The Shining

by Stephen King · 1977

The Shining is a gothic horror novel that centers on the Torrance family—Jack, his wife Wendy, and their five-year-old son Danny—who move to the remote Overlook Hotel in Colorado for the winter. Jack takes a job as the hotel's caretaker, hoping the seclusion will allow him to finish his play and reconnect with his family. However, the hotel has a dark, ghastly history and begins to possess Jack, leading to a terrifying struggle for survival. Danny, who possesses extrasensory abilities known as "the shining," can see past and future events, which becomes crucial as the hotel attempts to isolate and destroy the family. The novel explores themes of family disintegration and the dangers of alcoholism, which the author described as a form of self-psychoanalysis.