In fairness, I have read this book before. Twice. The other night, I started to read a novel from an author I had never read and hated it. Within the first few pages, I gave up, closed the book, and decided to move on. That’s why I always say I don’t say whether or not I liked a book. I simply will not finish one (and therefore mention it) unless I like it.

But what makes me read a book three times?

This book is part autobiography that gives insight into Stephen King’s upbringing and challenges in his life. You can see where so many of his characters come from based on the people he knew as a kid.

But wrapped around the autobiography are incredibly useful nuggets for writers, aspiring or published. He emphasizes the value of perseverance (Carrie was dug out of the trash by his wife), humility, and the power of reading.

And all of this is told in the incredible conversational voice that Mr. King brings to his fiction. You understand the horror of Annie Wilkes from Misery because you grasp how much she had kidnapped Mr. King himself (symbolically but amazingly real at the same time).

Those who love Mr. King’s stories will love this look into his mind. And those who don’t? Well, move along. It’s ok.