From the Journal

Personal essays on the books we've mapped — what we found in the pages, where the locations led us, and why each one stuck.

April 29, 2026 · on The Stand by Stephen King

Under the blanket with The Stand

My parents had a rule: any R-rated movie was fine, as long as I'd read the book first. That rule led me to The Stand at 12 — and to one of the most vivid reading memories I still carry.