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These items included: A copy of the Lisbon High School Newspaper, the Drum. King's short story the 43rd dream. A Letter: Signed letter from 14 year old Sephen King with his short story. An early draft of the title page of the Shining. Simply titled: The Shine. About three pages of the original manuscript from chapter 19 of the Shining. The galley page from The STand with Kings own handwritten notes. Several original manuscript pages from The Stand. A copy-edit page of the Dead Zone. Four hand written draft pages from The Dead Zone. Manuscript pages from Pet Sematary. Including some edting noes. A photograph of the Ad Card in IT, with a hand written note to add the Bachman books. Some manuscript pages from IT. With some notes from a copy editor. A copy of the January 1985, issue 1 of The Castle Rock Stephen Kingnewsletter. Photo of Stephen King strapped in an electric chair. Four hand edited pages from the Dark Tower's "The Slow Mutants. A ledger with anunpublished story inside. A copy of the first Garbage Truck column, Febraruy 1969.
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Cool, huh! I know you're anxious to know: 1. How did I find these items. 2. What did I pay for them. Second answer first.
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1. I paid $24.95. Wow, you're thinking, some people just don't know what they have when they sell stuff.
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2. Truth is, I found them, all of them, in Bev Vincent's new book: The Stephen King Illustrated Companion.
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Now, if all that stuff were just photographed in a book, I would not in any way feel that I had actually come into posession of them. But there is something really unique about the Stephen King Illustrated Companion. Most of the items listed are loose -- meaning they are reporductions of the originals. It's like you're holding the actual thing! Want to have the first Castle Rock Newspaper in your own hands . . . it's there!
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This stuff is really neat.
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It's like a book stuffed full of treasures. In fact, I found the book so full of stuff it was hard to deal with at first. I had to decide: Am I going to look at all this stuff, or read the book? I looked through the stuff!
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I liked the additional stuff so much, I almost bought a second copy. My wife said it would all make a cool collodge (sp.) But, somehow that didn't really appeal to me.
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You need this book!
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There! I said it. Look, I don't review books for a living -- so I don't to claim to be dispassionate. There are lots of books about King out there. Lots of bad books, in fact. Books that review the same stuff in pretty much the same way. The good books about King stand out. I will always credit the Stephen King Universe as the book that renewed my interest as a adult in King. That's where I first really understood that all things go back to the Dark Tower. Both of Behem's companion books were good as was his S.K. America's Boogeyman. Honestly, this book is different from any of the other stuff out there.
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It is also oversized, which surprised me. Here's why that's helpful: It means that the items in the book can be put back without damaging them by folding them, etc. Even if you take the things out of their slips, everything goes back easily. No cramming.
..http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Stephen-King-Illustrated-Companion/Bev-Vincent/e/9781435117662/
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The Text
The Text
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Of course, the companion not only offers the unique extra items, but the text of the book. I have really been enjoying this. Every single work is not covered -- nor could it be. But Vincent has chosen key points and works in Kings life and dealt in detail with them. So while most books of this type just skim by, Vincent gives himself the space to add depth.
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I enjoyed both of George Beorge Behm's Companion books. They were pretty comprehensive for the times (Late 80's, early 90's) but the volume of work even at that time was more than anyone could really review. Like the other companion's, Vincents is full of interesting side articles and tid-bits of information.
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Bev Vincent has a keen eye for details. And this book is full of details. Of course, I'm ready for the companion part 2! (King fans are like the Plant in Little Shop of Horrors. FEED ME, SEYMORE! FEED ME!)
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