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The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Stephen King,Dylan Baker,Brooke Bloom,Kathleen Chalfant,Hope Davis,Santino Fontana,Peter Friedman
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Publisher's Summary

The short story 'Obits' won the 2016 Edgar for best short story. Featuring introductions to each story, read by Stephen King.

A thrilling collection of 21 stories - some brand new, some published in magazines, all entirely brilliant and assembled in one collection for the first time - with a wonderful bonus: in addition to his introduction to the whole collection, King gives listeners a fascinating introduction to each story with autobiographical comments on their origins and motivations.

The number one best-selling writer has dazzled listeners with his genius as a writer of novellas and short story fiction since his first collection Night Shift was published. He describes the nature of the form in his introduction to the work: 'There's something to be said for a shorter, more intense experience. It can be invigorating, sometimes even shocking, like...a beautiful curio for sale laid out on a cheap blanket at a street bazaar.'

In The Bazaar of Bad Dreams there is a curio for every reader - a man who keeps reliving the same life, repeating the same mistakes over and over again, a columnist who kills people by writing their obituaries, a poignant tale about the end of the human race and a firework competition between neighbours which reaches an explosive climax. There are also intriguing connections between the stories; themes of morality, guilt, the afterlife and what we would do differently if we could see into the future or correct the mistakes of the past. Effervescent yet poignant, juxtaposing the everyday against the unexpected, these stories comprise one of King's finest gifts to his constant listener as well as to those fascinated by the autobiographical insights in his celebrated nonfiction title On Writing. 'I made them especially for you,' says King. 'Feel free to examine them, but please be carefuly. The best of them have teeth.'

  • 'Introduction' read by Stephen King
  • 'Mile 81' read by Thomas Sadoksi
  • 'Premium Harmony' read by Will Patton
  • 'Batman and Robin Have an Altercation' read by Santino Fontana
  • 'The Dune' read by Edward Herrmann
  • 'Bad Little Kid' read by Dylan Baker
  • 'A Death' read by Cotter Smith
  • 'The Bone Church' read by Cotter Smith
  • 'Morality' read by Mare Winningham
  • 'Afterlife' read by Dylan Baker
  • 'Ur' read by Holter Graham
  • 'Herman Wouk Is Still Alive' read by Brooke Bloom and Kathleen Chalfant
  • 'Under the Weather' read by Peter Friedman
  • 'Blockade Billy' read by Craig Wasson
  • 'Mister Yummy' read by Peter Friedman
  • 'Tommy' read by Stephen King
  • 'The Little Green God of Agony' read by Hope Davis
  • 'Cookie Jar' read by Santino Fontana
  • 'That Bus Is Another World' read by Fred Weller
  • 'Obits' read by Fred Weller
  • 'Drunken Fireworks' read by Tim Sample
  • 'Summer Thunder' read by Will Patton

©2015 Stephen King (P)2015 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about The Bazaar of Bad Dreams

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  • Overall
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Loved this one!

perfect for those who commute. The weekly drive up and down the Hume Freeway is made much more bearable with this, and the stories are very good. Nice touch of horror and suspense.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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tales of the macabre

Mix of narrators was good. The Intros from King was a nice touch. King's work is odd, I don't quite enjoy the stories because of the dark and sometimes twisted themes but it intrigues. it compells me to keep listening. How does he do that???

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An Interesting Compilation

An interesting assortment of stories. Some I enjoyed more than others, some got me thinking more than others, and I guess that's the case with any compilation of tales. Overall I enjoyed this book, but calling it a Bazaar was a wise choice - its an ecclectic mix which covers the full spectrum of topics and characters that King does so well. Recommended for fans of King's style, but don't expect stock standard horror a la The Shining or It.

I really enjoyed that each tale was narrated by a different voice actor. It broke them up into individual entities and gave each story more character unto itself.

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You never want this to end

What a collection. It’s like sitting down to your favourite meal that never ends.

Wonderful writing, amazing stories. So many characters to get to know.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Maybe not for me

I didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped I would. Maybe short stories just aren't for me; I often finished wanting to know more.. Which I realise is probably the point. Some of the more "human element" stories were great, but not what I'm used to with SK so I felt a little bored in places waiting for the "action". Majority of narrators were brilliant (always enjoy Fontana) but a couple I just couldn't listen to - one being drunken fireworks. I struggled to get to the end, and found myself wanting it to end. Not my favourite, but some quality and thought provoking stories in here nonetheless.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Stories aren't too bad, but language is foul!

I've given up with this book mostly because I can't stand all the filthy language. F's and C's all over the place! I can tolerate a little here and there, but this is beyond reasonable. The story about the car on Highway 81 (or whatever it was) was very interesting, but I didn't enjoy the next few at all. I'm sorry I chose this as my free trial, because I've essentially wasted it. I would love to have exchanged it, but can't do that without being a paid member first. The narrators were good though.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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As always King has provided a quality product.

Very Stephen King-y. loved the story intros by the man himself. Audio production was top shelf.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome

Drunken Fireworks, what a superb story and brilliantly read, worth it just for that. A great insight into a legend author.

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Great mix

Fantastic mix of stories and narrators with an introduction to each story by Stephen King.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Riverting from go to woe

Every story is read to perfection, and each one as good as the last. Steven King is still the master and I loved hearing his voice in between each story giving us the story behind the story. I really like hearing him also read one of his own. A true literary Master.

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