Synopses & Reviews
A fascinating look at the life of the author who created such modern classics as Carrie, IT, and The Shining.
One of the most prolific and popular authors in the world today, Stephen King has become part of pop culture history. But who is the man behind those tales of horror, grief, and the supernatural? Where do these ideas come from? And what drives him to keep writing at a breakneck pace after a thirty year career? In this unauthorized biography, Lisa Rogak reveals the troubled background and lifelong fears that inspire one of the twentieth century's most influential authors.
Kings origins were inauspicious at best. His impoverished childhood in rural Maine and early marriage hardly spelled out the likelihood of a blossoming literary career. But his unflagging work ethic and a ceaseless flow of ideas put him on the path to success. It came in a flash, and the side effects of sudden stardom and seemingly unlimited wealth soon threatened to destroy his work and, worse, his life. But he survived and has since continued to write at a level of originality few authors could ever hope to match.
Despite his dark and disturbing work, Stephen King has become revered by critics and his countless fans as an all-American voice more akin to Mark Twain than H. P. Lovecraft. Haunted Heart chronicles his story, revealing the character of a man who has created some of the most memorable---and frightening---stories found in literature today.
Lisa Rogak is the author of more than forty books. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina where she writes and plays piano, upright bass, and accordion in a variety of ensembles. Her most recent biographies are The Man Behind the Da Vinci Code: An Unauthorized Biography of Dan Brown and A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein. One of the most prolific and popular authors in the world today, Stephen King has become part of pop culture history. But who is the man behind those tales of horror, grief, and the supernatural? Where do these ideas come from? And what drives him to keep writing at a breakneck pace after a thirty year career? Haunted Heart is a fascinating look at the life of the author who created such modern classics as Carrie, It, and The Shining. In this unauthorized biography, Lisa Rogak reveals the troubled background and lifelong fears that inspire one of the twentieth century's most influential authors.
Kings origins were inauspicious at best. His impoverished childhood in rural Maine and early marriage hardly spelled out the likelihood of a blossoming literary career. But his unflagging work ethic and a ceaseless flow of ideas put him on the path to success. It came in a flash, and the side effects of sudden stardom and seemingly unlimited wealth soon threatened to destroy his work and, worse, his life. But he survived and has since continued to write at a level of originality few authors could ever hope to match.
Despite his dark and disturbing work, Stephen King has become revered by critics and his countless fans as an all-American voice more akin to Mark Twain than H. P. Lovecraft. Haunted Heart chronicles his story, revealing the character of a man who has created some of the most memorableand frighteningstories found in literature today. "Rogak has produced an unauthorized biography of one of America's most popular novelists. Using King's novels and movies, as well as numerous articles and interviews, as well as other books and web sites about the author, Rogak covers all of the major events of King's life and careerhis abandonment by his father when Stephen was two years old; his instant and continuing fame as a horror novelist; his many fears and phobias, his addictions to (and recovery from) alcohol and drugs; the accomplishments of his wife, Tabitha (also a novelist), and his three children; the car accident that almost killed him; and his successful efforts to go beyond genre literature and be accepted as an accomplished writer. For King's many fans, this is a good introduction to the writer and his work."Morris Hounion, Library Journal
"Though critical studies of his vast oeuvre abound, Kingthe bestselling author of the 20th centuryhas not been the subject of a book-length biography until this strictly serviceable study . . . She strings together the best-known facts of his life with workmanlike efficiency: his family's early abandonment by his father; the author's triumph over an impoverished childhood; his perseverance and prolificacy as a writer; his determination, despite his comfort with genre fiction, to be regarded as more than a horror writer; his struggles with alcohol and drugs; his generosity toward other writers; the accident that nearly killed him in 1999. Rogak structures her text primarily around the chronology of King's scores of books and their film adaptations . . . The facts she marshals will serve King fans not familiar with his life."Publishers Weekly
Review
Praise for
A Boy Named Shel:
"Consulting many sources, among them Silverstein's friends; radio interviews; and newspaper, journal, and magazine articles, Rogak thoughtfully reconstructs the artist's life. ... An authoritative and accessible biography, absorbing from cover to cover."--Library Journal
"[A BOY NAMED SHEL] offers revealing anecdotes, complete with some dirty laundry, about the prolific childrens author and cartoonist."--Kirkus Reviews
"The strength of this biography is in leading readers back to Silversteins art, which is, after all, where he would have us find him."--School Library Journal
"Fascinating...A BOY NAMED SHEL is a revealing peak into the mind behind both 'Runny Babbit' and 'Freakin' at the Freakers Ball.'" --Albany Times Union
"A tribute to the unusual life of an extraordinary man."--The Daily Texan
"Lisa Rogak dives wholeheartedly into presenting the full story of media-shy Silverstein. She covers every step in his creative career, following his journey across media. Silverstein proved himself as a songwriter, a cartoonist, an author, a poet, a playwright and a screenwriter, and Rogak doesnt miss a beat."--The Daily Californian
