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The Shining

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The Shining

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1977 novel by Stephen King

Key facts

Author
Stephen King
Cover artist
Dave Christensen
Language
English
Genre
Gothic novel Horror Psychological horror
Publisher
Doubleday
Publication date
January 28, 1977
Publication place
United States
Media type
Print ( hardcover )
Isbn
978-0-385-12167-5
Library of congress classification span
no2016154517
Followed by
Doctor Sleep

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Instance of
literary work
Country of origin
United States
Publisher
Doubleday
Followed by
The Stand
Main subject
violence
Image
The Shining (1977) front cover, first edition.jpg
Show 11 more facts
title
The Shining
publication date
1977-01-28
number of pages
652
characters
Wendy Torrance
language of work or name
English language
inception
1977-00-00
form of creative work
novel
set in environment
hotel
Commons category
The Shining (novel)
Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~16 min read

Encyclopedic overview

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 both 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. Soon, after a winter storm leaves the family snowbound, the supernatural forces inhabiting the hotel influence Jack's sanity, leaving his wife Wendy and son in grave danger.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “The Shining” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (3)