The Shining (1977) is a cornerstone of horror literature by Stephen King, a masterclass in psychological terror and supernatural dread. The novel follows Jack Torrance, a struggling writer and recovering alcoholic, who takes a job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, an isolated mountain resort with a dark history. Accompanied by his wife, Wendy, and their psychic son, Danny (who possesses “the shining,” a telepathic gift), Jack plans to use the solitude to rebuild his life. But as the hotel’s malevolent forces seep into his mind, his descent into madness threatens his family’s survival.
King’s portrayal of Jack’s unraveling—fueled by the Overlook’s ghosts, his own demons, and the claustrophobic snowbound setting—elevates the story beyond a simple ghost tale. The novel explores themes of addiction, cyclical violence, and the fragility of sanity, with Danny’s innocence providing a heartbreaking contrast to his father’s corruption.
For similar reads, try Doctor Sleep (2013), King’s sequel about an adult Danny, or The Haunting of Hill House (1959) by Shirley Jackson for another iconic haunted-house story.
(Fun fact: King based the Overlook on the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, where he and his wife stayed in 1974—Room 217 terrified him so much he used it in the book.)
