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The Shining
The Shining
Author: Stephen King
Jack Torrance?s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he?ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. ...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780525565321
ISBN-10: 0525565329
Publication Date: 6/5/2018
Pages: 688
Edition: Reprint
Rating:
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0 stars, based on 0 rating
Publisher: Anchor
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

nightbloomer avatar reviewed The Shining on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
'It's not your daddy talking, remember. It's the hotel.'

I just finished this book. All I have to say is 'wow.' This book has completely blown my mind. It probably sounds totally ridiculous, but I feel like this book has change my life! Hahahah!!! Seriously though... I felt like I was reading The Neverending Story, like I was a part of the story and the characters were talking to me. I know that's dumb, but no book has ever made me feel that way before. (Or maybe I was just scared out of my wits).

This was my first Stephen King book. I always thought he was probably overrated, but no way. The thing I want to warn everyone about is: you cannot compare the Stanley Kubrick movie to the book. They're two totally different stories in my opinion.
reviewed The Shining on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Way better than the movie and one of King's best.
waterbearer avatar reviewed The Shining on + 62 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
One of the greatest horror stories of all time, in my opinion. A family in seclusion during the entire Colorado winter, living with the ghosts of the behemoth hotel, The Overlook,,,,you know someone is going to go off the deep end. But, is it "cabin fever" or something else? LOVE this book.
CocoCee avatar reviewed The Shining on + 404 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is a mass market sized book. Tough to read because of the size of the volume. Great story!!!
reviewed The Shining on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I couldn't go to the bathroom with the shower curtain closed for MONTHS! This book terrified me.
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dragoneyes avatar reviewed The Shining on + 836 more book reviews
**This review is a comparison of the book and the movie (with Nicholson and Duvall). The reason is for ones like me that saw the movie and wasn't sure why they would need to read the book.** I love reading Stephen King though I admit I have a lot more books of his to read. I tend to pass over his books that were turned to movies since I initially know what they are about. Same with this book. My decision to read it was because he came out with Doctor Sleep which is a follow up to The Shining. I was told by a few who read the book and seen the movie that they are not quite the same. So I jumped into this one so I could read Doctor Sleep (all the time thinking it might be a waste of time though). I was wrong! Though I do love Stanley Kubrick's movie, I could also see why King was disappointed with it. There is so much more depth in the book (which there almost always is). But this was to a point you could almost understand the madness that Jack went through (unlike the movie where he pretty much seemed like a jerk from the beginning). The book shows his love for his family and his family's love for him. His son idolizes him to the point it almost makes Wendy jealous. This is not something that is shown in the movie. I believe it is a big factor. It shows how strong these "ghosts" were to tear Jack down like that. There are also differences like Wendy's description is nothing like Shelley Duvall, the relationship between Danny and Dick Halloran is more intense in the book, and the ending was totally different. Even with all of that, I still love the movie but now I can say I love the book as well for the same and different reasons.
Bibliocrates avatar reviewed The Shining on + 252 more book reviews
I really liked this book, not my favorite, but a good Stephen King classic!
reviewed The Shining on + 116 more book reviews
This is the firt Stephen King book that I have read. I really enjoyed it. It was suspenseful, exciting, and scary all in one. Now I am ready for the movie..
reviewed The Shining on + 17 more book reviews
I am not a huge King fan (I've read a few things) but I've always been curious about this book. Excellent, but disturbing. Just glad I didn't have weird dreams...there were nights I was reading right before bed.
reviewed The Shining on + 10 more book reviews
Much better than the movie!
cowgirlark avatar reviewed The Shining on + 11 more book reviews
Love, Love, Love this book! I picked it up after our trip to Colorado, and a wedding at the Stanley hotel where King allegedly wrote the novel. I think having been in the hotel and taking a tour intensified the feeling of the book and I was able to picture the places described. I read it then passed it on to everyone in the family that took the tour, and re read it several times! It's a classic, I think some of Kings best work.
Issa-345 avatar reviewed The Shining on + 98 more book reviews
Oh my heavens this was scary. I could not read it at night. However, I loved it. Very involved and fascinating. There is a scene where dad is outside and bushes creep up on him. Scared me to death, but I had to keep reading. Great work by Mr. King.
reviewed The Shining on + 29 more book reviews
Extremely scary!!!
reviewed The Shining on + 16 more book reviews
THE CLASSIC, and if you have only seen the movie, this book is 10x better. Wonderful, will keep you awake at night.
reviewed The Shining on + 25 more book reviews
This is one of my collection of Stephen King books. All are up for trade. Check out the rest.
reviewed The Shining on + 335 more book reviews
From the back of the book:
What of the penetrating cold terror of an old hotel, a haunted place of seductive evil with a malevolent will of its own - and a five-year-old boy of innocent beauty whose mind mirrors the nightmarish secrets of its past?
Behind every door of the Overlook's 110 empty rooms there is a chamber of horror. Little Danny knows of these things because he has the terrible power - The Shining.
reviewed The Shining on + 88 more book reviews
One of King's best ever! Is the house haunted? Is it possessing the caretaker? Or is he just losing his mind?
reviewed The Shining on + 115 more book reviews
"YOU'RE THE CARETAKER, SIR. YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE CARETAKER. I SHOULD KNOW, SIR. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE...."
-- DELBERT GRADY OF THE OVERLOOK HOTEL

THE SHINING
First published in 1977, The Shining quickly became a benchmark in the literary career of Stephen King. This tale of a troubled man hired to care for a remote mountain resort over the winter, his loyal wife, and their uniquely gifted son slowly but steadily unfolds as secrets from the Overlook Hotel's past are revealed, and the hotel itself attempts to laim the very souls of the Torrence family. Adapted into a cinematic masterpiece of horror by legendary Stanley Kubrick -- featuring an unforgettable performance by a demonic Jack Nicholson --The Shining stands as a cultural icon of modern horror, a searing study of a family torn apart, and a nightmarish glimpse into the dark recesses of human weakness and dementia.
reviewed The Shining on + 4 more book reviews
A great scary read.
reviewed The Shining on + 33 more book reviews
Better than the movie!
reviewed The Shining on + 69 more book reviews
Great book. Even though I had seen the movie, I wanted to keep reading and reading this book. Very scary.


