What do you think?
Rate this book
Quitters, Inc
Dick Morrison's life has become a nightmare of addictions, filling his days with overeating, overworking, and smoking way too much. When an old friend tells him about a surefire way to quit, he's more than willing to give it a shot. But what Dick doesn?t know is that Quitters, Inc. demands a high price from anyone who strays from their rigid rules? Forced to choose between his desperate need for cigarettes and the dire consequences of giving in to his addiction, Dick must decide just how important another drag really is.
19 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1978
24 people are currently reading
7853 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,412 books887k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
October 3, 2021
Giving up smoking isn't easy. Drastic measures might need to be taken. And Stephen King doesn't hold back. Very creepy horror story. But then don't we all have our own horror stories about giving up smoking, those of us who did?
I was going to be part of the crew of a boat sailing round the world and the skipper wouldn't allow smoking on board, so I had to give up my 2½ pack a day habit. It didn't take long and it was a real horror story, but not for me! My poor husband really suffered.
First thing was I got a carton of 200 Marlboro to put in my bedside table, I didn't want to be panicked into rushing out to buy them. Then I got a week's supply of nictotine chewing gum. And had my last cigarette. When I wasn't chewing, I was eating, when I wasn't doing either I was throwing a strop and had a really big one with the ex. That resulted in me throwing a flagon of cheap red wine at his head. It missed and smashed against the wall. The newly-painted white wall. It even splashed onto the ceiling 9½' up (this is in London, my flat was from 1854, all high-ceilings and cornices).
Couple of days later, we were getting ready for bed early. I don't remember how I got my husband to go downstairs, but I did, and he was wearing vest and boxers. The rain was pissing down. I had a big carving knife on me and forced him outside, put the chain on the door and threatened him with the knife through it.
This is so totally out of character for me. I don't lose my temper very often, and when I do it's over in a few minutes. Mostly if I'm really annoyed, I go quiet, get upset, and don't want to deal with the person. But this is nicotine withdrawal.
A couple of minutes later, I let him back in mostly because Jehovah's Witnesses came and when I saw them through the chain and had calmed down anyway, I didn't want to have to explain to them. I was really sorry. I was frightened of the next outburst, but it never came.
After a week on the chewing gum I was too cheap to buy another pack. For the first year I also gave up smoking weed as I didn't want anything to do with smoking. After that I went back to weed but never had another cigarette though the temptation was there. For about 9 years I considered myself an ex-smoker. After that, a non-smoker.
When I got on board the boat I found that all the other three crew all smoked! But they didn't onboard so that was all right. I did eat though, put on a hell of a lot of weight.
Do you remember your first cigarette? I was 16 and stole one from my mother to smoke in her bathroom when she was out. It made me dizzy and nauseous, I had to lie on the floor for ages to recover. But I perservered because I was stupid. Eventually, I would go with my pack of 10 to the pub at lunchtime with my friends from school, skirt rolled up over my house girdle, so it was very short, lipstick on. I thought I was the very epitome of cool!]
I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home in a tiny village of 40 people, last bus 8.30 pm, and went to a very academic girls' school. Can you blame me for wanting to rebel and be cool? At 16 I just had to assert myself. But really I should have stuck to candy cigarettes.
I was going to be part of the crew of a boat sailing round the world and the skipper wouldn't allow smoking on board, so I had to give up my 2½ pack a day habit. It didn't take long and it was a real horror story, but not for me! My poor husband really suffered.
First thing was I got a carton of 200 Marlboro to put in my bedside table, I didn't want to be panicked into rushing out to buy them. Then I got a week's supply of nictotine chewing gum. And had my last cigarette. When I wasn't chewing, I was eating, when I wasn't doing either I was throwing a strop and had a really big one with the ex. That resulted in me throwing a flagon of cheap red wine at his head. It missed and smashed against the wall. The newly-painted white wall. It even splashed onto the ceiling 9½' up (this is in London, my flat was from 1854, all high-ceilings and cornices).
Couple of days later, we were getting ready for bed early. I don't remember how I got my husband to go downstairs, but I did, and he was wearing vest and boxers. The rain was pissing down. I had a big carving knife on me and forced him outside, put the chain on the door and threatened him with the knife through it.
