Stephen King is one of the most prolific authors alive, known for writing horror, fantasy, and psychological thrillers. His books have sold more than 350 million copies. Here’s some background on the Maine-based writer and a bibliography, featuring details about some of his most notable works.

From ‘Carrie’ to ‘Misery’ (1960–1985)

King graduated from the University of Maine in 1970 but did not sell his first novel, “Carrie,” until 1974. Here’s a look at his work both before and during college.

  • 1960: “People, Places, And Things” (limited edition collection of short stories, published with Chris Chelsey)
  • 1964: “The Star Invaders” (limited edition)
  • 1967 via Startling Stories Magazine: “The Glass Floor”
  • 1974: “Carrie.” This was the book that put King on the map; the story of a telekinetic girl and her abusive mother, Carrie goes berserk, killing her classmates after a cruel prank at the prom.
  • 1975: “Salem’s Lot”
  • 1977: “The Shining” This book was made into an iconic 1980 film by Stanley Kubrick, which King reportedly didn’t like.
  • 1978: “Night Shift” (collection of short stories)
  • 1978: “The Stand”
  • 1979: “The Dead Zone”
  • 1980: “Firestarter”
  • 1981: “Cujo”
  • 1981: “Danse Macabre” (nonfiction book about horror)
  • 1982: “Creepshow” (comic book, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson)
  • 1982: “The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger”
  • 1982: “Different Seasons” (collection of novellas)
  • 1983: “Christine”
  • 1983: “Pet Sematary”
  • 1983: “Cycle of the Werewolf”
  • 1984: “The Talisman” (written with Peter Straub)
  • 1985: “Skeleton Crew” (collection of short stories, poems, and a novella titled “The Mist”)
  • 1985: “The Bachman Books” (collection of short novels)
  • 1986: “It”
  • 1987: “The Eyes of the Dragon”

From ‘Misery’ to ‘The Green Mile’ (1987–1995)

  • 1987: “Misery” is the story of a homicidal nurse who takes an injured writer hostage, was turned into a critically acclaimed movie. Kathy Bates, who played Annie Wilkes, won the 1990 Oscar for Best Actress.
  • 1987: “The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three”
  • 1987: “The Tommyknockers”
  • 1988: “Nightmares in the Sky” (photo book with text by King)
  • 1989: “Dark Visions” (collection of short stories)
  • 1989: “The Dark Half”
  • 1989: “Dolan’s Cadillac” (novella originally published in monthly installments in King’s official newsletter)
  • 1989: “My Pretty Pony” (short story)
  • 1990: “The Stand” (“Complete & Uncut” edition)
  • 1990: “Four Past Midnight” (collection of novellas)
  • 1991: “Needful Things”
  • 1991: “The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands”
  • 1992: “Gerald’s Game”
  • 1992: “Dolores Claiborne”
  • 1993: “Nightmares & Dreamscapes” (collection of short stories)
  • 1994: “Insomnia”
  • 1995: “Rose Madder”
  • 1995: “Umney’s Last Case” (short story)

From ‘The Green Mile’ and Beyond

  • 1996: “The Green Mile” was originally published as a monthly serial consisting of six parts: “The Two Dead Girls,” “The Mouse on the Mile,” “Coffey’s Hands,” “The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix,” “Night Journey,” and “Coffey on the Mile.” In 2000, “The Green Mile” was adapted into a film starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan. The film was nominated for Best Picture, and Duncan was nominated Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of doomed but gentle psychic John Coffey.
  • 1996: “Desperation”
  • 1997: “Six Stories” (collection of stories)
  • 1997: “The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass”
  • 1998: “Bag of Bones”
  • 1999: “Storm of the Century” (television miniseries written by King)
  • 1999: “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon”
  • 1999: “The New Lieutenant’s Rap” (limited edition short story)
  • 1999: “Hearts in Atlantis” (collection of novellas and short stories)
  • 1999: “Blood and Smoke” (audiobook of three short stories narrated by King)
  • 2000: “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (memoir)
  • 2001: “Dreamcatcher”
  • 2001: “Black House” (written with Peter Straub)
  • 2002: “From a Buick 8”
  • 2002: “Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales” (collection of short stories)
  • 2003: “The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger” (revised edition)
  • 2003: “The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla”
  • 2004: “The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah”
  • 2004: “The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower”
  • 2004: “Faithful.” King and co-author Stewart O’Nan began writing their book with no inkling that the long-suffering Red Sox would finally win the World Series after an 86-year drought. It changed the ending they had originally planned.
  • 2005: “The Colorado Kid”
  • 2006: “The Secretary of Dreams” (series of graphic short story collections authored by King)
  • 2006: “Cell”
  • 2006: “Lisey’s Story”
  • 2007: “The Mist” (republished)
  • 2008: “Duma Key”
  • 2009: “Stephen King Goes to the Movies” (collection of short stories)
  • 2009: The Little Sisters of Eluria (limited edition in connection with “The Dark Tower” series)
  • 2009: “Graduation Afternoon” (short story published in the magazine “PostScripts”)
  • 2009: “Throttle” (novella written with King’s son, Joe Hill)
  • 2009: “Under the Dome.” A television show based on the book ran from 2013–2015.
  • 2010: Full Dark, No Stars (collection of novellas including “1922,” “Big Driver,” “Fair Extension,” and “A Good Marriage.”)
  • 2011: “The Dune” (short story published in the magazine “Granta”)
  • 2011: “11/22/63”
  • 2012: “The Dark Tower VIII: The Wind Through the Keyhole”
  • 2013: “Hard Listening: The Greatest Rock Band Ever (of Authors) Tells All” (co-written with other authors in King’s “author rock band”)
  • 2013: “Joyland”
  • 2013: “The Dark Man” (poem)
  • 2013: “Doctor Sleep”
  • 2014: “Revival”
  • 2014: “Mr. Mercedes”
  • 2015: “The Bazaar of Bad Dreams” (collection of short stories)
  • 2015: “Finders Keepers”
  • 2016: “End of Watch”
  • 2017: “Sleeping Beauties” (co-written with King’s son, Owen King)
  • 2018: “The Outsider”
  • 2018: “Elevation” (novella)
  • 2019: “The Institute”

More of King’s Short Stories, Essays, Online Publications, and Novellas

Richard Bachman’s Published Books

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, King wanted to write more than one book per year, but his publishers were concerned about over-saturating the market. He also wanted to know if his books were successful only because he had achieved some level of fame; that is, were they best-sellers because they were high-quality books or only because people wanted to read the latest “Stephen King?”

So King invented the alter-ego of Richard Bachman and released four works under that pseudonym: “Rage” (1977), “The Long Walk” (1979), “Roadwork” (1981), and “The Running Man” (1982) before he was discovered. He wrote several additional works as Bachman though, including “Thinner” (1984), “The Regulators” (1996), and “Blaze” (2007).

Stephen King’s Unpublished Books and Stories

  • 1959: “Charlie” (short story)1963: “The Aftermath” (novella)1970: “Sword in the Darkness” (novel)1974: “The House on Value Street” (unfinished)1976: “Welcome to Clearwater” (unfinished)1976: “The Corner” (unfinished)1977: “Wimsey” (unfinished)1983: “The Leprechaun” (unfinished)1983: “The Cannibals” (eventually developed into King’s “Under the Dome” [2009])1984: “Keyholes” (unfinished)