First published in 1977, The Shining quickly became a benchmark in the literary career of Stephen King. This tale of a troubled man hired to care for a remote mountain resort over the winter, his loyal wife, and their uniquely gifted son slowly but steadily unfolds as secrets from the Overlook Hotel's past are revealed, and the hotel itself attempts to claim the very souls of the Torrance family.
lipslady avatar reviewed The Shining on + 101 more book reviews
This is the scariest book I've ever read!
tlmetz avatar reviewed The Shining on + 14 more book reviews
Where's Johnny?? A real page turner One of his best books ever!
reviewed The Shining on
This book gives a much deeper and satisfying understanding of the madness at the Overlook Hotel. Having watched the movie first, I was left with questions. The book had a few slow parts in it but they we're still very informative and fascinating.
reviewed The Shining on + 3 more book reviews
A great classic horror.
Ariadnae avatar reviewed The Shining on + 356 more book reviews
This is by far one of the best audio books I've ever been fortunate enough to enjoy. Campbell Scott does not so much read this book, he acts it and he does a brillant job. He goes from character to character so smoothly, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience!!
athompson362 avatar reviewed The Shining on + 45 more book reviews
The greatest haunting story of all time. If you saw the movie, you will love the book. A different ending and more background on all the characters - I loved it. The reader was pleasant to listen to. A real joy.
reviewed The Shining on + 47 more book reviews
Actually this is the first stephen king Ive ever read. I throughly enjoyed it too. Very good.
reviewed The Shining on + 2 more book reviews
Just reread The Shining in anticipation of reading Dr. Sleep. Just as good as I remember. This time, though, I was most creeped out by Jack's compulsion to pop Excedrins and chew them. I could picture him popping those tablets in his mouth, the white gunk collecting in the corner of his lips, the sound of the crunching against his teeth, the grit and bitter taste. Totally creeped me out! Definitely worth the reread.
reviewed The Shining on + 636 more book reviews
Well, I enjoyed this book quite a bit - much more than the movie, that's for sure! I mean, this was actually pretty creepy, whereas the movie...well, I guess I like Jack Nicholson too much to be scared of him. Oh, well. I liked this much more than _Cujo_! All in all, it was a good story, with tense pacing and an interesting premise.
Char avatar reviewed The Shining on + 135 more book reviews
Dead people, ghosts and a raving maniac in an old hotel. Scarier than the movie!
romeo avatar reviewed The Shining on + 334 more book reviews
The Overlook Hotel claimed the most beautiful physical setting of any resort in the world;but Jack Torrance, the new winter caretaker, with his wife Wendy and their five-year old son Danny, saw much more than its splendor. Jack saw the Overlook as an oppurtunity, a desperate way back from failure and despair;Wendy saw this lonely sanctuary as a frail chance to preserve their family;and Danny?...Danny, who was blessed or cursed with a shining, precognitive gift, saw vivions hideously beyond the comprehension of a small boy. He sensed the evil coiled within the Overlook's 110 empty rooms;an evil that was waiting just for them.
Piper avatar reviewed The Shining on
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: 1978-January
Book Type: Paperback
Book Description:
"YOU'RE THE CARETAKER, SIR. YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE CARETAKER. I SHOULD KNOW, SIR. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE...."
-- DELBERT GRADY OF THE OVERLOOK HOTEL

THE SHINING

First published in 1977, The Shining quickly became a benchmark in the literary career of Stephen King. This tale of a troubled man hired to care for a remote mountain resort over the winter, his loyal wife, and their uniquely gifted son slowly but steadily unfolds as secrets from the Overlook Hotel's past are revealed, and the hotel itself attempts to laim the very souls of the Torrence family. Adapted into a cinematic masterpiece of horror by legendaryStanley Kubrick -- featuring an unforgettable performance by a demonic Jack Nicholson --The Shining stands as a cultural icon of modern horror, a searing study of a family torn apart, and a nightmarish glimpse into the dark recesses of human weakness and dementia.
Chocoholic avatar reviewed The Shining on + 291 more book reviews
The last time I read this book, Goodreads didn't exist. For that matter, the internet didn't exist (probably). I've seen the travesty that is the Stanley Kubrick film so many times that it really distorted my memory of what happened in the book. If you've only seen the Kubrick film, then you really owe it to yourself to read this book, as that film is so very different from the novel. In case you've been living in a cave or something, this is a horror novel about the Torrance family, Jack, Wendy, and son Danny who take up residence in the Overlook hotel in Colorado for the winter. Jack Torrance gets a job as caretaker of the hotel. Unfortunately, both Jack Torrance and the hotel itself have their own demons and when the two meet, things get very scary. Stephen King has recently written a sequel to The Shining which is titled Doctor Sleep, which is next on my to be read list.
There are many similarities between The Shining and The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, and at one point Mr. King even compares the two in the former. This is a good psychological thriller and is not to be missed!


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