11-22-63

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Craig Wasson

Length: 30 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back?

In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King - who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer - takes listeners on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.

It begins with Jake Epping, a 35-year-old English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching GED classes. He asks his students to write about an event that changed their lives, and one essay blows him away: a gruesome, harrowing story about the night more than 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a sledgehammer. Reading the essay is a watershed moment for Jake, his life - like Harry’s, like America’s in 1963 - turning on a dime.

Not much later his friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession - to prevent the Kennedy assassination.

So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson, in a different world - of Ike and JFK and Elvis, of big American cars and sock hops and cigarette smoke everywhere. From the dank little city of Derry, Maine (where there’s Dunning business to conduct), to the warmhearted small town of Jodie, Texas, where Jake falls dangerously in love, every turn is leading, eventually of course, to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and to Dallas, where the past becomes heart-stoppingly suspenseful - and where history might not be history anymore. Time-travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.

©2011 Stephen King. All Rights Reserved. (P)2011 Simon & Schuster, Inc

A little long. Really good story.

Great book. Almost forget it's Sci-fi. Sometimes a little too attentive to detail, made for some boring spots. Probably an unnecessary chapter or two. But, solid narration. Overall-definitely recommend.

Harmonics

Listening to this book was an opportunity to travel back in time to visit perspectives of others I knew existed but was too busy pursuing a career in medicine and family life to share. I have yet to meet the author who practice taught in the English department when my mother was one of the faculty of the small Maine high school I attended. The author's description of a high school in Maine during the era of the Kennedy presidency struck vibrant harmonics for me both as a student and son of a faculty member.

Wonderful, captivating story.

This book grabs your attention from the first word and doesn't let go. It is an absolute masterpiece and a major standout from Stephen King's prolific body of work. King's story of time travel, history, suspense, coming-of-age, self-actualization, with a stunning climax, is brilliantly written and beautifully narrated. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I loved it and I was sad to see it end.

This is the best of Stephen King!

What did you love best about 11-22-63?

The build up to key parts are very well set, from one to the next. It draws you in like classic's can only do. This in the future will be listed as a classic!

Wow.

Touching in unexpected ways. Stephen King surprised me with a story of history and relationships. So very glad to have heard it. Wonderful narration.

Trivial King

It is for sure that Stephen King is a renowned author and inventor of a rare kind. Although this is an example of a book which is very simple and repeats most of the story elements of his previous books. But most obvious question would be: why is it so long? With so many words Tolstoy and other writer of past days could create marvels, here all we can see is just another story with vague, banal and unconvincing main fabula. However I like author's optimism, writing style, some of the literary devices he uses, and bearing in mind his previous achievements, that's why four. Proper ending, by the way. As to the narrator - everything was in place besides some minor changes of voice tone. Craig Wasson did his job as well as endured such a long reading.
P.S. Some comments from me personally (as I am of Russian origin) - such a rich author as S.King could have at least hire a professional Russian translator for the episodes with dialogues in Russian. It was awful to hear so many mistakes...

Thought provoking story

The story is very thought provoking. I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the 1950s-60s and, as usual, King fleshes out wonderful characters. I found the narration to be excellent.

I wasn't expecting a love story.

What made the experience of listening to 11-22-63 the most enjoyable?

I have been a JFK fan since I was a boy. Combine that with a little time travel that you dont have to be a rocket scientist to understand. Set out a few time travel rules and see how life was in the late 1950s - early 1960s. Such insight into how lifew was in small town USA. The narrator nails the accents. This early style of King's writings make it one of the most enjoyable of his books to read.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, books with lots of detail like this you need to take a break and let your mind process it. I did have to sit in the driveway to listen to the last half hour. I wasnt ready to take a break. I wanted to stay with the flow.

Any additional comments?

A friend recommend I read this book. Now it is my turn to recommend you read it too.

All Access Pass to the Best of King

Do not pass on this simply because it is Stephen King!

For all his brilliance, Stephen King has never seemed able to gain acceptance as one of the truly great authors of our time. A lot of this is mainly due to the genre he has plumbed for the last several decades being considered a niche and people writing off his work never having given it the respect or attention it deserved. This book may finally change a lot of those views.

King has taken a topic that many have tackled over the years and spins it out in a whole new light. Quite frankly, this story is just too darn believable when you consider we're talking about time travel here. The subject alone is enough to believe it would be a complete work of fantasy, but the way it is handled makes it seem not almost plausible.

Jake is one of the most likable and real characters I've ever encountered and the perfect companion for this trip. His exploits via the "rabbit hole" will make you laugh and maybe even cry, and always keep you hanging on his every word. A lot of this can be credited to Craig Wasson's reading which is both passionate and believable and stays fresh through the whole length of this 30 hour production.

This definitely makes my top 3 all-time Stephen King list along with "The Stand" and "Under the Dome" and is probably a firm contender to crack my top five of all-time. The bottom line here is to make sure you have a lot of free time for the next several days because once you start listening to this book, you are going to find it very difficult to stop.

Great writing and great story!! Enjoyable!

Would you consider the audio edition of 11-22-63 to be better than the print version?

I use to read Stephen King, but as I got older started to get nightmares. So I was happy he wrote a none horror novel.

It classic Stephen King writing style. I feel like I am in the room with the characters, I love they way he describes everything! The story moves along nicely making you want more.

What was one of the most memorable moments of 11-22-63?

How it invoked all different kinds of feelings. I cried, felt pity, was nervous, happy, and was wondering how the book would end and hoping it would end a certain way.

Which scene was your favorite?

Many

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

yes several times

Any additional comments?

Great book