BIOGRAPHY Stephen Edward King was born on September 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine. He was the second son of a middle-aged couple, Donald and Nellie King. In 1949, Steven's father, Donald King disappeared and was never seen or heard from again by his family. Stephen and his elder brother David were brought up very strictly by their mother Ruth, who was forced to rely upon the charity of relatives. The family spent several years in Fort Wayne, Indiana, …showed first 75 words of 1388 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1388 total…horrors hidden within the Overlook Hotel. Genius is a difficult term to define, but there is no question that Stephen King is a literary genius. The Shining is the ultimate study of terror and this book, vaults King into the company of such immortals as Poe, Lovecraft, and Charles Beaumont. Critics have raved about The Shining, 90% giving 5 stars to the novel. It is an excellent horror story, that keeps your attention from front to back.