Introduction: Shine On

The essay introduces readers to King’s popularity, which did not lend itself to serious critical attention until the author was over two decades into his now half-century-plus career. The book the essay introduces, titled Everyday Evil in Stephen King’s America: Essays, Images, Paratexts, was designed in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of King’s first major publication, the novel Carrie (1974). An auteur study in part, the introduction addresses King the man and the literal and allegorical monsters that haunt him and his characters-and the American imaginary, an imaginary as supernatural as it is naturalist and realist. Complete with brief case studies of The Shining (1977), Misery (1987), and Hearts in Atlantis (1999), we consider the author’s humble beginnings as well as the addictions that dog him into the late 1980s-this being the very period where astounding commercial success worked against positive critical recognition. Likewise interrogated is King’s relationship with what he comes to call his “Constant Readers.” As such, we address the nonfictional King paratexts-manifesting as “Preludes,” “Forenotes,” or other personal introductions to his own books where the author readily addresses his Readers-that tend to recirculate in newer editions of his work.