This is so totally out of character for me. I don't lose my temper very often, and when I do it's over in a few minutes. Mostly if I'm really annoyed, I go quiet, get upset, and don't want to deal with the person. But this is nicotine withdrawal.
A couple of minutes later, I let him back in mostly because Jehovah's Witnesses came and when I saw them through the chain and had calmed down anyway, I didn't want to have to explain to them. I was really sorry. I was frightened of the next outburst, but it never came.
After a week on the chewing gum I was too cheap to buy another pack. For the first year I also gave up smoking weed as I didn't want anything to do with smoking. After that I went back to weed but never had another cigarette though the temptation was there. For about 9 years I considered myself an ex-smoker. After that, a non-smoker.
When I got on board the boat I found that all the other three crew all smoked! But they didn't onboard so that was all right. I did eat though, put on a hell of a lot of weight.
Do you remember your first cigarette? I was 16 and stole one from my mother to smoke in her bathroom when she was out. It made me dizzy and nauseous, I had to lie on the floor for ages to recover. But I perservered because I was stupid. Eventually, I would go with my pack of 10 to the pub at lunchtime with my friends from school, skirt rolled up over my house girdle, so it was very short, lipstick on. I thought I was the very epitome of cool!]
I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home in a tiny village of 40 people, last bus 8.30 pm, and went to a very academic girls' school. Can you blame me for wanting to rebel and be cool? At 16 I just had to assert myself. But really I should have stuck to candy cigarettes.
July 22, 2016
First published in 1978, QUITTER'S, INC. will make you think twice about seeking help for a tobacco addiction.
Very Short.......Very Dark.......Very Stephen King! Enjoyed the audio!
NOTE: DO NOT READ BOOK SUMMARY....GIVES TOO MUCH AWAY!!!
October 16, 2016
4.5*
I thought I rated this one! I'll have to look....this is the most effective way to quit, for life.... I'm quite sure.....try to think of a better one when you finish this. Only King would come up with this one!
********And for goodness' sakes, I totally agree with Carol....who in the world thought the should give away that much of a short story in a synopsis.....I think they need a STOP WRITING SYNOPSES program for writers like this ......designed by King himself.*******
***Just watched the 1985 version of this short story in Cat's Eye--this story is the first of three shorts, two from the Night shift book (the third made just for the film)-- that's where I thought I had rated it!!!!--but I haven't finished ALL the stories in it, only about 5 so far--(I haven't watched the other two, because I need to finish the book first). It was pretty good,( I didn't even feel that I wanted to try the newer version) but I felt it missed out on the perfect ending the story had. Though the movie's ending was good, I think they could have added another 30 seconds to include the one from the book. Naturally, the cat, who had the tiniest role in the story, has a much bigger one in the movie (and Drew Barrymore), which I think ties the stories together for the movie, but are not really in the book. **An interesting tidbit: the beginning of this movie includes a red 1958 Plymouth Fury....just a little fun for Constant Readers to catch :)
I thought I rated this one! I'll have to look....this is the most effective way to quit, for life.... I'm quite sure.....try to think of a better one when you finish this. Only King would come up with this one!
********And for goodness' sakes, I totally agree with Carol....who in the world thought the should give away that much of a short story in a synopsis.....I think they need a STOP WRITING SYNOPSES program for writers like this ......designed by King himself.*******
***Just watched the 1985 version of this short story in Cat's Eye--this story is the first of three shorts, two from the Night shift book (the third made just for the film)-- that's where I thought I had rated it!!!!--but I haven't finished ALL the stories in it, only about 5 so far--(I haven't watched the other two, because I need to finish the book first). It was pretty good,( I didn't even feel that I wanted to try the newer version) but I felt it missed out on the perfect ending the story had. Though the movie's ending was good, I think they could have added another 30 seconds to include the one from the book. Naturally, the cat, who had the tiniest role in the story, has a much bigger one in the movie (and Drew Barrymore), which I think ties the stories together for the movie, but are not really in the book. **An interesting tidbit: the beginning of this movie includes a red 1958 Plymouth Fury....just a little fun for Constant Readers to catch :)
November 20, 2022
The perfect story to define the word Kafkaesque, which isn't written by Kafka.
