20 Mind-Blowing Facts You Never Knew About Stephen King

2. One Of His Books Is Banned (At His Request)

King has always stood in utter defiance of censorship, and stood up for free speech at all times. His argument against the law that could've made it illegal to sell violent video games to under eighteens was just the tip of the iceberg €“ he's always refused to censor the violence or scares in his books, too, with the rare exception of the death of Dr Cody in 'Salem's Lot. And that was just when he was starting out.

Since then he's been rather steadfast, except in one case. The very first Bachman book was 1977's Rage, a rather intense novella about a troubled young man culminating in him shooting up a school. In the years since its publication the book was found amongst the possessions of many real life school shooters, which understandably troubled King.

Much like Stanley Kubrick removing A Clockwork Orange from circulation in the light of copycat gangs committing ultraviolence inspired by the film, King allowed the book to fall out of print in the United States and €“ besides anthology The Bachman Books €“ its remained that way, at the author's request. He has since written about the influence his books have on people, and expressed no regrets at effectively banning one of his own books.