"Faithfully following Silverstein on his wandering and tracing his deft compartmentalizing, Rogak lifts the curtain, respectfully, on this cultural icon." --GO (AirTran Airways Inflight Magazine)
Review
Praise for
A Boy Named Shel:
"Consulting many sources, among them Silverstein's friends; radio interviews; and newspaper, journal, and magazine articles, Rogak thoughtfully reconstructs the artist's life. ... An authoritative and accessible biography, absorbing from cover to cover."--Library Journal
"[A BOY NAMED SHEL] offers revealing anecdotes, complete with some dirty laundry, about the prolific childrens author and cartoonist."--Kirkus Reviews
"The strength of this biography is in leading readers back to Silversteins art, which is, after all, where he would have us find him."--School Library Journal
"Fascinating...A BOY NAMED SHEL is a revealing peak into the mind behind both 'Runny Babbit' and 'Freakin' at the Freakers Ball.'" --Albany Times Union
"A tribute to the unusual life of an extraordinary man."--The Daily Texan
"Lisa Rogak dives wholeheartedly into presenting the full story of media-shy Silverstein. She covers every step in his creative career, following his journey across media. Silverstein proved himself as a songwriter, a cartoonist, an author, a poet, a playwright and a screenwriter, and Rogak doesnt miss a beat."--The Daily Californian
"Faithfully following Silverstein on his wandering and tracing his deft compartmentalizing, Rogak lifts the curtain, respectfully, on this cultural icon." --GO (AirTran Airways Inflight Magazine) Dorothy Allison - Philip Lopate - Clive Cussler - Jon Winokur - Tony Hillerman - Jonathan Kellerman - W.E.B. 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Michael Gear, USA Today bestselling authors - Kirkus Reviews - Library Journal - Max Evans - Norman Zollinger - Publishers Weekly - Richard Wheeler - Rocky Mountain News - Tony Hillerman - Tulsa World
Review
"Haunted Heart is a thoroughly respectful overview of King's life, and a great starter biography for new fans."--The Boston Globe "The biographer is smart in sticking with the man himself. She looks at what scares King enough that he's been able to keep readers entertained for thirty years.... Rogak does an admirable job pulling together materials from disparate sources into a readable whole."--Bangor Daily News “Rogak… has pieced together Kings sometimes erratic life scrupulously into a clean, swift read.”--Times Online (U.K.)
Synopsis
One of the most prolific and popular authors of the last 30 years, Stephen King has become part of pop culture history. In this unauthorized biography, Rogak reveals the troubled background and lifelong fears that inspire one of the 20th century's most influential authors. 8-page b&w photo insert.
Synopsis
A fascinating look at the life of the author who created such modern classics as Carrie, IT, and The Shining.
One of the most prolific and popular authors in the world today, Stephen King has become part of pop culture history. But who is the man behind those tales of horror, grief, and the supernatural? Where do these ideas come from? And what drives him to keep writing at a breakneck pace after a thirty year career? In this unauthorized biography, Lisa Rogak reveals the troubled background and lifelong fears that inspire one of the twentieth century's most influential authors.
Kings origins were inauspicious at best. His impoverished childhood in rural Maine and early marriage hardly spelled out the likelihood of a blossoming literary career. But his unflagging work ethic and a ceaseless flow of ideas put him on the path to success. It came in a flash, and the side effects of sudden stardom and seemingly unlimited wealth soon threatened to destroy his work and, worse, his life. But he survived and has since continued to write at a level of originality few authors could ever hope to match.
Despite his dark and disturbing work, Stephen King has become revered by critics and his countless fans as an all-American voice more akin to Mark Twain than H. P. Lovecraft. Haunted Heart chronicles his story, revealing the character of a man who has created some of the most memorable---and frightening---stories found in literature today.
Stephen King on Stephen King:
“Im afraid of everything.”
“As a kid, I worried about my sanity a lot."
“I am always interested in this idea that a lot of fiction writers write for their fathers because their fathers are gone.”
“Writing is an addiction for me.”
“I married her for her body, though she said I married her for her typewriter.”
“When you get into this business, they dont tell you youll get cat bones in the mail.”
“You have to be a little nuts to be a writer.”
“Theres always the urge to see somebody dead that isnt you.”
Synopsis
One of the most prolific and popular authors in the world today, Stephen King has become part of pop culture history. His best-selling novels such as Carrie, It, Christine, and many others have captured the imaginations of millions of readers. But who is the man behind those tales of horror, grief, and the supernatural? Where do these ideas come from? And what drives him to keep writing at a breakneck pace after a thirty year career?
In this unauthorized biography, Lisa Rogak reveals the troubled background and lifelong fears that inspire one of the twentieth century's most influential authors. Despite his dark and disturbing work, Stephen King has become revered by critics and his countless fans as an all-American voice more akin to Mark Twain than H. P. Lovecraft. Haunted Heart chronicles his story, revealing the character of a man who has created some of the most memorable---and frightening---stories found in literature today.
About the Author
Lisa Rogak is the author of more than forty books. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina. Her most recent biographies are The Man Behind the Da Vinci Code: An Unauthorized Biography of Dan Brown and A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein.