Master thriller writer Stephen King has penned over 50 novels, selling 350 million copies in a career that spans over 40 years.
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”
Stephen King
Famous for his terrifying prose, King writes horror, supernatural, science fiction, fantasy and, more recently, crime novels. When asked why he writes, King responds: “The answer to that is fairly simple — there was nothing else I was made to do. I was made to write stories and I love to write stories. That’s why I do it. I really can’t imagine doing anything else and I can’t imagine not doing what I do.”
Having penned over 200 short stories – many set in his home town of Maine and the most famous arguably being his novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, the basis for the movie The Shawshank Redemption – it was no surprise when he was awarded a National Medal of Arts from the United States National Endowment for the Arts for his contributions to literature in 2015.
Did you know…
1. King credits The Lurker of the Threshold, a short story collection by HP Lovecraft as the catalyst to him becoming a writer.
2. More Stephen King books have been adapted into films than any other living author.
3. Stephen King also writes under two pen names: Richard Bachman and John Swithen.
4. Carrie was originally planned as a short story but King threw out the first draft. It was rescued by his wife Tabitha.
5. Mr Mercedes, King’s first ‘hard-boiled detective book’, was first published in 2014 and featured retired detective Bill Hodges. It won an Edgar Award and, as the first in a trilogy, was followed by Finders and Keepers and End of Watch.
Read on for a list of Stephen King books in order – or find out how his writing has inspired other writers here.
Stephen King bibliography:
| By date | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. Carrie (1974) | 2. ‘Salem’s Lot (1975) | 3. The Shining (1977) |
| 4. Rage (1977) | 5. The Stand (1978) | 6. The Long Walk (1979) |
| 7. The Dead Zone (1979) | 8. Firestarter (1980) | 9. Roadwork (1981) |
| 10. Cujo (1981) | 11. The Running Man (1982) | 12. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982) |
| 13. Christine (1983) | 14. Pet Sematary (1983) | 15. Cycle of the Werewolf (1983) |
| 16. The Talisman (1984) | 17. Thinner (1984) | 18. It (1986) |
| 19. The Eyes of the Dragon (1987) | 20. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987) | 21. Misery (1987) |
| 22. The Tommyknockers (1987) | 23. The Dark Half (1989) | 24. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991) |
| 25. Needful Things (1991) | 26. Gerald’s Game (1992) | 27. Dolores Claiborne (1992) |
| 28. Insomnia (1994) | 29. Rose Madder (1995) | 30. The Green Mile (1996) |
| 31. Desperation (1996) | 32. The Regulators (1996) | 33. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997) |
| 34. Bag of Bones (1998) | 35. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999) | 36. Dreamcatcher (2001) |
| 37. Black House (2001) | 38. From a Buick 8 (2002) | 39. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003) |
| 40. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004) | 41. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004) | 42. The Colorado Kid (2005) |
| 43. Cell (2006) | 44. Lisey’s Story (2006) | 45. Blaze (2007) |
| 46. Duma Key (2008) | 47. Under the Dome (2009) | 48. 11/22/63 (2011) |
| 49. The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012) | 50. Joyland (2013) | 51. Doctor Sleep (2013) |
| 52. Mr. Mercedes (2014) | 53. Revival (2014) | 54. Finders Keepers (2015) |
| 55. End of Watch (2016) | 56. Gwendy’s Button Box (2017) | 57. Sleeping Beauties (2017) |
| 58. The Outsider (2018) | 59. Elevation (2018) | 60. The Institute (2019) |
| 61. Later (2021) | 62. Billy Summers (2021) | 63. Fairy Tale (2022) |
| 64. Holly (2023) |
I read The Shining when I was a teenager. It terrified me so much I would throw it on the floor, wait a couple of days and then pick it up again but I was completely hooked. My favourite author
I wasn’t much of a reader. Then I picked up cujo now I’m a constant reader of all kings books. Green mile had me in tears. Then the film came out so true to the book. Yep tears again. Great writer. I scan bookshops for any of hes books have a big collection now but not all. I hope I complete my collection one day. A big thank you Mr king.
Started with “The Stand” in the ‘70s. Couldn’t put it down! Reading Stephen King’s writing feels like he is sitting beside you telling you a story. Just finished “If It Bleeds”. My fav Christmas / birthday gift… Stephen King books!!! They are the best!
I have been a fervent reader all my live. I read from 15 to 40 books a year depending on my schedule. I have five favorate writers, but read many others. My favorite author has always been King. Why, because he can make me believe things I know that aren’t true, I guess? That is a very unique talent for a writer to be able to accomplish. We should all be happy we found this writer.
I’ve been a Stephen King fan since I first read Carrie & Firestarter way back in high school. I love all his books & have read everything written by him! I am currently reading his new release LATER.
My favorites of his are the Mr. Mercedes trilogy followed closely by Misery & The Shining!