Book Club: Needful Things
Title: Needful Things
Author: Stephen King
Year of publication: 1991
Genre: Horror
Setting:
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| Photo by Alex Teplitz |
Premise:
A newcomer opens a shop in Castle Rock, Me., bringing bargains as well as nightmares and disasters to the town.
Context:
As Stephen King has related, Needful Things was the first novel he wrote after recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.
Characters:
- Leland Gaunt
- Alan Pangborn
- Polly Chalmers
- Brian Rusk
- Danforth "Buster" Keeton III
- Nettie Cobb
- Hugh Albert Priest
- Myra Evans
- Cora Rusk
- Sally Ratcliffe
- Myrtle Keeton
- Norris Ridgewick
- Wilma Jerzyck
- Lester Pratt
- John "Ace" Merrill
- Ricky Bissonette
- Reverend William Rose
- Dr. Ray Van Allen
- Everett Frankel
- Albert Gendron
- Frank M. Jewett
- Slopey Dodd
- Lenore Potter
- Lucille Dunham
- Eddie Warburton
- Ricky Bissonette
- Babs Miller
- Sonny Jacket
- Henry Beaufort
- John LaPointe
Character Map:
Plot Diagram:
Themes/Symbolism:
First Words:
Sure you have
Last Words:
Anything at all.
Popularity:
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| Data from LibraryThing |
Awards/Honors:
Memorable Quotes:
Author's Biography:
Literary Links:
TessieDesign has done a herculean job putting together a detailed flowchart that connects all of Stephen King's universe. The connections and links between all books and series are enough to make your head spin. Needful Things can be found in the middle of the left border of the flowchart. It is colored in brown as all other books set fully or partially in Castle Rock.
Beyond the lines
Adaptations:
The 1993 eponymous film was directed by Fraser C. Heston, who played the infant Moses in The Ten Commandments. Once during filming, he took actor Max von Sydow aside to discuss a scene. von Sydow had previously played Jesus in The Greatest Story Ever Told. Seeing that, someone observed: "That's something you don't see everyday - Moses telling Jesus how to play the devil". Also starring are Ed Harris as Sheriff Allan Pangborn and Bonnie Bedelia as Polly Chalmers.
In 2018, Hulu released a TV Series titled Castle Rock. The series features the intertwined stories and characters that take place in the eponymous town. For an even more immersive experience into this fictional world created by Stephen King, just turn to Hulu and binge watch the two seasons of this show.
Book vs. Book:
Bentley Little has also produced a book in which a malevolent force opens shop in a small town. The Store, just like Needful Things, offers objects highly coveted by its customers and it also demands a very high price to be paid in order to obtain these items. Who did it better?
Tasty Titles:
There is a whole cookbook dedicated to the cuisine of Castle Rock (Castke Rock Kitchen: Wicked Good Recipes from the World of Stephen King by Theresa Carle-Sanders. The author have compiled recipes inspired by the books set in Castle Rock and have gifted us a wonderful menu of dishes to pair with our reading. Needful Things appears three times in Carle-Sanders cookbook: a Short Rib Borgnine inspired by the meal the Keetons had at Maurice, a GameDay Fondue prepared by Myrle, and the mushroom Lasagna Nettie cooked for Polly.
"Keeton went on chowing into his book Borgnine, or whatever it was the Froggies called it, with great appetite. The reason for his happiness was simple. Every horse he had picked yesterday afternoon with the help of Winning Ticket had come in for him last night."
"Danforth?" Myrtle asked suddenly. "Could you let me out at Amanda William's house? I know it's a little out of the way, but she's got my fondue pot. I thought-" The shy smile came and went on her face again. "I thought I might make you - us - a little treat. For the football game..."
"I've made a nice lasagna for Polly, and I'm going to take it to her."
Six Word Review:
Townspeople sell their souls for trinkets
Rambling Words:
For readers who would like to visit the store fronts that might have inspired Stephen King’s Needful Things, Storymaps have created a map placing this location at the downtown shops in Lisbon Falls, Maine. Lisbon Falls is the town that many believe to have inspired Castle Rock, and the map created by Storymaps certainly includes other locations in Lisbon Falls that may have served as the inspiration for other places in Castle Rock.
Bookstore on Location:
A 20-minute drive from Lisbon Falls, ME will take you to Twice-Told Tales. This bookstore has a huge selection of used books with all proceeds going to the Curtis Memorial Library
Bibliotherapy:
The Cover Story:
Book Candy:
Our Review:
I read the audiobook version of Needful Things and it was read by Stephen King himself.Discussion Questions:
Imagine yourself outside Needful Things, the sign reads "Open" and you enter:
1. What do you feel when you met Mr. Gaunt? What color are his eyes?
2. What item do you spot that you absolutely have to buy? Do you buy it?
3. What is the asking price? Would you pay it?