What to read this weekend: Monsters in the Archives dives deep into Stephen King's early works

Source: Engadget

Synopsis

Caroline Bicks’ Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King tells how, after being named the University of Maine’s inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, she became the first scholar granted extended access to King’s private archives—a treasure trove of manuscripts that document the legendary writer’s creative process, most of them never before studied or published.

What makes it compelling

• Bicks examines King’s early works—Pet Sematary, The Shining, Night Shift, ‘Salem’s Lot and Carrie—comparing changes across multiple drafts.
• She highlights King’s notes and correspondences with editors that shaped these drafts into the iconic horror stories we know today.
• The book serves as an insightful companion to King’s own On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.

Who should read it

Monsters in the Archives is a delight for lifelong Stephen King fans and for writers fascinated by how great authors approach their craft. While you don’t need to be a super‑fan to enjoy it, anyone who is will surely eat it up.