Misery [Paperback]

Stephen King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1988

After a car crash, writer Paul Sheldon is saved by his number one fan. She brought him home, splinted his mangled legs, and all he had to do in return was write a very special book, one all about her favourite character. Because if he didn't, if he was bad, she would be cross - very cross.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'An incredibly gifted writer' -- Guardian 'As a storyteller, he is up there in the Dickens class' -- The Times 'Stephen King is one of those natural storytellers...getting hooked is easy' -- Frances Fyfield, Express

About the Author

Stephen King is the bestselling author of more than thirty books of which the most recent are THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON, HEARTS IN ATLANTIS and his non-fiction book ON WRITING. He lives with his wife, the novelist Tabitha King, in Bangor, Maine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: New English Library (November 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0450417395
• ISBN-13: 978-0450417399
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #581,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for writers, July 8, 2007

By 

CJ West "CJ" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Misery (Paperback)

Paul Sheldon finishes a book he's proud of, unlike the bestselling Misery series he's been churning out. On his way home, he crashes and is "saved" by his number one fan. Annie Wilkes turnes out to be horrifyingly insane, torturous, homicidal and more than a bit suicidal.

The book centers on two characters isolated in the Colorado high country. Still the book is deep and gripping. Sheldon struggles mightily to get free and it seems the novel is a bit autobiographical as King reveals the character's ideas about popular fiction and its merits.

A must for writers. It hits home hard and has an engaging, intimate perspective that demands you to connect with Paul Sheldon's plight.

CJ West
Author, Taking Stock

4.0 out of 5 stars Your Biggest Fan, December 26, 2011

By 

Dr. Wilson Trivino (Atlanta, georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MISERY (Hardcover)

This book is probably better known as a movie but the cinema does not compare with the suspense filled writings of Stephen King.
In this book Paul Sheldon, author of a series of bestselling novels has finally completed work that was past due. He jumps in car and head to the hills in a celebratory fashion.
Unfortunately fate steps in and with an untimely set of circumstances he ends up in the hands of his "number one fan" an ex-nurse Annie Wilkes.
She is willing to nurse him back to health but with one catch... that he changes the outcome of his latest work.
So begins this give and take that ends up in a series of testing of the wills where Annie keeps him hostage until he finishes his work.
A rather disturbing portrayal of what lengths a fan will go to in an attempt to get the right ending.
Check out how Sheldon with a typewriter and a ream of paper rediscovers his inner voice and attempts to break from Annie and his own inner demons.

5.0 out of 5 stars Frank Tibbetts, October 1, 2011

By 

Frank Tibbetts "Frank Tibbetts" (McMinnville, Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MISERY (Hardcover)

I loved this book. Writer Paul Sheldon crashes in a blizzard. When he finally awakes, he finds himself in the clutches of his "Number one fan", Annie Wilkes. Wilkes is a psychopathic bird of a different color. She keeps Sheldon doped up and forces him to re-write a book of a character, "Misery Chastain", whom Sheldon has discarded from sheer burnout. It turns out to be his best novel ever, but he realizes that Annie is going to kill him as soon as it is finished.
Annie puts him through about as much torture as any human can bear, uncluding chopping his foot off with an axe. This book is everything I love in a Stephen King novel.
Another thing that I like about Paul Sheldon, is that King uses him briefly in other novels. A must read for any Stephen King fan. The movie follows the book pretty closely, but of course the real meat is in the novel. Very well written story and fantastic characters. This is very deserving of a five star rating.