| "The Blue Air Compressor" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short story by Stephen King | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| Language | English | ||
| Genre(s) | Horror short story | ||
| Publication | |||
| Published in | Onan, Heavy Metal | ||
| Publication type | Magazine | ||
| Media type | Print, audio | ||
| Publication date | January 1971 | ||
| Chronology | |||
| |||
"The Blue Air Compressor" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in January 1971 in Onan.
Gerald Nately is a young writer who writes a short story about his friend's wife, Mrs. Leighton (no first names for the couple are given). Mrs. Leighton is an enormously obese woman, so Nately calls his short story "The Hog." Mrs. Leighton finds the story and mocks it, saying that she was too big for him to write about her, so he shoves the nozzle of an air compressor into her mouth and overinflates her, causing her to explode. Her remains are buried under the tool shed, and Nately flees to the Near East after retitling his story "The Blue Air Compressor." Nately 's crime is never discovered, and eventually he cuts off his own head with a guillotine (after writing several dark and misunderstood novels, essays, short stories, and poems). [1]
"The Blue Air Compressor" was first published in Onan, a literary magazine of the University of Maine at Orono, in January 1971, shortly after King had graduated. [2] [3] A "heavily revised" version was reprinted in the magazine Heavy Metal in July 1981. [2] [4] In 2018, it was collected for the first time in the anthology work "Shining in the Dark" edited by Hans-Åke Lilja. [2] [5] [6] King stated that the story was partially inspired by an EC Comics story [7] and by the works of Edgar Allan Poe. [3]
An audio adaptation of "The Blue Air Compressor" (narrated by King himself) was released in 2020 as part of the audio adaptation of "Shining in the Dark".
Rocky Wood describes "The Blue Air Compressor" as "one of King's stranger stories, and far from his best" and as "not of high quality, pretentious...self-admittedly derivative and quite unrepresentative of King's style (even at the time it was written)". [7] Stephen J. Spignesi describes it as "a strange, experimental story". [8] George Beahm characterises it as "a one-note revenge tale". [4] James Van Hise describes "The Blue Air Compressor" as "one very strange story". [9] Michael R. Collings cites "The Blue Air Compressor" as an example of King's "vision [...] expanding, incorporating not only his own observations and interests but also tags of literary heritage as well." [10]
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Called the "King of Horror", his books have sold more than 350 million copies as of 2006, and many have been adapted into films, television series, miniseries, and comic books. He has also written approximately 200 short stories, most of which have been published in book collections. His debut, Carrie, was published in 1974, and was followed by 'Salem's Lot, The Shining, The Stand and The Dead Zone. Different Seasons, a collection of four novellas, was his first major departure from the horror genre. The novellas provided the basis for the films Stand by Me and The Shawshank Redemption. King has published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman and has cowritten works with other authors, notably his friend Peter Straub and sons Joe Hill and Owen King.
The Shining is a 1977 horror novel by American author Stephen King. It is King's third published novel and first hardcover bestseller; its success firmly established King as a preeminent author in the horror genre. The setting and characters are influenced by King's personal experiences, including both his visit to The Stanley Hotel in 1974 and his struggle with alcoholism. The novel was adapted into a 1980 film and a 1997 miniseries. The book was followed by a sequel, Doctor Sleep, published in 2013, which in turn was adapted into a film of the same name in 2019.
There have been many books published about Stephen King and his works.
Carrie is a 1974 horror novel, the first by American author Stephen King. Set in Chamberlain, Maine, the plot revolves around Carrie White, a friendless, bullied high-school girl from an abusive religious household who discovers she has telekinetic powers. Feeling guilty for harassing Carrie, Sue Snell invites Carrie to the prom with Tommy Ross, but a humiliating prank during the prom by Chris Hargensen leads to Carrie destroying the town with her powers. The narrative contains fictional documents in approximately chronological order that present multiple perspectives on the prom incident and its perpetrator. Carrie deals with themes of ostracism and revenge, with the opening shower scene and the destruction of Chamberlain being pivotal scenes.
"The Ten O'Clock People" is a short story by American author Stephen King, published in the Nightmares & Dreamscapes collection. Unlike many of King's stories which take place in fictional places like Castle Rock, Maine, "The Ten O'Clock People" takes place in Boston, Massachusetts. A film adaptation has been announced.
"Never Look Behind You" is a short story by Chris Chesley and Stephen King. It was self-published by Chesley and King in 1960 as part of the collection People, Places and Things.
The Dollar Baby was an arrangement in which American author Stephen King would grant permission to students and aspiring filmmakers or theater producers to adapt one of his short stories for $1. King retains the rights to his work, but as he began to experience commercial success, he decided to use the Dollar Baby to help the next generation of creatives. The term may be used to refer to both the adaptation itself and the person adapting it; for example, "The Sun Dog" was made as a Dollar Baby and filmmaker Matt Flesher became a Dollar Baby upon adapting it.
"The Reploids" is a science fiction short story by American writer Stephen King. It was first published in the 1988 book Night Visions 5.
According to books by Tyson Blue, Stephen J. Spignesi, and Rocky Wood et al., there are numerous unpublished works by Stephen King that have come to light throughout King's career. These allegedly include novels and short stories, most of which remain unfinished. Most are stored among Stephen King's papers in the special collections of the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine, some of which are freely accessible to the library's visitors. However, others require King's permission to read. Additionally, there are a number of uncollected short stories, published throughout King's long career in various anthologies and periodicals, that have never been published in a King collection.
Ubris was a literary journal published by the University of Maine. It is most notable for having published a number of Stephen King's stories and poems when he was a student at the university.
"The Glass Floor" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the autumn 1967 issue of Startling Mystery Stories. It was King's first professional sale.
"Man With a Belly" is a short story by Stephen King. It was published in Cavalier in December 1978.
"The Night of the Tiger" is a short story by Stephen King. Originally written in the 1960s, it was first published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction in February 1978.
"The Little Green God of Agony" is a short story by Stephen King. It was originally published in 2011 as part of the anthology A Book of Horrors.
"I Was a Teenage Grave Robber" is a short story by Stephen King. It was first published in the fanzine Comics Review in 1965; a rewritten version was published in 1966 under the title "In a Half-World of Terror". It was King's first independently published story.
"Skybar" is a short story by Brian Hartz and Stephen King. The beginning and ending of the story were written by King and published in the 1982 book The Do-It-Yourself Bestseller: A Workbook, with the publisher, Doubleday, holding a competition in which readers invited to complete the story by writing the middle portion. The entry by Brian Hartz was selected by King as the winner.
"For the Birds" is a short story by Stephen King. It was originally published in 1986 as part of the short story collection Bred Any Good Rooks Lately?.
People, Places and Things is a short story collection by Chris Chesley and Stephen King, self-published in 1960.
"The Hotel at the End of the Road" is a short story by Stephen King. It was self-published by King in 1960 as part of the collection People, Places and Things.
"Rush Call" is a short story by Stephen King. Originally published in his brother's self-published newspaper Dave's Rag in 1960, it was later collected in the 2000 work Secret Windows.
