Different Seasons

Different Seasons is a compilation of four of Stephen King's most praiseworthy (in my opinion) novellas: Shawshank Redemption, The Body, Apt Pupil and The Breathing Method. The stories take place in different time periods and locations, exploring the deep-seated emotions in us that are brought to the forefront through extraordinary situations.

Shawshank as most people know, is a fantastic movie. But a lot of people don't realize it began as a King novella...and what a tale. A mere 100 pages long, the story sears with Red's descriptions of Andy's desperate resilience through one of the hardest privations known to man.

Of the four stories, Apt Pupil was the one that bothered me the most. Probably didn't help that I read this for the first time when I was about 13. Not really healthy pre-teen reading..I couldn't shake the unease I felt reading about the bitter fall of a young American boy who had such a bright future before him. The idea behind this gruesome story unsettled me for weeks..

The Body is one of SK's best works in my opinion. The story of four young boys journeying through the hot summer days is one of self-exploration and of the ties that bind us in the midst of hope and fear. It is truly a simple yet exquisite tale.

The Breathing Method is the shortest of the four and the most unusual. At times it's gory and disturbing, but the underlying idea behind it will certainly make you set the book down and ponder the impregnability of sheer human will.