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Slade
"Slade." The Maine Campus June-August 1970.
"Slade" is in some ways the most exciting of King1s uncollected juvenalia, an engaging explosion of off the wall humor, literary pastiche, and cultural criticism, all masquerading as a Western - the adventures of Slade and his quest for Miss Polly Peachtree of Paduka. Published in several installments in the UMO college newspaper during the summer following King's graduation, the story is most important in showing King reveling in the joy of writing.
"Slade" is in some ways the most exciting of King1s uncollected juvenalia, an engaging explosion of off the wall humor, literary pastiche, and cultural criticism, all masquerading as a Western - the adventures of Slade and his quest for Miss Polly Peachtree of Paduka. Published in several installments in the UMO college newspaper during the summer following King's graduation, the story is most important in showing King reveling in the joy of writing.
31 pages, ebook
First published June 1, 1970
192 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,388 books890k 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.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 23, 2019
Available for FREE online:
https://www.stephen-king.de/the-dark-...
I first heard of Slade in early June of 2016. I never would've known it existed if I hadn’t seen it on my Goodreads news feed. I feel particularly indebted to that individual. Thank you.
As I eventually learned, Slade was originally published by the Maine Campus, in serial installments from June-August, 1970, while Steve King was still a student at the University of Maine. I also gleaned that it was one of his earlier writings, and that believing it to be “juvenile,” King pulled it (years later,) from publication. Obviously, one can still find it online, but apparently it’s kind of rare, and therefore hard to obtain. In fact, the original link provided via Goodreads is no longer active. The site’s expired. Thankfully, my good friend, Hans (a fierce collector,) found the latter link and send it my way. I really can’t thank you enough.
This tale (which is said to be thirty-one pages but read as though it was much shorter,) being a western parody, shouldn't be mandatory King reading. Perhaps more accurately, it’s a completists dream. However, I don’t regret the hour or so it took me to finish it. There were several recurring themes, as well as tone and mood, that one sees in later books, like The Dark Tower and The Regulators, to name a few, and it’s always fun to discover those little Easter Eggs, although I’m not sure this qualifies as being connected to his magnum opus. Most telling of all, though, was King’s infectious sense of humor. This was hilarious in ways surpassing any of the humor in his other work, which obviously stemmed from this being a parody. It was, for me, so over-the-top that it was kind of difficult to take seriously. And there some serious elements at play, too.
Aside from a few details that were needlessly repeated throughout-to the point of minor irritation-- and a seemingly abject lack of pathos (which may or might not have been intentional,) this was actually better than expected, and I can't really complain.
My gosh, how I adore Jack Slade. The man. The gunslinger.
https://www.stephen-king.de/the-dark-...
I first heard of Slade in early June of 2016. I never would've known it existed if I hadn’t seen it on my Goodreads news feed. I feel particularly indebted to that individual. Thank you.
As I eventually learned, Slade was originally published by the Maine Campus, in serial installments from June-August, 1970, while Steve King was still a student at the University of Maine. I also gleaned that it was one of his earlier writings, and that believing it to be “juvenile,” King pulled it (years later,) from publication. Obviously, one can still find it online, but apparently it’s kind of rare, and therefore hard to obtain. In fact, the original link provided via Goodreads is no longer active. The site’s expired. Thankfully, my good friend, Hans (a fierce collector,) found the latter link and send it my way. I really can’t thank you enough.
They came in huge beer steins and smelled like the wrath of God.
This tale (which is said to be thirty-one pages but read as though it was much shorter,) being a western parody, shouldn't be mandatory King reading. Perhaps more accurately, it’s a completists dream. However, I don’t regret the hour or so it took me to finish it. There were several recurring themes, as well as tone and mood, that one sees in later books, like The Dark Tower and The Regulators, to name a few, and it’s always fun to discover those little Easter Eggs, although I’m not sure this qualifies as being connected to his magnum opus. Most telling of all, though, was King’s infectious sense of humor. This was hilarious in ways surpassing any of the humor in his other work, which obviously stemmed from this being a parody. It was, for me, so over-the-top that it was kind of difficult to take seriously. And there some serious elements at play, too.
Aside from a few details that were needlessly repeated throughout-to the point of minor irritation-- and a seemingly abject lack of pathos (which may or might not have been intentional,) this was actually better than expected, and I can't really complain.
My gosh, how I adore Jack Slade. The man. The gunslinger.
June 8, 2015
(Uncollected and Unpublished by Rocky Wood)
The only reason this story got 2 stars instead of one is because I made myself finish it.
In 1970, Slade, a short story of about 5,000 words, was published in eight installments in the student newspaper, The Maine Campus. It's a Western parody about gunslinger, Jack Slade, who protects a damsel in distress against some outlaws.
A forerunner of The Gunslinger perhaps?
I realize this is supposed to be a parody, but it didn’t work for me. It’s dreadful. And even though it’s only 34 pages on my laptop, I ended up skimming, just to get it over and done with.
And as for his dead love…I wish he’d make up his mind if she was Miss Polly Peachtree of Paduka, or Miss Polly Paduka of Peachtree, Illinois.
August 9, 2015
a western parody. although it would only feel like a parody when slade confronts the villain.
April 29, 2017
I laughed quite a bit through this story. Some of the most ridiculous situations and actions done by Slade. I say it's definitely worth a read.
January 9, 2026
Utilizando sátiras e paródias, King escreve um conto para ser publicado em um jornal de universidade. Em paralelo a Roland, o pistoleiro, no conto há relações diretas e indiretas com a saga, além de metáforas da vida pessoal do autor.
September 17, 2019
Rubbish
July 7, 2023
A funny short about a gunslinger protecting his former love.
January 12, 2026
This is like a 10 page shitpost, pretty entertaining
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews