Stephen King’ s “ The Life of Chuck, ” is a “ phenomenal” (USA TODAY) tale of life and legacy— now a feature film directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Karen Gillan— available for the first time in a beautiful standalone edition.
Originally featured in the acclaimed story collection If It Bleeds, this unforgettable, mind-bending tale unfolds in reverse, taking readers through the extraordinary life of Charles “ Chuck” Krantz.
In a crumbling world plagued by natural disasters, collapsing infrastructure, and mass panic, bizarre billboards and advertisements appear throughout town: “ Charles Krantz. Thirty-nine great years. Thanks, Chuck! ” Marty Anderson, a schoolteacher, becomes obsessed with these messages as the world, inexplicably linked to Chuck’ s life, seems to be approaching its end.
Told in three acts, presented in reverse order, The Life of Chuck explores one man’ s past. We see him in middle age on a business trip in Boston as he is seduced by a busker into spinning a gorgeous sidewalk dance. And we see him as a child, in a house haunted by a terrible secret, learning to dance with his grandmother. In these pages King reminds us that life’ s quotidian pleasures are even more glorious because they are fleeting: the outrageous good fortune of a beautiful blue day after a string of gray ones; the delight of dancing when every move feels perfect; a serendipitous meeting. King’ s ability to describe pure joy rivals his ability to terrify us.
Now a major motion picture and winner of the Toronto International Film Festival People’ s Choice Award, The Life of Chuck is a glorious story about community and about humanity at its best, a celebration of joy, mystery, existential wonder, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
