Book special: The 50 BEST Stephen King *short stories* ranked spoiler-free, in less than 19 minutes!

It's time for this month's book special, and time for another ranking! Specifically, I'm counting down my top 50 Stephen King short stories. It's all spoiler-free, so get involved and then let me know some of YOUR favourite King shorts in the comments!
Enjoy!
00:00 Intro
00:14 Welcome & context for this special
02:05 Stories 50-41
04:01 Stories 40-31
06:44 Stories 30-21
09:41 Stories 20-11
13:09 Stories 10-2
16:41 My favourite Stephen King short story
17:53 Outro
-------------------------------------------------
Subscribe, comment & like!
Download my eBook for free by subscribing to my newsletter! davemussonauthor.com/newsletter
Check out the Constant Writers podcast on KZread: • Constant Writers
Check out the Constant Writers podcast on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2xvWbbJ...
Buy The Ultimate Stephen King Quiz Book on Amazon: mybook.to/kingquizbook
Buy The Ultimate Stephen King Quiz Book on Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-...
Find me on Instagram: / davemusson
Find me on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/davemusson/
Check out my band Chapter Nineteen and our song 'Stephen': • Chapter Nineteen - Ste...
Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/6B7CiN...

Пікірлер: 104

  • @heartsbane1118
    @heartsbane111816 күн бұрын

    1. The Jaunt 2. The Dune 3. Word Processor of the Gods 4. Willa

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    14 күн бұрын

    That’s a pretty strong quartet!

  • @jamesphelan7556
    @jamesphelan75566 ай бұрын

    I've wanted this ranking for so long. Thank you Dave. Top three: 3) The Raft 2) One for the Road 1) 1408

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    You’re welcome! And that is a pretty great top 3!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    I must reread The Raft x

  • @nl3064
    @nl30649 күн бұрын

    My favorite is Strawberry Spring. One for the Road, Jerusalem's Lot, Grey Matter are also really decent. Ones no one else has mentioned that I feel at least deserve a shout-out: Children of the Corn Lunch at the Gotham Café You Know They Got a Hell of a Band Herman Wouk is Still Alive

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    7 күн бұрын

    Gotham Cafe and Hell of a Band…love both of those!

  • @jaredschwartz1461
    @jaredschwartz14616 ай бұрын

    Jaunt is too good. First time I read that ending, my mouth was agape and I forgot to breathe.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    I’m not surprised! It’s ace!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    I reread that last night on yours and Dave’s recommendation- so very glad (and horrified!) that I did. What a concept, backstory, and ending!! Outstanding xx

  • @victorpavymusic
    @victorpavymusic6 ай бұрын

    So nobody mentions the short story that maybe stuck with me the most: Nona. The mix of loneliness hitchhiking at night on snowy roads near Castle Rock and the corrupting beautiful/evil girl is really a vibe I got very much into.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    This is a great shout - it was close to making my 50, it really was!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    I’d forgotten Nona so thank you so much for reminding me. I will reread that in the next week xx

  • @victorpavymusic

    @victorpavymusic

    6 ай бұрын

    @@DrMattiLabbratt glad my comment inspired you to read it again

  • @matthewmedley8532
    @matthewmedley85326 ай бұрын

    Another great video. Have to read some of these. Sound brilliant.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Yes! His short work is incredible!

  • @johnanile1987
    @johnanile19876 ай бұрын

    Love your channel! I’ve been subbed for a while, but I’ve never commented. I’m a huge Stephen King fan, and I’m still reading through all of his books for the first time. I’ve read almost all of his novels, and I’m about to get cracking on his short story collections. I can’t wait to get started. Watching this video makes me that much more excited. Cheers!

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Excellent! Thanks so much for watching, thanks even more for commenting and *enjoy* those collections…they are great!

  • @parisgreen4600
    @parisgreen46006 ай бұрын

    Great compilation! You zoomed through them in record time. There's a short film of "All That You Love..." with Joe Bob Briggs as the main character, and he's really good. No idea he could act. It's very moving. "The Man in the Black Suit" and "The Road Virus Heads North" are both pants-crappingly terrifying. About the stories with Dark Tower connections - I've never read any of the DT books and I think all of these stories hold up fine and feel complete, so readers shouldn't feel like they have to tackle DT first - just jump in.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Thank you, and thanks also for the heads up about that Joe Bob adaptation - I’ll keep an eye out for it. He’s also in the 1994 The Stand miniseries…plays Police Officer Joe Bob in episode 1!

