Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King

Name: Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King
Brand: Hogarth Press
SKU: 9780593736722
Price: 34.80 USD
Availability: InStock

$34.80

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Biographical Note:
Caroline Bicks is the Stephen E. King Chair in Literature at the University of Maine, where she teaches courses in Shakespeare, early modern culture, and horror fiction. She is the author of Cognition and Girlhood in Shakespeare's World and Midwiving Subjects in Shakespeare's England; co-author of Shakespeare Not Stirred: Cocktails for Your Everyday Dramas; and co-host of the Everyday Shakespeare podcast. Her essays and humor pieces have appeared in the Modern Love column of the New York Times, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and the show Afterbirth. She lives in Blue Hill, Maine, with her family.

Reading Line:
Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, the University of Maine

Review Quotes:
"[Bicks's] close reading reveals the master of horror's obsessions, his pedantry--and alternative versions of some of his most loved stories." -- The Guardian

"A master class in craft-- and a peek behind the curtain." --Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

"A compulsively readable mix of memoir, biography, and heady analysis of Stephen King's iconic early works enhanced by access to early drafts and notes . . . a treat for fans of Stephen King." --Paul Tremblay, author of Horror Movie

"Illuminating and original, Monsters in the Archives takes us deep into Stephen King's private papers to show us how he crafted some of his most iconic, haunting books and took possession of so many of our imaginations." --Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club

"A wonderfully absorbing study of King and his world . . . an impressively researched work of literary detection [that] provides an excellent guide to King and his enduringly dark vision." -- The New Statesman

"Shows us how the king of horror built his crown." --Literary Hub

"Engrossing." --New York

"Blends literary scholarship and personal inquiry to explore the craft, artistry, and man behind the books that invented modern American horror writing." --The Boston Globe

"A spooky stroll through the haunted hallways of Stephen King's mind." --Kirkus Reviews

"A fascinating insider's look at King's process and themes . . . This isn't just for horror buffs, but for anyone curious about archival research, literature, and writers' lives." --Shelf Awareness

"A massively enjoyable, fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of [King's] previously unseen literary archive, this is indispensable reading for any fan of King's work--and who isn't one of those?" --Elizabeth Hand, author of A Haunting on the Hill

"A personable, fascinating look at the creative process, one that soundly showcases King's lifelong attention to craft and Bicks's own belief in the power of facing one's monsters." --Keith Rosson, author of Fever House

"This deeply engaging account of [Bicks's] discoveries in Stephen King's archives will be treasured by admirers of his novels and is a must-read for anyone curious about how great books get written." --James Shapiro, professor of English, Columbia University

"As vital and illuminating a glimpse into a master craftsman's processes as King's own On Writing." --Nat Cassidy, author of Mary

"Not only a gift to King's fans but also a remarkable journey inside the creative process of a master storyteller." --Booklist

"Horror fans and writing aficionados--and those who are both--will all find moments of delight." --Stanford Magazine

"Tantalizing . . . fascinating . . . Bicks's forensic uncovering of the words and sentences King chose not to publish greatly increases our understanding of those that remain in print." --Literary Review

"King devotees will love Bicks' super-close readings of his work and fascinating insights into how he conjures up his characters and infuses his stories with humanity, humor and horror. . . . Monsters in the Archives is superbly shudder-inducing, inside and out." --BookPage, starred review

Publisher Marketing:
NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A fascinating, first-of-its-kind exploration of Stephen King and his most iconic early books, based on groundbreaking research and interviews with King--all conducted by the first scholar to be given extended access to his private archives

"A treat for fans of Stephen King."--Paul Tremblay
"A master class in craft--and a peek behind the curtain."--Stephen Graham Jones
"Illuminating and original."--Amy Tan
"It will be treasured by admirers of King's novels and is a must read for anyone curious about how great books get written."--James Shapiro, Professor of English, Columbia University

ONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S BEST BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING - A NEW YORK POST AND LIT HUB MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR

After Caroline Bicks was named the University of Maineʼs inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, she became the first scholar to be granted extended access by King to his private archives, a treasure trove of manuscripts that document the legendary writerʼs creative process--most of them never before studied or published. The year she spent exploring King's early drafts and hand-written revisions was guided by one question millions of Kingʼs enthralled and terrified readers (including her) have asked themselves: What makes Stephen King's writing stick in our heads and haunt us long after we've closed the book?

Bicks focuses on five of his most iconic early works-- The Shining, Carrie, Pet Sematary, ʼ Salemʼs Lot, and Night Shift--to reveal how he crafted his language, story lines, and characters to cast his enduring literary spells. While tracking King's margin notes and editorial changes, she discovered scenes and alternative endings that never made it to print but that King is allowing her to publish now. The book also includes interviews Bicks had with King along the way that reveal new insights into his writing process and personal history.

Part literary master class, part biography, part memoir and investigation into our deepest anxieties, Monsters in the Archives--authorized by Stephen King himself--is unlike anything ever published about the master of horror. It chronicles what Bicks found when she set out to unearth how King crafted some of his scariest, most iconic moments. But it's also a story about a grown-up English professor facing her childhood fears and getting to know the man whose monsters helped unleash them.

Review Citations: