can't remember what it's called. Twenty Ghosts, or something? I read a short of his in the Best Fantasy and Horror of 2006 - amazing. He really is incredibly talented.
 

zahra

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Fab. Something for the long winter nights. I shall be down Waterstone's for my copy tomorrow. I hadn't heard of the collection before. 'Twenty Ghosts' sounds right up my street, unless they're the ghosts of ambition or youth or something equally annoying.
 

PeeDee

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I also haven't heard a bad review of it. I respect him even more for not mention who his father is either until it was already obvious the book was doing well - and then continuing to not mention it. :D

The funny thing there, for those who have read him for years -- and I had, with his short works -- was that he always listed his influences as authors like John Steinbeck, Stephen King, etc. And so it turns out, the joke's gently on us... :)

I really want to pick up the other one he's done... the collection of short stories. I can't remember what it's called. Twenty Ghosts, or something? I read a short of his in the Best Fantasy and Horror of 2006 - amazing. He really is incredibly talented.

Twentieth Century Ghosts is the book you're looking for. I can't recommend it enough.
 

wordsmyth

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For those of you that don't know...

Joe Hill's brother, Owen King, also has a book out called We're All In This Together. I reviewed it today on my blog. I'll have a review with him posted on Wednesday.
 

Siddow

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Yeah, Joe King and Juan King...that'd be hilarious.

I've got both of Joe's books on order, can hardly wait to get them!
 

narnia

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I also haven't heard a bad review of it. I respect him even more for not mention who his father is either until it was already obvious the book was doing well - and then continuing to not mention it. :D

Maybe not a "bad" review but also not an enthusiastic endorsement here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/b...n=Top/Features/Books/Book Reviews&oref=slogin

I read the review when it was first published and forgot about it and the author's famous father. I finally read the book last week and thought it was pretty good, although not scary or horrific, and the abuse thing was pretty easy to spot. I just re-read the review and I can agree somewhat with a few of the comments, i.e. "strictly meat-and-potatoes prose" (not that mine is any better, mind you! :D). But I did think the characters were well drawn for me because I actually cared about the fate of Judas and "Georgia" and I thought the scene with his dying father was cool. IMVHO, I think the father/son relationship could have been exploited a little more, but don't ask me how. This is simply my reaction in that I was left with a slight sense of 'that's it?' in the 'conclusion' as it were of their relationship, but I am not sure how to vocalize that, if that makes any sense at all.

At some point I think I'll go back and read it again, if only because I am now reminded of who his father is! :)