Book Bearings
The Shining
- 506 pages · about 8 hours
- First published 1977
- 97 editions
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1 About this book
The Shining is a 1977 horror novel by American author Stephen King. It is King's third published novel and first hardcover bestseller; its success firmly established King as a preeminent author in the horror genre. The setting and characters are influenced by King's personal experiences, including his visit to The Stanley Hotel in 1974 and his struggle with alcoholism. The novel was adapted into a 1980 film and a 1997 miniseries. The book was followed by a sequel, Doctor Sleep, published in 2013, which in turn was adapted into a 2019 film.
The Shining centers on Jack Torrance, a struggling writer and recovering alcoholic who accepts a position as the off-season caretaker of the historic Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. His family accompanies him on this job, including his young son, Danny, who possesses "the shining", an array of psychic abilities that allow the child to glimpse the hotel's horrific true nature.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Horror
- Thrillers, psychological
- Thrillers
- Military History
- Demonology
- Precognition
- Authors
- Haunted houses
2 What to expect
A writer takes his wife and psychic young son to look after a snowbound hotel for the winter. A slow-building horror story about addiction and a family under threat, with violence.
Good for readers who want: horror, a haunted hotel, and a long read.
3 About Stephen King
Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
4 More by Stephen King
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