Horror· United States
The Shining
by Stephen KingAggregate Editorial Score46/100
★Bram Stoker Award
Published 1977506 pagesEnglish
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Stephen King's The Shining (1977) stands as one of the most significant works of horror of its era. Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic and aspiring writer, takes a job as winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel with his wife and young son, Danny, who has psychic powers—'the shining.' King's breakout novel is a masterclass in psychological horror and one of the great American horror novels. Themes of family, isolation, addiction run through the work. The book has received recognition from Bram Stoker Award 1977.
Book Details
About the Category
👻 Horror
Fiction designed to frighten, unsettle, or disturb the reader.
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🇺🇸 United States
This book is part of United States's rich literary tradition.
Explore books from United States →Editorial Assessment
Stephen King published The Shining in 1977, and it has since become one of the more widely recognised works of horror from United States. The book's treatment of family, isolation, addiction, psychic powers accounts for much of its enduring reputation.
Critics and institutions have consistently placed The Shining among the notable works of its period. Among its recognitions: Bram Stoker Award 1977. Our aggregate score of 46/100 is compiled from 1 editorial sources that range from Nobel and Booker committees to leading literary journals.
What distinguishes The Shining is how it handles its central concerns — family, isolation, addiction, psychic powers — without reducing them to neat conclusions. The book invites close reading and holds up well to it.
Stephen King's role in the literature of United States is well established. The Shining can be read as both a standalone achievement and as part of a broader national literary conversation about identity, history, and the possibilities of narrative form.
About this assessment: Editorial scores are aggregated from 1 independent sources including major literary prizes, critical surveys, and leading publications. Our editorial team reviews and contextualises this data. Rankings reflect critical consensus, not personal opinion or popularity metrics. Learn about our methodology.
Awards & Recognition
Bram Stoker Award
list · genre
197721
Stephen King is a celebrated author from United States known for influential works of horror.
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