{"id":116657,"date":"2025-02-27T08:40:20","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T14:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/?p=116657"},"modified":"2025-02-27T11:56:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:56:53","slug":"stephen-king-novel-pulled-from-shelves-never-to-be-printed-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/2025\/02\/stephen-king-novel-pulled-from-shelves-never-to-be-printed-again.html","title":{"rendered":"Stephen King Novel Pulled From Shelves Never To Be Printed Again"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/stephenking.com\/the-author\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stephen King<\/a>, often called the King of Horror, has crafted some of the most spine-chilling stories in literary history. Novels like <em>The Shining<\/em> and <em>IT<\/em> have not only captivated readers but have also been adapted into legendary films. However, one of his books stands apart\u2014not for its widespread acclaim, but because it was intentionally pulled from circulation, never to be reprinted again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The novel, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/stephenking.com\/works\/novel\/rage.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rage<\/a><\/em>, was first published in 1977 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Unlike other books that fade into obscurity due to lack of interest, <em>Rage<\/em> was actively withdrawn by King himself. He believed it was the responsible choice, as he explained in his 2013 essay <em>Guns<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"2TmFVtsu118\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Web exclusive  Stephen King on media and violence\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2TmFVtsu118?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflecting on the time when he wrote <em>Rage<\/em>, King noted how drastically the world has changed. If the book had been written today, he speculated, a teacher might have quickly reported it, leading to mandatory counseling. In 1965, however, society was different\u2014air travel required no shoe removal, and high schools lacked metal detectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although <em>Rage<\/em> was written long before real-life school violence became a grim reality, it was later linked to a series of tragic events. The book tells the u<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/why-stephen-kings-school-shooter-book-rage-is-out-of-print-and-a-copy-costs-500 (\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nsettling story<\/a> of a troubled student who brings a gun to school, murders a teacher, and holds his classmates hostage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1988, a student held a high school class hostage but later surrendered. Reports suggested <em>Rage<\/em> had influenced him. A year later, another student held his peers captive for nine hours, with a copy of the book reportedly found in his locker.<\/p><div class=\"themi-content_11\" id=\"themi-170681327\"><div id=\"ld-8755-6417\"><\/div><script>(function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:9217690065945446,size:[0, 0],id:\"ld-8755-6417\"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.decide.dev\/_js\/ajs.js\";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,\"script\",\"ld-ajs\");<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"690\" data-id=\"116663\" src=\"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-1024x690.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-116663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-1024x690.png 1024w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-768x517.png 768w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-1536x1035.png 1536w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-150x101.png 150w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-696x469.png 696w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM-1068x720.png 1068w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.55.12-PM.png 1594w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Tragic connections persisted. In 1996, a 14-year-old student killed two classmates and a teacher; <em>Rage<\/em> was discovered on his nightstand. The following year, another 14-year-old committed a school shooting, killing three. A copy of <em>Rage<\/em> was allegedly found in his possession.<\/p><div class=\"themi-content_15\" id=\"themi-450316343\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/themindunleashed\/subscribe\" aria-label=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px.png\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px.png 1920w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px-696x392.png 696w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Brown-and-White-Modern-Digital-Marketing-Course-Promo-Instagram-Post-1920-x-1080-px-1068x601.png 1068w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>These incidents prompted King to make the difficult decision to pull the book. Initially, <em>Rage<\/em> remained in print as part of <em>The Bachman Books<\/em>, a 1985 collection of King\u2019s early works. However, as its unsettling associations became clearer, he chose to withdraw it entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"3eCFwYy_TxY\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rage by Stephen King | The Book You&#039;re Not Supposed to Read\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3eCFwYy_TxY?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The novel had been deeply personal to King, reflecting his teenage frustrations. Still, he ultimately felt it had no place in circulation. In a 2007 footnote in <em>Blaze<\/em>, he remarked: \u201c<em>Now out of print, and a good thing<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite being discontinued, <em>Rage<\/em> remains highly sought after. In 2013, BookFinder.com ranked it as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bookfinder.com\/books\/bookfinder_report_2012\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">second most desired out-of-print book<\/a>, following Madonna\u2019s controversial <em>S<\/em>*.* Used copies surface online, with prices sometimes exceeding $700.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"578\" data-id=\"116665\" src=\"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-1024x578.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-116665\" srcset=\"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-1024x578.png 1024w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-1536x866.png 1536w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-150x85.png 150w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-696x393.png 696w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM-1068x602.png 1068w, https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-27-at-9.52.58-PM.png 1794w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>King has openly addressed his decision, clarifying that while he does not believe fiction directly causes violence, he did not want his book associated with such tragedies. He acknowledged that most readers are unaffected by literature in this way, but for a select few, the impact is unpredictable. Removing <em>Rage<\/em> from circulation was, in his view, a precautionary measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This novel serves as a chilling example of how fiction, though created without harmful intent, can sometimes take on unintended meanings. King\u2019s decision to withdraw <em>Rage<\/em> highlights his sense of responsibility as an author. While his other works continue to be celebrated, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.slashfilm.com\/1750439\/stephen-king-book-rage-worth-thousands\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">particular book<\/a> remains a sobering reminder of the complicated relationship between storytelling and reality.<\/p>\n<div class=\"themi-after-content_2\" id=\"themi-3345245567\"><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1747048\"> \r\n <\/div> \r\n <script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\"); \r\n <\/script> \r\n <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stephen King, often called the King of Horror, has crafted some of the most spine-chilling stories in literary history. Novels like The Shining and IT have not only captivated readers but have also been adapted into legendary films. However, one of his books stands apart\u2014not for its widespread acclaim, but because it was intentionally pulled [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46437,"featured_media":116664,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4358],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-116657","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrity"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46437"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116657"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116657\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116669,"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116657\/revisions\/116669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themindunleashed.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}