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The Shinning
Paperback
Published January 1, 1978
About the author
Stephen King
2,131 books896k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 29, 2026
I watched the 1980 (Jack Nicholson) version long ago and thought the movie was ok, but remembered hearing King’s criticism of the movie wondering why he disliked it. Now after reading the book, I understand the critique and have to agree.
The book was really well done, and is of course much more cohesive as a whole. You better understand what is haunting the Overlook and these visions make some sense (unlike certain elements of the movie). I have to say that the casting from Kubric’s film (Nicholson, especially) were fantastic. These were the characters I envisioned as I was reading the book.
Also, I have read a few books by King, and this has got to be one of my favorites so far. The story never has a dull moment. I think sometimes King can be a little bit too wordy, but I didn’t have that problem with this story. If you want to read something by Stephen King, read this book!
The book was really well done, and is of course much more cohesive as a whole. You better understand what is haunting the Overlook and these visions make some sense (unlike certain elements of the movie). I have to say that the casting from Kubric’s film (Nicholson, especially) were fantastic. These were the characters I envisioned as I was reading the book.
Also, I have read a few books by King, and this has got to be one of my favorites so far. The story never has a dull moment. I think sometimes King can be a little bit too wordy, but I didn’t have that problem with this story. If you want to read something by Stephen King, read this book!
April 11, 2026
Stephen King miêu tả nhân vật sâu sắc đến mức mình thấy cả phần "con" lẫn phần "người" của chính mình trong đó. Nội tâm phức tạp, hành động toan tính, Jack Torrance trong truyện là một bi kịch của sự tha hóa hơn là một kẻ sát nhân thuần túy.
Mình đã xem luôn bản điện ảnh từ Stanley Kubrick. Tác phẩm thực sự là đỉnh cao thị giác nhưng cảm giác thiếu "hồn" mà Stephen King đã cho vào mẫu truyện gốc. Và xem xong phim mình mới hiểu tại sao King lại "ghét cay ghét đắng" bản thích nghi này, khi mà
Overlook: Trong sách, khách sạn như một thực thể sống đầy bí hiểm. Trong phim, nó thiên về sự cô độc và ám ảnh thị giác.
Gia đình Torrance: Mối quan hệ ba người trong truyện gắn kết và đau đớn hơn nhiều. Phim của Kubrick cực kỳ nghệ thuật nhưng lại làm mất đi cái "chất" tâm lý đặc trưng của nguyên tác.
Nếu muốn bị "thao túng tâm lý" và bị cuốn vào một mê cung cảm xúc, và để thấu hiểu sự mục nát của con người, thì bạn nhất định phải đọc sách!
Mình đã xem luôn bản điện ảnh từ Stanley Kubrick. Tác phẩm thực sự là đỉnh cao thị giác nhưng cảm giác thiếu "hồn" mà Stephen King đã cho vào mẫu truyện gốc. Và xem xong phim mình mới hiểu tại sao King lại "ghét cay ghét đắng" bản thích nghi này, khi mà
Overlook: Trong sách, khách sạn như một thực thể sống đầy bí hiểm. Trong phim, nó thiên về sự cô độc và ám ảnh thị giác.
Gia đình Torrance: Mối quan hệ ba người trong truyện gắn kết và đau đớn hơn nhiều. Phim của Kubrick cực kỳ nghệ thuật nhưng lại làm mất đi cái "chất" tâm lý đặc trưng của nguyên tác.
Nếu muốn bị "thao túng tâm lý" và bị cuốn vào một mê cung cảm xúc, và để thấu hiểu sự mục nát của con người, thì bạn nhất định phải đọc sách!
June 30, 2026
Jack Torrance accepts a job as the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel, bringing his wife Wendy and young son Danny along with him. As the hotel becomes snowbound, Danny’s psychic abilities begin to reveal the building’s dark and violent history, while Jack slowly succumbs to the malevolent forces lurking within the Overlook itself.
The Shining is a masterclass in psychological horror that blends supernatural terror with a deeply human story of addiction, rage, and familial breakdown. What makes the novel so effective is its gradual descent into madness, where isolation and inner demons become just as dangerous as any external force. Danny’s psychic sensitivity adds an eerie layer of dread, while Jack’s deterioration is both tragic and terrifying, making him one of King’s most complex characters.
The Overlook Hotel itself feels alive, a corrupting presence that feeds on weakness and amplifies instability. Beyond the horror elements, the novel is ultimately about the fragility of the human mind under pressure and the devastating consequences of unresolved trauma. It is both emotionally charged and deeply unsettling, solidifying its place as one of Stephen King’s most iconic works.
The Shining is a masterclass in psychological horror that blends supernatural terror with a deeply human story of addiction, rage, and familial breakdown. What makes the novel so effective is its gradual descent into madness, where isolation and inner demons become just as dangerous as any external force. Danny’s psychic sensitivity adds an eerie layer of dread, while Jack’s deterioration is both tragic and terrifying, making him one of King’s most complex characters.
The Overlook Hotel itself feels alive, a corrupting presence that feeds on weakness and amplifies instability. Beyond the horror elements, the novel is ultimately about the fragility of the human mind under pressure and the devastating consequences of unresolved trauma. It is both emotionally charged and deeply unsettling, solidifying its place as one of Stephen King’s most iconic works.
May 5, 2026
Oh, the book is way better!
I don’t understand why the movie changed so much of the story!
Same thing with Misery!
I have watched most of the movies that are inspired by King as a kid, and now as an adult I started reading the books.
I don’t understand why the movie changed so much of the story!
Same thing with Misery!
I have watched most of the movies that are inspired by King as a kid, and now as an adult I started reading the books.
December 19, 2025
This was awesome, got me out of a reading slump, read it quick.
January 10, 2026
I think it’s a pretty interesting book. Definitely would recommend !
January 16, 2026
Amazing book lots of hidden meanings, and overall has a lot of unique characters that aren’t expressed as well in the movie!
January 31, 2026
Dads be wild huh ?
March 14, 2026
I was really hoping the book would explain who Johnny is and why he’s here. But, alas; the mystery continues.
April 9, 2026
A must read when your in a hotel for Easter break (iykyk)
May 8, 2026
Such a good easy read!! The characters are so unique, although I expected it to be more scary. I’m very happy I read the book before watching the movie.
May 22, 2026
This was hard to get through, but I wanted to see if it was better than the movie.
June 11, 2026
My favorite horror book of all time.
June 16, 2026
Very good, the end i performed much more then the ending that was in the movies :>
June 17, 2026
Like it. Nothing like the movie
June 24, 2026
normal que Stephen King odiase la película, si es que no hay color
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews