Stephen King
Stephen King is an American author known around the world for his horror stories, many of which have been turned into terrifying films. Carrie was his first published novel (and enabled him to leave teaching and become a full-time writer), The Shining remains his bestselling book. It’s also been recommended on Five Books by other novelists as a major inspiration for their own writing.
However, while Stephen King is probably the greatest living writer in the horror book genre and his new novels, in a variety of genres, continue to entertain and absorb readers, it’s his memoir, On Writing, that is absolutely unmissable. It’s impossible not to be deeply moved by his story and his struggles, and his determination to carry on writing, despite rejection after rejection, an inspiration for all of us. That the book might also improve your writing skills is a nice side benefit.
On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Stephen King revealed his own five favourite Stephen King books: the short story “Survivor Type” which appears in the Skeleton Crew collection, Misery, Lisey’s Story, The Stand (his 1978 novel about a mutated flu strain that wipes out almost all of humanity) and The Body.
Below, you’ll find all the novelists, critics and teachers of creative writing who have been inspired by Stephen King, which books of his they recommend and why:
Books by Stephen King
Holly
by Stephen King
Stephen King returns with a new work of horror, Holly, a detective story featuring fan favourite Holly Gibney. Holly, who is autistic, first appeared in King's series about the private investigator Bill Hodges; over the course of several books she has evolved from a shy and awkward recluse into a determined and resourceful PI. This is her first solo outing. “I could never let Holly Gibney go," King explained. "She was supposed to be a walk-on character in Mr. Mercedes and she just kind of stole the book and stole my heart.” The Daily Mail has described it as a "black-hearted parable of American life in the Covid era.... as horrifying as anything King has written."
The audiobook is read by Justine Lupe, who played Holly in the television adaptation of Mr. Mercedes.
Fairy Tale
by Stephen King
Fairy Tale is a 500+ page novel by Stephen King, conceived during Covid and published in 2022. It immediately draws you into the life of a 17-year-old American teenager with King's familiar style. Gradually, strange things happen and you end up in a fairy tale/parallel world where horrible things happen. The middle third of the book drags a bit but if you read on, it's a fun holiday read.
“I’m a Halloween baby so being scared is in my blood, and Stephen King is the first person I ever read who really, really frightened me. The Shining is about a small family who go to stay in a hotel over the winter as caretakers. If you think you know the story because you’ve seen the film then you’d be wrong. This book is an absolute classic and a great way into the vast King oeuvre.” Read more...
Daisy Johnson on Books That Influenced Her
Daisy Johnson, Novelist
“It becomes something that enhances and feeds off that violence. I think that’s one of the reasons why the novel is called ‘It’ and not something more determinate. Really, it’s a conglomeration and encapsulation of all of that—all forms of hatred and fear.” Read more...
Xavier Aldana Reyes, Film Critics & Scholar
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King
Stephen King is best known for his horror books, but even if that’s not your preferred genre, it’s hard not to be blown away by his memoir, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. King is a big audiobook fan, and he reads this book—part story of his life, part really useful tips on how to write—himself.
Narrator: Stephen King
Length: 7 hours and 59 minutes
“It’s an immensely courageous book for such a famous author to write. It’s written from the perspective of the warder, whose job is to supervise death row and the execution of prisoners. The story is ultimately about a guy called John Coffey, a Christ-like figure who gets executed.It’s a magical realist book in some ways, but in other ways it’s an intensely realistic book about many of the aspects of death row. It’s set in the thirties, in 1932 I think. Conditions are a bit different these days but the process of execution is very similar. I came at this book with a prejudice because, although I think he’s a brilliant writer, I hate scary books of the type that Stephen King often writes. My prejudices were proven very wrong.” Read more...
The best books on Capital Punishment
Clive Stafford Smith, Lawyer
“It’s a great book about being a novelist. It’s one of the few works of fiction that actually explains how you write a novel but also what this strange disjuncture is between what goes on in your head when you write something and what a reader might take away from what you have written. You might actually be irrelevant as a writer to the reader. What they are interested in is the work.” Read more...
Kim Newman, Novelist
Billy Summers
by Stephen King
***Audiofile magazine Earphones Award for a truly exceptional audiobook***
The new Stephen King novel, Billy Summers, is just out and has been receiving rave reviews; The Guardian called the assassination thriller “his best book in years”—Cal Flyn, notable novels of Fall 2021.
Cal Flyn, Deputy editor
Salem's Lot
by Stephen King
Salem's Lot is the second of Stephen King's books, first published in 1975. King has said that this horror novel was inspired by the most famous vampire book, Dracula and what would happen if Dracula returned in the 20th century. A new movie of Salem's Lot is due to be released in 2023.
Interviews where books by Stephen King were recommended
The best books on Horror, recommended by Kim Newman
Which are the best horror books ever written? Novelist and horror expert Kim Newman, author of Anno Dracula, talks us through his top five and reveals which of the classics is, for him, the greatest of them all.
The best books on Capital Punishment, recommended by Clive Stafford Smith
The lawyer, who’s defended many clients on death row, tells us why the legal system in capital cases is set up to fail, and says all of us should know more about what happens in an execution
The best books on Creative Writing, recommended by Andrew Cowan
The professor of creative writing at UEA says Joseph Conrad got it right when he said that the sitting down is all. He chooses five books to help aspiring writers.
The best books on How to Write, recommended by Eric Olsen
From their egos and anxieties to the way they work, writers have more in common than we might think. The journalist and editor takes us inside the writing process and reveals who gives the best advice for aspiring authors
The Scariest Books, recommended by Xavier Aldana Reyes
Whether you’re scared most by graphic body horror, the uncategorisable, or the blurring of boundaries between supernatural menace and psychological unraveling, this list will have something for you. Reflecting on the complex nature of fear, Xavier Aldana Reyes surveys the best modern horror and explores whether the genre might offer consolation as well as terror.
Daisy Johnson on Books That Influenced Her
Daisy Johnson—short story writer, novelist, and the youngest author to be shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize—chooses the five books that most inspired her novel Everything Under and shares some of her writing rituals and philosophy.
The best books on Human Dramas, recommended by R J Ellory
Roger Ellory is a bestselling author whose recommendations include Annie Proulx, Stephen King and Truman Capote. There are, he says, no rules to great writing
Guardian review of Billy Summers by Stephen King, 4th August, 2021