Misery

Published in 1987, Stephen King's psychological horror novel Misery tells the story of Paul Sheldon, a best-selling American author of a series of romance novels set in the 19th century, featuring the protagonist Misery Chastain. After a car accident leaves him wounded, Paul is kidnapped by Annie Wilkes, a woman who claims to be his biggest fan. She threatens his life, forcing him to rewrite a sequel to the series' final novel that changes the beloved protagonist's fate. The novel explores The Perils of Fame, Confronting Addiction, and Dependency and Self-Actualization.

King is one of the most prolific and lauded writers of the 20th and 21st centuries. Misery was a New York Times bestseller, won the 1987 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel, and was nominated for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1988. The novel was adapted into an Oscar-winning film in 1990 and a play in 2015.

Content warning: The guide discusses mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction, which appear in the source text. The text uses outdated language to describe mental health issues, and these terms are reproduced in direct quotations when necessary.