Stephen King is one of the most prolific writers of our time. His books have sold more than 150 million copies worldwide, pointing to legions of devoted fans. And yet the literary establishment remains divided on his merit. Although he won the Nation

Horror stories ask life's big questions: What does it mean to be human? What is man and what is animal? What is death? Can death be postponed or stopped? Does every human being have both a good and a hateful side? That's one reason to read them.

I find it interesting that vampires have such staying power. So far, public interest hasn't flagged, if the number of bestselling books and popular TV shows are any indication. I'm rather partial to ghosts and hauntings myself, but being a horror a