I first read this book eight years ago, when I was a mere 13 years of age. It was the second work by Stephen King that I had read, and I was hooked on the first page. The magic that wasn't in the middle -- but around the edges -- has captivated me time and time again. It is my all time favorite book, and I recommend it to everyone I know. I think I have read it 25 times and it strikes me in a different way every time. Going from a young child to an adult reader was an amazing experience with this novel. I don't think I can put into words how much this book means to me. King is a literary genius who succeeds in weaving his stories together. Even his most fantastic works take place in the same world as his more humanistic stories, and that is something that only a genius can do.