  • @Kite562bookishreviews
    @Kite562bookishreviews6 ай бұрын

    Oh man I can think of a few short stories that I really enjoyed by mr. King even though I've only read nightshift and skeleton crew 1. Grammar 2. Boogeyman 3. Quitters inc. 4. The ledge 5. Jerusalem's lot Even though I lean towards Kings short stories and novellas I can appreciate Kings short stories that offer a wide variety of themes and tones. 🙂❤📚

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Some nice picks there - and you’ve still got a load more collections to enjoy!

  • @neilworgan
    @neilworgan3 ай бұрын

    3. The night flier 2. The ledge 1. The mangler

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    3 ай бұрын

    Nice!

  • @007pippy
    @007pippy6 ай бұрын

    Top video Dave again … im going through all of Stephen kings shorts stories at the moment ( I love a short story) problem is do I go from number one backwards or number 50 downwards And I am glad you picked my favourite as number one although number 12 should have been number 2 … Haha

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Nice! I would just go through the collections as they were published - relive them all!

  • @michaelkaseman9885
    @michaelkaseman988522 күн бұрын

    Two last lines that will give you nightmares: There are some huge rats in the walls, by the sound. ('Jerusalem's Lot', Night Shift) ladyfingers they taste just like ladyfingers {'Survivor Type', Skeleton Crew) Good night. Pleasant dreams!

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    22 күн бұрын

    Heck yeah!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt
    @DrMattiLabbratt6 ай бұрын

    Great video! Your very different choices from mine just show, how diverse, innovative, accessible and appealing King is to everyone. My top 10 1. Everything’s Eventual 2. Crouch End 3. 1408 4. In the Tall Grass 5. The Man in the Black Suit 6. The Ten O’Clock people 7. You Know They’ve Got a Hell of a Band 8. Lunch at the Gotham Cafe 9. One for the Road 10. The End of the Whole Mess

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    10 o’clock and hell of a band were close to my 50. I always struggled with Crouch End though - it just never clicked 🤷🏻‍♂️ thanks for sharing your 10, really appreciate it!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    @@DaveReadsKing Crouch End hit the spot for me as it truly terrified me to my core. I’m a huge Lovecraft admirer and reader also (as it Stephen), and I believe this influenced his writing in this story greatly. I respect everyone’s choices like you, and enjoy hearing about them immensely and sharing our love of the greatest writer of our times imo. His ability to maintain the highest standard of storytelling, thought provoking, and rich character development across all genres of Horror, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Surrealism, Police Procedural, Alternative Timelines, Time Travel, Body Horror, Madness, Comedic , Womens Topics and more is just without precedent. Crouch End will hit you hard if Lovecraftian Psychotic utter loss of reality/ slipping out of our reality and into others scares you. If not, it will leave you cold. I respect that. I love your vids so please keep them coming. Thank you fellow constant reader xx

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    @DrMattiLabbratt what a great comment, thank you. As for Crouch End, it’s definitely the Lovecraft stuff that doesn’t do it for me, but I appreciate King doing it all the same

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    @@DaveReadsKing I love and revel in all our differences in our love for the King!

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    @DrMattiLabbratt same! It’s one of the best things about being a constant reader!

  • @davidglasspool4921
    @davidglasspool49212 ай бұрын

    I think it would be a tie for me at number one. Either the jaunt or N. bummed that that second one did not make your list. Good list for sure.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    2 ай бұрын

    Yeah, N was close but the Lovecraftian stuff does absolutely nothing for me sadly

  • @KeyDyer
    @KeyDyer6 ай бұрын

    The Jaunt will forever give me chills 🥶

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Totally! It is killer!

  • @specialeducation8789
    @specialeducation87893 ай бұрын

    My Top 10: 1-) Fair Extension 2-) Everything's Eventual 3-) Graveyard Shift 4-) Bad Little Kid 5-) Gingerbread Girl 6-) Little Sisters of Eluria 7-) Chattery Teeth 8-) Quitters, Inc. 9-) The Raft 10-) Mr. Harrigan's Phone Bonus: The Breathing Method

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    3 ай бұрын

    Great list! I think The Breathing Method actually counts as a novella, but o agree that it is great!

  • @TheMikester307
    @TheMikester3076 ай бұрын

    I'll just list three of my favorites from "Night Shift," the first King Book I read (about 40+ years ago!) "Trucks." (It hit me reading this the first time that I'd BEEN in a diner like that!) "Sometimes They Come Back," and third "The Woman In The Room." In my opinion the last ties with "The Man In The Black Suit" as his most literary story, on a par with Stephen Vincent Benet.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Some great ones there - thanks!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    I believe that the Woman in the Room is an unsung classic xx

  • @superkamigurualucardmckee6181
    @superkamigurualucardmckee61816 ай бұрын

    1. One For The Road 2. The Gingerbread Girl 3. Suffer The Little Children 4. Umney's Last Case 5. I Know What You Need

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Nice picks!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    Funnily enough I was rereading Suffer the Little Children last night. It truly is one of his greatest and utterly terrifying. “Robert” is living rent-free in my head today 😧😂 That description of when he changes is hideous, lovecraftian, madness! Yet it’s his behaviour when unchanged toward his Teacher which is the most haunting. Merry Christmas fellow constant reader Matti xx

  • @TheMarkishness
    @TheMarkishness6 ай бұрын

    How to narrow it down to 3? There's just no way, so I'll give you the first ones that come to mind: 1. The Last Rung on the Ladder - man, this one just always hits me right in the gut. Enough said. 2. Gramma - takes me right back to childhood fears. It feels very real until it doesn't. Then it gets even better. 3. Jerusalem's Lot - love the Lovecraftian style of this. It always gives me the creeps. Read in a dark room by candlelight for the full effect.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    That’s a pretty great three!

  • @BookishDrummer
    @BookishDrummer6 ай бұрын

    I definitely agree with about Skeleton Crew, not my favorite collection, but the highs are super high, are top 20, top 10 is fairly similar

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Absolutely!

  • @RealHollarius
    @RealHollarius15 күн бұрын

    hm, top ten? 10. Battleground 9. Everything's Eventual 8. LT's Theory of Pets 7. Bad Little Kid 6. The Boogeyman 5. Blockade Billy 4. The Word Processor of the Gods 3. The Reach 2. Ms. Todd's Shortcut 1. The Last Rung of the Ladder Don't know ... tomorrow this top ten would be different, I suppose ...

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    14 күн бұрын

    Blockade Billy is a rogue choice but I love seeing your list - thanks!

  • @LeviMightBeClark
    @LeviMightBeClarkАй бұрын

    I'm late, but top 3 so far in my readthrough of all the collections: 3 - Nona - Loved it, best romance I've read in horror so far. 2 - The Monkey - Why do people hate this story? It's so cool. 1 - Here There Be Tygers - Can't not love it.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    Ай бұрын

    Nice choices!

  • @ryancalhoun2910
    @ryancalhoun2910Ай бұрын

    A fav of mine that I almost never hear discussed is Batman and Robin Have An Altercation.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    Ай бұрын

    Yes, I enjoyed that one plenty - definitely a deeper cut!

  • @williamboyette2374
    @williamboyette23743 ай бұрын

    I know I’m gonna get flack for this, but I just love one for the road because Salem’s lot is one of my favorite kings ever and I just love the setting and everything about it

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    3 ай бұрын

    No flack from me…One For the Road is great!

  • @WeirdyLuNa
    @WeirdyLuNa6 ай бұрын

    3. The Sun Dog 2. N. 1. The Man In The Black Suit

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Nice! I would count The Sun Dog as a novella but all three are crackers!

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    I had forgotten N! I will reread with pleasure 🙂🙏🏼 Merry Christmas fellow constant reader Matti xx

  • @brendensutherland818
    @brendensutherland8182 ай бұрын

    1. One for the Road 2. Gray Matter 3. Road Virus Heads North 4. The Jaunt

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    2 ай бұрын

    That’s a pretty solid four!

  • @eliasisthegreatest
    @eliasisthegreatest6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the video! I’ve only read Night Shift and Skeleton Crew but my top 4 are: 4. The Reach 3. The Jaunt 2. The Ledge 1. Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    That’s a pretty great 4! I think you’ll enjoy the other collections 😊

  • @BookishDrummer
    @BookishDrummer6 ай бұрын

    Autopsy Room 4 is definitely one of the best in Everything's Eventual

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    That whole collection is so good!

  • @toddhill7483
    @toddhill74836 ай бұрын

    No mention of Dolan's Cadillac or The Little Sister of Eluria. Both top 20 for me.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Fair enough! Dolan’s Cadillac I like ok, but I actively dislike the Little Sisters…it just did nothing for me sadly

  • @scottwoods8496
    @scottwoods84966 ай бұрын

    When you ranked "Trucks" and "Battleground" so low I was like, oh no, Dave and I might not be friends anymore. But I can't quit you, man.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Phew! 😅 and they still made the top 50! Lot more below them than there is above 😊

  • @bodine57
    @bodine576 ай бұрын

    Can't argue with "The Jaunt", and "Willa" would have made my top 3. "The Moving Finger" would be near the bottom of my list.

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    Willa is exceptional! X

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    That’s fair enough! 😊

  • @michaelleuchtenberger434
    @michaelleuchtenberger4346 ай бұрын

    Great ranking! 3. The Jaunt 2. N. (if that counts as short story) 1. Mrs Todd's Shortcut I never got what's so special about "1408" though, story as well as film. But really everybody else loves it, I'll accept that. 😂

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for sharing your three, appreciate that!

  • @rmarieshen862

    @rmarieshen862

    13 күн бұрын

    my three are the same. "N" is fantastic and really stayed with me

  • @BookishDrummer
    @BookishDrummer6 ай бұрын

    I might do an insane video after I read You Like It Darker where I rank every story in his short story collections haha

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Ooh yes! Just doing the 50 was tough enough!

  • @BookishDrummer

    @BookishDrummer

    6 ай бұрын

    @@DaveReadsKing yup, great video!

  • @adamrasmusson6976
    @adamrasmusson69766 ай бұрын

    Night shift is the scariest one for me. Rats freak me out. But Cain Rose Up really left me disturbed. Being in the mind of someone who's snapped and starts a mass shooting rampage. And the man who loved flowers.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Cain Rose Up is a great suggestion - dark af

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    Cain Rose Up ! Another I must reread. I’m loving this channel as its turning into a book club for me 🙂 I get so little down time with my work, and you wonderful fellow constant readers are flagging up these recommendations for me to go to when I’m on a rare break! Thank you all xx

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    @DrMattiLabbratt thanks for being part of it!

  • @Lucy-gc4js
    @Lucy-gc4js6 ай бұрын

    8:33 You say: "im not the biggest Dark Tower head" while having 10 dark tower books clearly visible on screen 🤭

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    😂 well, this is why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover…I love those covers 😂

  • @nigelmilner1514
    @nigelmilner15145 ай бұрын

    What a thankless task, great list, but mine , today anyway are 1. Willa (beautiful writing ) 2. One For The Road 3. Jerusalams Lot Ok theres a slight bit of me being biast to a certain story here, and id like to drop an honuary mention for Thing We Left Behind, but honestly Willa....what a piece of writing.

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    5 ай бұрын

    Willa is so good! And I am in no way surprised by your other two 😂

  • @BookishDrummer
    @BookishDrummer6 ай бұрын

    Suffer the little children is easily my favorite in Nightmares and Dreamscapes, which is EASILY my least fav collection from King lol

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Same!

  • @tdrdavies2
    @tdrdavies26 ай бұрын

    My fav ten are probably (chronological, not ranked): The last rung on the ladder The Raft Gramma That Feeling, You Can Only Say What It Is In French 1408 N Blockade Billy Under the Weather That Bus Is Another World Summer Thunder

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    I had forgotten “That thing” and “That Bus” ! Incredible stories!! Thankyou so much for posting your Top 10 and reminding me 🙏🏼 I will reread your Top 10 now with great excitement and pleasure Merry Christmas my fellow constant reader Matti xx

  • @tdrdavies2

    @tdrdavies2

    6 ай бұрын

    @@DrMattiLabbratt That's great! The shorter, more ephemeral, stories are typically the ones that stick with me. For example I often think about Summer Thunder, which is a story that I don't see mentioned often.

  • @DrMattiLabbratt

    @DrMattiLabbratt

    6 ай бұрын

    @@tdrdavies2 Yes! I completely agree with you there. Can’t wait to start your list - with that recommendation I may start backwards with Summer Thunder xx

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    Cracking list, thanks for sharing!

  • @fardeengloryworld
    @fardeengloryworld6 ай бұрын

    Waiting Since You Finished Rating All Novels !

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    6 ай бұрын

    I like saving one big ranking for the end of each year 😊

  • @di_ana_salazar
    @di_ana_salazar4 ай бұрын

    Your dog suits you. Freud or Froyd 🥰

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    4 ай бұрын

    Ha! He’s an idiot but I guess he’s ok

  • @di_ana_salazar

    @di_ana_salazar

    4 ай бұрын

    @@DaveReadsKing like I said, he suits you. I guess you’re okay too 😂 jk all brutal. Great job! Do a video where you show all the UK COVERS and a video where you show all of Stephen King’s portraits and select your favorite 😍 lol do it for the ladies

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    4 ай бұрын

    @learnlanguageswithDi 😂 I love those ideas!

  • @anuparnoacharya5779
    @anuparnoacharya57792 ай бұрын

    No mist in top 10?? 😢

  • @DaveReadsKing

    @DaveReadsKing

    2 ай бұрын

    Ah, The Mist is a novella, so it’s in my novellas ranking kzread.info/dash/bejne/h2R3z9Fsp6rgfrQ.htmlsi=km7_1xq5pdEvVWLX