i just read "under the dome"
which i think is a modernised version, but not sure, as not read "the stand". it was good. as was the one about the jfk assassination.

king is like jilly cooper - total masters of what they do. if you want to sneer at what they do, go for it, but millions of people enjoy it, so it can't be bad.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 12:58, 2 replies, latest was 11 years ago)

actually, it very much can be bad in spite of being enjoyed by millions
I've never really understood the 'argument' you just put forward.
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:00, Reply)

first, you are the self-appointed arbiter of "bad"
and looking at your taste, well, you should sack yourself immediately.

secondly, what is the point of writing? if it is to be read, and to entertain, and to make money, which it is for nearly everyone who writes, then they win.

next?
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:01, Reply)

the point of writing is not to make money.

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:02, Reply)

yer
it's to starve in an attic all noble-like.

as if.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:03, Reply)

getting paid to do it is nice, granted
But there is no correlation between the quality of the writing and its financial success.
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:05, Reply)

as judged by whom?
who is assessing this "quality"?
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:06, Reply)

well, you could start with what is studied in academic institutions as a broad rule of thumb

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:08, Reply)

i don't consider where you got your degree to be "academic"
so that stuffs you for starters
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:30, Reply)

I mean all academic institutions across the UK.

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:52, Reply)

Like Harry Potter

( Peej, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:10, Reply)

No I dont

(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:14, Reply)

I did however like the irony of the book credited with getting kids reading again
putting a lot of small independent bookshops out of business with supermarkets selling them as a loss leader
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:15, Reply)

neither is it necessarily to entertain

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:03, Reply)

yeah, let's ban all writing that is for such a sordid purpose as to entertain, people should never ever enjoy it
let's have only overblown pretentious wank and then we can all be like the emperor's new clothes and pretend to love it on a messageboard.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:05, Reply)

I never said to ban it yeah

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:07, Reply)

people write because they want to be read
most people today would rather read stephen king than george eliot
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:22, Reply)

I think you're deliberately overlooking the word 'necessarily'.

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:53, Reply)

Alright 'Gary Cranley' nice to see pomposity levels are at an all time high!!!

( MEATSNAKE Richard Hammond, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:05, Reply)

haha! the most preening pretentious pillock on here, yet he always accuses certain other posters of pretension!
And he forgot to log out before posting about his favourite meal!
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:10, Reply)

UH-OH!!!

( MEATSNAKE Richard Hammond, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:11, Reply)

orwell.ru/library/essays/wiw/english/e_wiw
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:04, Reply)

it's not mass market shit, therefore it's pretentious wank
tl;dr
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:06, Reply)

Pulp fiction is like pulp telly
it can be enjoyable without being of "artistic merit"
(Bonzodog29 is an unemployed sponge of the worst kind, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:14, Reply)

never said it isn't

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:17, Reply)

By that logic
The Jeremy Kyle Show, One Direction and Cheryl Cole are all works of genius.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:07, Reply)

this is the very nub of my gist
Also, The Sun must represent the highest quality journalism.
(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:12, Reply)

It is often held up as a good example of clear journalistic writing
As is the Daily Mail
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:13, Reply)

Not sure about "clear journalistic writing" but there's absolutely no doubt that it's a very important paper.
You don't fuck with The Sun if you're a politician, certainly.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:25, Reply)

If one of the main points of journalism is to effectively communicate a story, then The Sun does it perfectly.
Often with just a headline, sometimes with help from the first paragraph.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:28, Reply)

apparently writing isn't about story telling or anything fun
can't you read?
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:30, Reply)

Now, now.
Counter or don't. Sardonic sarcasm is unseemly.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:31, Reply)

I read that someone doesn't rate Stephen King as a writer, in spite of his success and popularity.

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:32, Reply)

maybe someone is just jealous of success and popularity

( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:37, Reply)

I don't deny it's possible, but I don't think that's an obvious conclusion to reach.

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:38, Reply)

i repeat... can't you read?

( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:42, Reply)

If you read the posts back you will see that the main gist of what he says is "Lol jaysum is well fick"

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:45, Reply)

Yer.
They certainly know their audience and voice.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Tue 15 Jul 2014, 13:30, Reply)