This analysis of the work of Stephen King explores the distinctly American fears and foibles that King has celebrated, condemned, and generally examined in the course of his wildly successful career.Stephen King: America's Storyteller explores the particular American-ness of Stephen King's work. It is the first major examination to follow this defining theme through King's 40-year career, from his earliest writings to his most recent novels and films made from them.Stephen King begins by tracing Stephen King's rise from his formative years to his status as a one of the most popular writers in publishing history. It then takes a close look at the major works from his canon, including The Shining, The Stand, It, Dolores Claiborne, and The Dark Tower. In these works and others, author Tony Magistrale focuses on King's deep rooted sense of the American experience, exemplified by his clear-eyed presentation of our historical and cultural foibles and scars; his gallery of unlikely friendships that cross race, age, and class boundaries; and his transcendent portrayals of uniquely American survival instincts, fellowship, and acts of heroism from the least likely of sources.

Offers a concluding interview with Stephen King

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsChronologyChapter 1 The Writer's Life: A Stephen King BiographyChapter 2 Tracing the Influences: Regional and LiteraryChapter 3 Institutions and Institutionalization: Evil's Design and Heroic RebellionChapter 4 Sex with Consequences: Sexuality and Its DiscontentsChapter 5 Why The Shining Still Matters: Revisiting and Reinterpreting the Novel and FilmsChapter 6 Challenging Gender Stereotypes: King's Evolving WomenChapter 7 Gothic Western Epic Fantasy: Encompassing The Dark TowerWorks CitedIndex