The Green Mile

Stephen King’s classic #1 New York Times bestselling dramatic serial novel and inspiration for the Oscar-nominated film starring Tom Hanks!

Welcome to Cold Mountain Penitentiary, home to the Depression-worn men of E Block. Convicted killers all, each awaits his turn to walk “the Green Mile,” the lime-colored linoleum corridor leading to a final meeting with Old Sparky, Cold Mountain’s electric chair. Prison guard Paul Edgecombe has seen his share of oddities over the years working the Mile, but he’s never seen anything like John Coffey—a man with the body of a giant and the mind of a child, condemned for a crime terrifying in its violence and shocking in its depravity. And in this place of ultimate retribution, Edgecombe is about to discover the terrible, wondrous truth about John Coffey—a truth that will challenge his most cherished beliefs….

I regret having seen the movie before having read the book, or books as it were, as with most books made into movies.  King is such an excellent writer that it is almost a crime to not read his book but watch a video.  I am not a rabid (ha, ha, ha, ha) fan, but I have read several of his books.  This is by far the best of his works that I have read.

His descriptions are vivid.  He utilizes foreshadowing and symbolism skilfully.  I actually teared up in the last few pages.  I was moved by the characters and also that the book was coming to an end.  The only negative view of this work I have is that King is such a skillful writer I feel inadequate to write.

Of modern fiction writers, I believe King is the best.  I am not a fan of macabre.  Having read this great story of King's, I wished it wrote more like it.