The Shining is a seminal work of horror by acclaimed author Stephen King. Published in 1977, King's third novel swiftly became a hardcover bestseller. The story unfolds within the eerie confines of the Overlook Hotel, located in the Colorado Rockies, where the troubled Jack Torrance has taken up a position as the winter caretaker. Along with his wife, Wendy, he brings his young son, Danny, a boy who seems to be developing telepathic abilities. Isolated by snowstorms, the family faces the malevolent presence within the hotel that seeks to corrupt Jack and endanger his family.
The Shining dives deep into the psychosis induced by isolation and explores themes of alcoholism, domestic violence, and the fragility of the human mind as well as the supernatural. Draws heavily on his personal experiences, including his struggles with substance abuse, and his familiarity with The Stanley Hotel, the real-life inspiration for the novel's setting, King imbues his novel with an atmosphere of tension and foreboding.
The novel's legacy includes adaptations into a critically acclaimed 1980 film directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack Nicholson, a 1997 miniseries, and a sequel, Doctor Sleep, published in 2013, which further explores the life of Danny Torrance. The Shining remains a landmark work, securing its author's reputation as the king of horror.
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Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is a prolific American author dubbed the "King of Horror" and also renowned for his contributions to supernatural fiction, suspense, and fantasy. His extensive body of work includes more than 50 novels, around 200 short stories, and several nonfiction books, with more than 350 million copies of his works sold worldwide. His debut novel, Carrie, was published in 1974, paving the way for a series of horror fiction bestsellers, including Salem's Lot, The Shining, The Stand, Pet Sematary, Christine, and The Dead Zone. His stories have been adapted into numerous successful films, television series, and miniseries.
Born in 1947, in Portland, Maine, King experienced abandonment and financial hardship from an early age. He was raised by a single mother from the age of two, when his father left the family. Through difficulties, King found solace in reading and writing. His education at the University of Maine at Orono further honed his skills, leading to his first published short story, "The Glass Floor," in 1967. Before achieving success as a writer, King worked various jobs, including a stint as an English teacher at Hampden Academy, Maine.
Throughout his career, King has received numerous awards for his contributions to literature, including the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the Edgar Award for Best Novel in recognition of his crime thriller Mr. Mercedes. He co-wrote the screenplay for The Stand, showcasing his versatility and commitment to storytelling.
King continues to be a significant figure in American literature, celebrated for his exploration of the darkest corners of the human psyche, his richly drawn characters, and his unflinching examination of contemporary society. He lives in Maine with his wife, Tabitha King, also a novelist. They have three adult children: a daughter, Naomi, and two sons, the writer Joe Hill and Owen King, who collaborated with his father on the novel Sleeping Beauties.
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