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The Body
Decades after starring in the film adaptation, Wil Wheaton narrates an all-new recording of the story that shaped a generation!
#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s timeless novella “The Body”—originally published in his short story collection Different Seasons, and adapted into the film classic Stand by Me—is now available as a stand-alone publication.
It’s 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truths of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of a future.
A timeless exploration of the loneliness and isolation of young adulthood, Stephen King’s The Body is an iconic, unforgettable, coming-of-age story.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s timeless novella “The Body”—originally published in his short story collection Different Seasons, and adapted into the film classic Stand by Me—is now available as a stand-alone publication.
It’s 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truths of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of a future.
A timeless exploration of the loneliness and isolation of young adulthood, Stephen King’s The Body is an iconic, unforgettable, coming-of-age story.
Audiobook
Published March 24, 2026
29 people are currently reading
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About the author
Stephen King
2,292 books892k 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 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 3, 2026
I am a little biased because Stand by Me is my favorite movie, and I am on a week where I saw the movie in theaters twice, once with the remaining main stars, and they did a Q&A after. I like that this version is unabridged. I’m sure Stephen King would like to remove some of the slurs he used while writing it, and I’m sure it pains Wil Wheaton to narrate some of it, when he re-wrote his autobiography over due to his immaturity when he was younger. 1982 was a much different time. It was cool hearing the differences between the movie and the novella. When I first read the book I thought it was word-for-word almost, but now that I’m listening to it 20 years later I can see all the changes they do for the movie, and with great execution. Stephen King and Rob Reiner are both masters of their craft, along with the screenplay writers. I love this book and I love the changes for the movie.
March 29, 2026
The Body surprised me. I went in thinking it would be a 3 star at best, but the characters are so well written and had me laughing out loud multiple times. They felt real and oddly familiar which is what I loved about this book. No high fantasy world building with impossible odds or a sci-fi spaceship attempting to save the planet from impending doom. No. It was a simple coming-of-age story about four tough but flawed kids looking for a corpse. Now I wasn’t a fan of the short stories embedded in the book, but with that said, The Body was a satisfying read.
Chris Chambers is a boss 💯
Chris Chambers is a boss 💯
March 30, 2026
Having never seen the movie Stand By Me - I wanted to read this book narrated by Wil Wheaton. Such an awesome audio reading. Wil Wheaton is exceptional. And now off to see the movie! Thank you Wil and Stephen King for a thought provoking journey in the lives of these boys.
March 28, 2026
I won’t rate the text with stars. Instead, I’ll give stars for the narration.
This new audiobook adaptation has a power all its own, almost as if the story had been written to be read aloud.
The narration is so powerful—you can feel the intensity, the rhythm, the anger, the camaraderie, the mockery—but always with that sense of brotherhood and complicity, of completing the mission.
I liked it.
Every Stephen King book I read or listen to has a certain magic.
In this case, the way he recounts an event, an episode from his life that we can assume is true. Such is the intensity and complicity between the four boys.
Halfway through the book, I had the feeling that any of my childhood summers could fit into a book. Me and a much larger group of friends did some memorable things. Would anyone want to read about my adventures? I don’t know…
As for Stephen King, in the end he also says he had the same doubt, but there it is… published. In book form, in film, as an audiobook, in his memory, and in the collective memory of Stephen King’s fans.
This new audiobook adaptation has a power all its own, almost as if the story had been written to be read aloud.
The narration is so powerful—you can feel the intensity, the rhythm, the anger, the camaraderie, the mockery—but always with that sense of brotherhood and complicity, of completing the mission.
I liked it.
Every Stephen King book I read or listen to has a certain magic.
In this case, the way he recounts an event, an episode from his life that we can assume is true. Such is the intensity and complicity between the four boys.
Halfway through the book, I had the feeling that any of my childhood summers could fit into a book. Me and a much larger group of friends did some memorable things. Would anyone want to read about my adventures? I don’t know…
As for Stephen King, in the end he also says he had the same doubt, but there it is… published. In book form, in film, as an audiobook, in his memory, and in the collective memory of Stephen King’s fans.
[…] I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. […]
March 28, 2026
I was almost 60% into this book when I finally gave up. Stephen King usually holds my interest, but I don’t know if it’s because it was just a bunch of young kids that the story wasn’t relevant to me, but I just couldn’t plod through any more of it. In my humble opinion, this is one case where the movie was better than the book.
March 30, 2026
Even though I've gone read through The Body several times, I really wanted to hear Will Wheaton's voice since he played one of the characters. What a treat! He delivered an absolutely perfect performance.
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone” #standbyme
"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone” #standbyme
April 3, 2026
New audiobook read by Will Wheaton, Gordy from the film version, Stand by Me. Lots of cringy language coming at it from a 2026 perspective, but still trains one of my favorite King stories. And come on- one of the best book to film adaptations of all time.
March 26, 2026
I highly recommend this book and recording! This is a fine book with Stephen King at his best as a writer. Also, it is great to hear Wil Wheaton do an excellent job of reading and recording the book.
March 26, 2026
absolutely love it. the characters are so well written.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews