Stephen King is a contemporary horror, science fiction and fantasy author. He is one of the greatest writers in the American horror genre. King wrote many successful books, but his book The Shining, published in 1977, established King as a great American writer. The Shining tells the story of a man, Jack Torrance, his son, Danny, and his wife when they become caretakers at a remote hotel. Danny has alarming visions of the hotel's past using a psychic ability known as "The Shining". As time passes, Jack Torrance descends into a horrible madness and the only thing that can save his family is "The Shining." Stephen King is known for putting his past difficulties and successes in this book. King, the author of The Shining, has had and will continue to have an influence on American literature. King's books, such as The Shining, were influenced by his background, historical changes, and new writing styles in the contemporary period. As recounted in the article “Stephen King” by Richard Bleiler, Stephen King was born on September 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine. His father, Donald, abandoned the family when the king was about two years old, leaving behind few possessions and never to be seen or heard from again. Left to raise two children alone. King's mother, Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King, moved frequently and was also subject to financial hardship. Some of the many places the family lived are De Pere, Wisconsin, Stratford, Connecticut, before settling in Durham, Maine. “Although King had been writing since the 1950s, his professional career actually began in 1967.” He received a scholarship to study at Drew University, a college in Madison, New Jersey. However, he couldn't afford to attend (Ramsey, Peggy). King continues...... middle of paper ......we are (Allen, Janet). Stephen King shaped the horror genre and will always be one of the great horror writers. Works Cited Allen, Janet, et. Al., ed. American literature. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2008. Print. Bleiler, Richard. "King, Stephen 1947–." Writers of Supernatural Fiction: Contemporary Fantasy and Horror. Gale Power Research, 2003. Web. November 14, 2013. Kaufman, Will. “American Culture in the 1970s.” Academic eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Edinburgh University Press, 2009. Web. November 18, 2013. “King, Stephen (1947-). » Encyclopedia of World Biography. Power Research Gale, 1998.Web. November 14, 2013. Ramsey, Peggy. “Stephen King.” Historical Reference Center, nd Web. November 14, 2013. “Stephen King.” Britannica School. Np, and Web. November 14, 2013. “Stephen King.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition. Historical Reference Center, nd Web. November 15. 2013.