September 6, 2020
"al fin y al cabo la droga más perniciosa es el amor. Los románticos pueden seguir debatiendo su existencia. Los pragmáticos lo aceptan y lo utilizan"
"Cuando un romántico trata de hacer una buena obra y fracasa, le dan una medalla. Cuando un pragmático tiene éxito, lo mandan al infierno"
Richard "Dick" Morrison se encuentra por casualidad con un viejo colega, Jimmy McCann, en el aeropuerto. Morrison se sorprende de lo mejorado que esta su colega, quien dice haber dejado su adicción por el tabaco y que debido a esto su vida le sonrie, tanto a nivel personal y laboral. Todo lo contrario a la vida de Morrison que esta en su punto mas álgido de adicción por el tabaco y su vida va cuesta arriba. McCann le comenta que asistió a un instituto por recomendación, y a partir de ahí nunca mas volvió a fumar. Se rehusá a darle información pero le entrega ala tarjeta de dicho lugar, al que Morrison, escéptico, luego de pensarlo mucho y dar muchas vueltas, termina accediendo a ir.
Un muy buen relato con mucha tensión y mucha crueldad, que Sirve para poner de manifiesto como somos hijos del rigor, y como aveces solo el miedo puede tener tanto poder para impulsar a alguien a hacer o dejar de hacer tal o cual cosa.
"Cuando un romántico trata de hacer una buena obra y fracasa, le dan una medalla. Cuando un pragmático tiene éxito, lo mandan al infierno"
Richard "Dick" Morrison se encuentra por casualidad con un viejo colega, Jimmy McCann, en el aeropuerto. Morrison se sorprende de lo mejorado que esta su colega, quien dice haber dejado su adicción por el tabaco y que debido a esto su vida le sonrie, tanto a nivel personal y laboral. Todo lo contrario a la vida de Morrison que esta en su punto mas álgido de adicción por el tabaco y su vida va cuesta arriba. McCann le comenta que asistió a un instituto por recomendación, y a partir de ahí nunca mas volvió a fumar. Se rehusá a darle información pero le entrega ala tarjeta de dicho lugar, al que Morrison, escéptico, luego de pensarlo mucho y dar muchas vueltas, termina accediendo a ir.
Un muy buen relato con mucha tensión y mucha crueldad, que Sirve para poner de manifiesto como somos hijos del rigor, y como aveces solo el miedo puede tener tanto poder para impulsar a alguien a hacer o dejar de hacer tal o cual cosa.
April 23, 2023
A hilarious and twisted tale of how to kick the habit. King shows his mastery of the short story format with this witty and wicked story. You'll laugh, you'll cringe, and you'll never look at cigarettes the same way again.
December 5, 2025
Very short audiobook but I liked it.
September 16, 2022
Story 3 stars**
Audio 4.25**
Narrator Eric Roberts
Audio 4.25**
Narrator Eric Roberts
December 21, 2017
Chilling. I don't smoke - Thank GOD! I would have stopped after this story. I read this 20 years ago and I still remember this and how it made my spine tingle.
Sinister. Very sinister and also, I think this would work.
Sinister. Very sinister and also, I think this would work.
October 21, 2021
I'm cheating and using a short story for my "Q", "X" or "Z" prompt on PopSugar. Turns out I've read most of what I'm interested already for this prompt. :)
Anyway- this was actually a pretty good story. I don't know if King ever struggled with smoking? But I definitely sympathized with the main character. He's trying to turn his life around and Quit, and is advised to participate in a program by his friend that turned his whole life around.
Well, turns out Quitters, Inc is a group of pragmatists who will go to ANY length to help you quit. They convert 98% of their participants! Those other 2%? Well. They'll quit one way...or another.
Great story! Part of his Night Shift collection.
Anyway- this was actually a pretty good story. I don't know if King ever struggled with smoking? But I definitely sympathized with the main character. He's trying to turn his life around and Quit, and is advised to participate in a program by his friend that turned his whole life around.
