The Shining

Published in 1977

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • ONE OF TIME'S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME • In this masterpiece of modern American horror that inspired Stanley Kubrick’s classic film, Jack Torrance takes a job as the caretaker of the remote Overlook Hotel. As the brutal winter sets in, the hotel’s dark secrets begin to unravel. “An undisputed master of suspense and terror.” —The Washington Post Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

2 adaptations•0 differences documented

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Movie1980

The Shining

Based on

Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren't prepared for the madness that lurks within.

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TV Series1997

The Shining

Based on

A new caretaker moves with his family into the mysterious Overlook Hotel for the winter.

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EndingFull Spoilers

Overlook Hotel fate changed from explosion to freezing maze

The book ends with the hotel boiler exploding and destroying the Overlook. The film ends with Jack freezing to death in the hedge maze while the hotel stands.