First Stephen King Book I should read

My favourites are:
Four past midnight - the langoliers is the best of the 4 short stories
Firestarter
The girl who loved Tom Gordon
The Stand
Cujo frighten the life out of me!
Misery

I'd start at the beginning and read them in the order he wrote them. His early stuff is the best I think, especially if you want more horror than thriller. The other thing is that he tends to have 'in jokes' where he references his other novels and you wouldn't pick up on them otherwise.

'Stand by me' is actually a Novella called 'The Body' it's in a collection of short(ish) stories one of which is Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption but all 4 worth reading

The Shining. Easy to read. Creepy!

Carrie
Salem's lott

11.22.63 is one of my favourite books ever. Also love The Stand and Misery.
Currently about 1/3 of the way through IT and am really enjoying it(!).

I have just started reading needful things. I started it years ago but didn't finish it. I am actually quite scared although I hope it doesn't finish as I suspect it well.

If you want disturbing heart wrenching horror then Pet Semetary is spot on. I read it as a teenager and I'm still disturbed by it - I'm 47! I wouldn't be able to read it again.

I do like his writing style but never really get the endings.

On Writing.

Misery
The shining
Pet cemetery

The first I read was Misery when I was 14. Loved it.

Recently read The Long Walk (King writing under the Bachman pseudonym.) Really good.

They’re all easy to read and most really hook you in.

Stephen King’s writing is amazing. He just pulls me into the story and I’m absorbed.
I don’t get that feeling from books much anymore, since having kids being programmed to be semi alert all the time.
I’ve been enjoying some of his short stories in Full Dark, No Stars at the moment.
My favourites have been Salem’s Lot, The Shining, Pet Sematary and 11.22.63 which isn’t horror but brilliant.

Most of Stephen kings books are not really "horror". They are more supernatural with great characters

I've been reading virtually nothing but King for the last 18 months, so I'm a bit obsessed. My favourite is the Dark Tower series, but as a PP said, that's a bit different from his other works, and a huge prospect to boot.

Of the stand-alones, I loved The Shining. I had seen the film, but the book is something else. It got right under my skin. Incredibly creepy and terrifying, and it wasn't really the supernatural elements that were the scariest, it was the human ones. You could take all of the ghosts out of that book and it would still be chilling as hell.

I also really recommend his short story collections, they're a great way to start. I love a well-turned short story, and SK has written some fantastic ones.

Cornflake I love the girl who loved tom Gordon, doesn't often get a mention!

If I absolutely had to pick three it would be The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, IT and (cheating a little) The Dark Tower series.

I also love Rose Madder, Duma Key, The Shining, Lisey’s Story and loads of his short stories/novellas.

TGWLTG is a good introduction to SK I think, not too “out there” in terms of style and fairly short. It’s a fantastic book, the first time I read it I did it all in one go as I literally could not put it down.

Not horror but The Green Mile is wonderful. And devastating

Carrie
Cujo
The Shining

And because I love SK and can't choose

Mr Mercedes
Under The Dome (didn't like the ending but the rest was great)
Pet Cemetery
The Tommyknockers
The Dead Zone
Firestarter

I can't believe nobody else has said Carrie! It's a genius novel. It's so freaking well observed! It's like a snapshot of high school in America in the 70s.

Stephen King's writing is unique; it's like being comforted and scared witless at the same time

This is so true!!

Pet Semetary is one of his best, I always thought. After The Shining of course (but not the recent Shining sequel!)
Then possibly It.

I started The Stand (if that's the one about disease) but didn't get very far into it. Might have to try again.

I love Stephen King.

Mine would be

The Stand
The Shining
Duma Key

Enjoy!

Personally, I really liked The Shining, Misery and It. All absorbing, twisty stories with something to say about the inhumanity of the human condition.

Stephen King's writing is unique; it's like being comforted and scared witless at the same time.

The stand is my favourite. I love walking dead and similar films and you can see how this novel influenced them all.

I wouldn't really call Stephen King Horror - obviously some of his books definitely are.... but most (for me) are more just properly creepy thrillers.... I adore his books.

Favourites....
Duma Key - Newer one
Geralds Game
The Shining
Love the Dark Tower series, but quite different to the rest of his work I'd say.

Carrie was the first I read as a teen (oops)

I'd probably go for either Salem's lot or the Deadzone.