Well, turns out Quitters, Inc is a group of pragmatists who will go to ANY length to help you quit. They convert 98% of their participants! Those other 2%? Well. They'll quit one way...or another.
Great story! Part of his Night Shift collection.
December 2, 2023
A story that inspired the 2007 Anurag Kashyap directed Hindi film "No Smoking", is one hell of a tale that I had been wanting to re-read since the last few years; and at long last it came. This one's one of my ultimate favourites, amongst the lovely bizarre ideas that King ever put forth within his books! :D
November 22, 2023
Dick Morrison is struggling with several self-destructive addictions from compulsive smoking to rapid eating that haunt him every second of his life. He wants to quit but just can't resist the urges. That all changes when he stumbles upon his old addict friend who seems to have gotten himself completely cleaned up and addiction free. His friend gives him a membership to an organization called Quitters Inc. They have a staggering 98% success rate for curing any addiction. There's a catch though. These guys won't just help you quit your addictions, they'll scare them out of you by any means necessary, no matter how long it takes.
My favorite short story from King's Night Shift. It has just the right amount of creepiness, funniness and weirdness. It also has one of the more satisfying endings out of most of these short stories.
My favorite short story from King's Night Shift. It has just the right amount of creepiness, funniness and weirdness. It also has one of the more satisfying endings out of most of these short stories.
June 4, 2021
Την λάτρεψα την συγκεκριμένη ιστορία!
August 31, 2021
My first King work!!
Loved it. Never thought a 20 page work could give a wholesome after-feeling. The way it ended, NICE! Well if this is how all King's works are, am sure am going to be head over heels for him pretty soon! 😅
Loved it. Never thought a 20 page work could give a wholesome after-feeling. The way it ended, NICE! Well if this is how all King's works are, am sure am going to be head over heels for him pretty soon! 😅
September 15, 2017
I'm glad I was able to quit on my own...
July 26, 2024
A very “smooth” and quick read by King. Being heavy on dialogue sure helps…
On fhe flip side, you really have to suspend your disbelief and take a few points for granted in order to reach the climax and still appreciate the story.
For instance, if everything happens in fhe real world (and we don’t have any reason to believe otherwise), why doesn’t Dick (our “hero”) go to the police, or even deal with the Quitters employee that torments him out of the office building. Dick is way too tame and doesn’t react adequately … and, also as being mentioned a few times by other reviewers- it is hard to accept Dick’s wife being so cool and understanding after the treatment she received (avoiding spoilers). It seemed almost like an easy choice by King to wrap up the story he was due to send to the magazine as soon as possible.
Anyway, the story is fun, Twilight zone like, reads very quickly and ends in a pretty satisfactory manner.
3.5/5
On fhe flip side, you really have to suspend your disbelief and take a few points for granted in order to reach the climax and still appreciate the story.
For instance, if everything happens in fhe real world (and we don’t have any reason to believe otherwise), why doesn’t Dick (our “hero”) go to the police, or even deal with the Quitters employee that torments him out of the office building. Dick is way too tame and doesn’t react adequately … and, also as being mentioned a few times by other reviewers- it is hard to accept Dick’s wife being so cool and understanding after the treatment she received (avoiding spoilers). It seemed almost like an easy choice by King to wrap up the story he was due to send to the magazine as soon as possible.
Anyway, the story is fun, Twilight zone like, reads very quickly and ends in a pretty satisfactory manner.
3.5/5
December 5, 2012
No one does creepy better than Stephen King.
How far would you go to quit an addiction?
What happens when the stakes are upped so much that there is no other alternative but to quit?
Are you ready to face the consequences of your lack of dedication to a cause?
Initially, I wasn't a big fan of the kind of horror Stephen King writes. But he drew me in eventually.
It's like I hate the man for writing such gruesome stories and love him for the kind of effect he has on his readers, including me. His skillful narration pulls you in when you are least expecting it and suddenly you are under his spell, unable to get away of your own volition. Stephen King books are dark, dreary, depressing and every shade of grisly there is. King has the uncanny ability of invading the farthest nooks and corners of your mind, where your most basic fears reside in a state of hibernation. And then poking and prodding them till they awake and raise their seemingly innocuous heads, transform into menacing monsters and threaten to engulf you as a whole. That is what his works do to me, at least.
Quitter's Inc is no different. A short story but the impact created is no less terrifying than any of the standard Stephen King novels. And the horror bit aside, it gives out a very strong message on addiction, the significance of quitting and having the strength to choose what's good for you.
'Cause if you don't quit, Lord help you! *sinister smile*
How far would you go to quit an addiction?
What happens when the stakes are upped so much that there is no other alternative but to quit?
Are you ready to face the consequences of your lack of dedication to a cause?
Initially, I wasn't a big fan of the kind of horror Stephen King writes. But he drew me in eventually.
It's like I hate the man for writing such gruesome stories and love him for the kind of effect he has on his readers, including me. His skillful narration pulls you in when you are least expecting it and suddenly you are under his spell, unable to get away of your own volition. Stephen King books are dark, dreary, depressing and every shade of grisly there is. King has the uncanny ability of invading the farthest nooks and corners of your mind, where your most basic fears reside in a state of hibernation. And then poking and prodding them till they awake and raise their seemingly innocuous heads, transform into menacing monsters and threaten to engulf you as a whole. That is what his works do to me, at least.
Quitter's Inc is no different. A short story but the impact created is no less terrifying than any of the standard Stephen King novels. And the horror bit aside, it gives out a very strong message on addiction, the significance of quitting and having the strength to choose what's good for you.
'Cause if you don't quit, Lord help you! *sinister smile*
July 4, 2022
Quitters, Inc. by Stephen King
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5*)
Eventhough the title and the cover were quite revealing, I didn‘t think about cigarettes or quitting them.
Go into this very short story by knowing as little as possible and just let yourself sink into it. 🙂🚬
I think the whole idea is really cool and I liked the Audible Audiobook very much. I guess you either like the narrator or hate him but I thought it matches the story very well. 👍🏻
If you are looking for a short but genius story… look no further, Mr. King has you covered! 😁👍🏻🚭
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5*)
Eventhough the title and the cover were quite revealing, I didn‘t think about cigarettes or quitting them.
Go into this very short story by knowing as little as possible and just let yourself sink into it. 🙂🚬
I think the whole idea is really cool and I liked the Audible Audiobook very much. I guess you either like the narrator or hate him but I thought it matches the story very well. 👍🏻
If you are looking for a short but genius story… look no further, Mr. King has you covered! 😁👍🏻🚭
August 31, 2016
Gosh! This was creepy as hell, but somehow made a lot of sense. Rather than asking how far one can go to quit smoking this book asks how much you love your loved ones to quit it. Amazing concept!
October 12, 2017
This is one of the four stories in Night Shift I was looking forward to the most (the others being "The Mangler," "Trucks," and "Children of the Corn"). This one delivered.
The "Quitters, Inc." segment of Cat's Eye was always my favorite because it's so ridiculous. Basically a guy unwittingly hires the mob to help him quit smoking, and their tactics fall into the category of "strong arming."
"After the tenth transgression, you become one of the unregenerate two percent, but even they never smoke again. We guarantee it."
One thing missing from the story is the party scene where Dick is jonesing for a fix so bad that he starts seeing all kinds of psychedelic shit related to cigarettes.
This is what you see with nicotine withdrawals, so if you currently smoke, don't quit!
I've been smoke free for six and a half years myself, but I did it with Chantix which gives you some great dreams! I'm glad I didn't have to resort to consulting this crew because they also monitor your weight. If you gain too much, unpleasant things are done to your loved ones. I gained 80 pounds over the course of those first six years, 30 of them in the first month alone! (I've since lost 50 in the past six months). So, if you smoke, don't quit; you get fat. 80 pounds is way over the limit Quitters, Inc. finds acceptable, so I'm sure I would've become one of the unregenerate obese had I commissioned their assistance.
And here's Mark Twain with some thoughts on smoking in general.
“When they used to tell me I would shorten my life ten years by smoking, they little knew the devotee they were wasting their puerile words upon -- they little knew how trivial & valueless I would regard a decade that had no smoking in it!”
Yeah, there's that. I do miss my coffin nails sometimes. I enjoyed them, and there was the cool factor. I know, I know, "they're not cool, they're stupid, and dorky, derpa derr, derrrr." Perhaps "suave" is a better word. Cool and suave are in the eye of the beholder, and some smokers were damn smooth. In spite of my overall clumsiness in general, I was smooth and graceful in all of my carcinogenic inhalation related activities. I could light a zippo faster with one hand than almost anyone else ever could with two, then have it tucked back out of sight before you could begin to wonder how I had managed to light my fag. My butt discard was impressive. Ah, those were the days.
I quit for several reasons. A major part was money (I was unemployed at the time). Part of it was health. (They put so many chemicals in those things nowadays that didn't used to be there). And another major part was to get the smug, self-righteous, anti-smoking crowd to just shut the fuck up. It took a few years, but I guess they wore me down, though I don't think I would've quit had cigarettes still been more affordable. And I'm referring to people in my own life such as relatives and... friends? I guess you could call them friends, but they weren't very good ones if they couldn't accept me for who I was after I politely, but firmly, suggested they let it go. Still, they were more than mere acquaintances or coworkers. Some were the people who would bring it up if you had a cold, coughed, or anything. Any ailment, even a hangnail, was linked back to smoking, and thrown in my face. It was nice to ask them "Weren't you sick just last week?" sometimes. But no, I was assured that we didn't have the same cold that was going around. Mine was smoking related according to these experts. (And an expert is any jackass with a briefcase who's 100 miles from home).
Pshaw!
And the anti-cigarette campaign in society actually has the opposite affect on me. Every time I see a truth.com commercial, I consider picking up the habit again out of spite. Hmmm... I still seem to be pretty bitter about some of this. I better work on that. At least the warnings on Canadian cigarette packages make me laugh.
I seem to have strayed away from the story. I thought it was awesome and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good yarn with some slight terror elements in it.
The "Quitters, Inc." segment of Cat's Eye was always my favorite because it's so ridiculous. Basically a guy unwittingly hires the mob to help him quit smoking, and their tactics fall into the category of "strong arming."
"After the tenth transgression, you become one of the unregenerate two percent, but even they never smoke again. We guarantee it."
One thing missing from the story is the party scene where Dick is jonesing for a fix so bad that he starts seeing all kinds of psychedelic shit related to cigarettes.
This is what you see with nicotine withdrawals, so if you currently smoke, don't quit!
I've been smoke free for six and a half years myself, but I did it with Chantix which gives you some great dreams! I'm glad I didn't have to resort to consulting this crew because they also monitor your weight. If you gain too much, unpleasant things are done to your loved ones. I gained 80 pounds over the course of those first six years, 30 of them in the first month alone! (I've since lost 50 in the past six months). So, if you smoke, don't quit; you get fat. 80 pounds is way over the limit Quitters, Inc. finds acceptable, so I'm sure I would've become one of the unregenerate obese had I commissioned their assistance.
And here's Mark Twain with some thoughts on smoking in general.
“When they used to tell me I would shorten my life ten years by smoking, they little knew the devotee they were wasting their puerile words upon -- they little knew how trivial & valueless I would regard a decade that had no smoking in it!”
Yeah, there's that. I do miss my coffin nails sometimes. I enjoyed them, and there was the cool factor. I know, I know, "they're not cool, they're stupid, and dorky, derpa derr, derrrr." Perhaps "suave" is a better word. Cool and suave are in the eye of the beholder, and some smokers were damn smooth. In spite of my overall clumsiness in general, I was smooth and graceful in all of my carcinogenic inhalation related activities. I could light a zippo faster with one hand than almost anyone else ever could with two, then have it tucked back out of sight before you could begin to wonder how I had managed to light my fag. My butt discard was impressive. Ah, those were the days.
I quit for several reasons. A major part was money (I was unemployed at the time). Part of it was health. (They put so many chemicals in those things nowadays that didn't used to be there). And another major part was to get the smug, self-righteous, anti-smoking crowd to just shut the fuck up. It took a few years, but I guess they wore me down, though I don't think I would've quit had cigarettes still been more affordable. And I'm referring to people in my own life such as relatives and... friends? I guess you could call them friends, but they weren't very good ones if they couldn't accept me for who I was after I politely, but firmly, suggested they let it go. Still, they were more than mere acquaintances or coworkers. Some were the people who would bring it up if you had a cold, coughed, or anything. Any ailment, even a hangnail, was linked back to smoking, and thrown in my face. It was nice to ask them "Weren't you sick just last week?" sometimes. But no, I was assured that we didn't have the same cold that was going around. Mine was smoking related according to these experts. (And an expert is any jackass with a briefcase who's 100 miles from home).
Pshaw!
And the anti-cigarette campaign in society actually has the opposite affect on me. Every time I see a truth.com commercial, I consider picking up the habit again out of spite. Hmmm... I still seem to be pretty bitter about some of this. I better work on that. At least the warnings on Canadian cigarette packages make me laugh.
I seem to have strayed away from the story. I thought it was awesome and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good yarn with some slight terror elements in it.
January 15, 2022
Way back in history (1985 to be exact) Stephen King was in the process of taking over the world, and he released the anthology movie Cat's Eye. The story Quitters Inc. was always my favorite episode in the anthology. It could be because James Woods plays in it, and I have had an obsession with him ever since Videodrome, but for whatever reason the story just stuck with me. Imagine my glee when I found out it was actually a short story! Better yet, I found a free copy here. For the record, I do not condone pirating intellectual properties, and I'm sure this is a legitimate copy.
This is almost scene for scene the story I remember seeing as a youth, the only change being a switch from a rabbit to a cat, and the protagonist has a son in the story. Drew Barrymore is a fine young actress in this movie, but she would have been challenged to play a boy. Go ahead and give this 14 page short story which is a darkly humorous tale about how far some "made men" will go to ensure their clients quit smoking a try. I don't think you will be sorry.
This is almost scene for scene the story I remember seeing as a youth, the only change being a switch from a rabbit to a cat, and the protagonist has a son in the story. Drew Barrymore is a fine young actress in this movie, but she would have been challenged to play a boy. Go ahead and give this 14 page short story which is a darkly humorous tale about how far some "made men" will go to ensure their clients quit smoking a try. I don't think you will be sorry.
March 18, 2018
Always good with Stephen King. I wish it was a little longer of a story though.
December 3, 2017
One of my favourite books by Stephen king. Recommended.
December 16, 2024
Well, that's one way to quit smoking!
February 19, 2024
'Quitters, Inc.' by Stephen King.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
Stephen King's Night Shift collection seems to contain one banger of a story after another. I won't say that this was a scary story, but it was alarmingly disturbing. I'm not a smoker, but as a healthcare professional, I have worked with several individuals struggling with addiction issues and those trying to get over it. Getting over an addiction is hard, and this book's depiction of it is as close as it gets while adding Stephen King's twists and turns.
It was astonishing how effortlessly the story sucked me in and made me empathetic towards Morrison's attempts to get over his addiction issues as the events unfolded in this story. I was as horrified as him when he succumbed to his urges, and his wife had to bear the punishment for his minor yet grave error.
The concept that someone can keep a tab on you and your family and adopt such extreme measures to keep your addiction in check is extremely scary! Stephen King excels at portraying the human psyche, and I wonder if he was battling his addiction demons while writing this story in particular.
'I hope you rot in hell,' he told Donatti.
Donatti sighed. 'If I had a nickel for every time someone expressed a similar sentiment, I could retire. Let it be a lesson to you, Mr Morrison. When a romantic tries to do a good thing and fails, they give him a medal. When a pragmatist succeeds, they wish him in hell. Shall we go?'
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
Stephen King's Night Shift collection seems to contain one banger of a story after another. I won't say that this was a scary story, but it was alarmingly disturbing. I'm not a smoker, but as a healthcare professional, I have worked with several individuals struggling with addiction issues and those trying to get over it. Getting over an addiction is hard, and this book's depiction of it is as close as it gets while adding Stephen King's twists and turns.
It was astonishing how effortlessly the story sucked me in and made me empathetic towards Morrison's attempts to get over his addiction issues as the events unfolded in this story. I was as horrified as him when he succumbed to his urges, and his wife had to bear the punishment for his minor yet grave error.
The concept that someone can keep a tab on you and your family and adopt such extreme measures to keep your addiction in check is extremely scary! Stephen King excels at portraying the human psyche, and I wonder if he was battling his addiction demons while writing this story in particular.
May 25, 2011
This is a short story by Stephen King, which was recently been released in audio format. The story was dramatized in the movie “Cat’s Eye” back in 1985, which featured three of King’s short stories.
It is a typical King story -- dark and twisted with a bit of dark humour – about a man who is a chain-smoker who runs into an old college friend who gives him the business card of a firm called “Quitters, Inc.” who he says helped him to kick the habit. The main character, Dick Morrison, decides to contact the firm, more out of curiosity than a true desire to quit...and the results are not quite what he expects!
I enjoyed it.
It was narrated by Eric Roberts. I found the jazz music playing at the beginning of the book to be a little distracting, making it difficult to hear Eric’s narration until the music faded into the background and then finally ceased.
It is a typical King story -- dark and twisted with a bit of dark humour – about a man who is a chain-smoker who runs into an old college friend who gives him the business card of a firm called “Quitters, Inc.” who he says helped him to kick the habit. The main character, Dick Morrison, decides to contact the firm, more out of curiosity than a true desire to quit...and the results are not quite what he expects!
I enjoyed it.
It was narrated by Eric Roberts. I found the jazz music playing at the beginning of the book to be a little distracting, making it difficult to hear Eric’s narration until the music faded into the background and then finally ceased.
March 7, 2015
Chilling but so well done!!! I couldn't stop this story, I had to finish it from the moment I started ^^ I didn't know if I wanted to know where the story was going but at the same time it could have been worse for me if I hadn't finished due to imagination! I recommend it very much!
December 13, 2017
Unlike its short adaptation, I quite enjoyed Quitters, Inc. It was fun and sick.
June 29, 2023
King is King. He proves yet another time. The ending had me reeling
March 13, 2012
My Favorite Stephen King Story
Read by Eric Roberts
Duration: 45 minutes.
It is true that with all of Stephen King's lengthy tales, my favorites are usually the shorter ones and Quitters, Inc. is probably Stephen King's shortest story. It was originally part of his book of short stories called Night Shift and was one of three stories in the 1985 movie Cat's Eye.
The premise of the story is really cleverly simple. What if you went to a non-smoking clinic that was run by the mafia? Dick Morrison meets an old friend who has kicked the smoking habit who tells him that if he visits Quitters, Inc. they will get him off cigarettes and change his life for the better. Morrison laughs off the suggestion but eventually does go for an initial consultation out of curiosity about their methods.
I cannot divulge any more about this very short story without introducing spoilers except to say that their methods are anything but AMA approved, but they do work.
The story is read by Academy award nominated actor Eric Roberts. Roberts gives an understated performance, like a man telling a story at the end of a bar after a long night. But, it works perfectly with the characterization of the mobster counselor at Quitters, Inc.
http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
Read by Eric Roberts
Duration: 45 minutes.
It is true that with all of Stephen King's lengthy tales, my favorites are usually the shorter ones and Quitters, Inc. is probably Stephen King's shortest story. It was originally part of his book of short stories called Night Shift and was one of three stories in the 1985 movie Cat's Eye.
The premise of the story is really cleverly simple. What if you went to a non-smoking clinic that was run by the mafia? Dick Morrison meets an old friend who has kicked the smoking habit who tells him that if he visits Quitters, Inc. they will get him off cigarettes and change his life for the better. Morrison laughs off the suggestion but eventually does go for an initial consultation out of curiosity about their methods.
I cannot divulge any more about this very short story without introducing spoilers except to say that their methods are anything but AMA approved, but they do work.
The story is read by Academy award nominated actor Eric Roberts. Roberts gives an understated performance, like a man telling a story at the end of a bar after a long night. But, it works perfectly with the characterization of the mobster counselor at Quitters, Inc.
http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews