Stephen King Speaks Out After Being Named The Most Banned Author In The US

Stephen King, often called the King of Horror, remains one of the best-known and most influential writers working today. His stories have reached readers across generations and shaped modern pop culture in a big way.

Many of his most recognized works have made the jump to the screen. It, The Long Walk, and The Life of Chuck are all feature films, while series such as The Outsider and Under the Dome have been adapted for television.

Despite that success, King, 78, now holds an unusual distinction. He has been named the most-banned author in the United States, and he has responded publicly to that finding.

New figures released by the nonprofit PEN America show 6,800 instances in the 2024–2025 school year where books were either temporarily or permanently removed from school shelves. The bans spanned districts and school types.

Their report, Banned in the USA, says that 80 percent of these removals came from three states in particular: Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. The concentration highlights how local policy can shape what students can access.

Data compiled alongside the report also indicates that book bans have surged over the last three years, according to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. The trend points to a sharp rise in challenges and restrictions.

Stephen King has spoken out on having a plethora of his books banned across the United States X/stephenking

PEN’s analysis found that King’s books have been targeted 206 times, with titles like Carrie and The Stand among 87 of his works facing removal, NBC reported. The breadth of titles shows how wide the net has become.

According to Newsweek, most of these actions took place in public school libraries rather than across general public collections. The context matters because school settings often face stricter standards and quicker responses to complaints.

Reports suggest that the bans were tied to mature content in the fiction, which is frequently cited during review processes. Districts often default to caution when content includes violence, sexual material, or complex themes.

After the findings were released on Wednesday, October 1, the author of The Shining posted on X and described himself as the “most banned author in the United States.” He coupled that label with a blunt message to readers.

"May I suggest you pick up one of them and see what all the pissing & moaning is about? Self-righteous book banners don't always get to have their way. This is still America, dammit," the Maine-born writer added. His post struck a defiant tone and urged people to engage with the contested books themselves.

King has commented on the issue before and has consistently defended access to books, even when they include difficult topics or strong language.

Last year, after Florida removed a large number of titles following state rules about sexually explicit material in school libraries, King reacted with frustration. He did not mince words about the scale of the removals.

"Florida has banned 23 [of] my books. What the f**k?" he said at the time. In a separate statement to Newsweek, he added a familiar piece of advice for readers facing restrictions.

"I have said it before, and will say it again: When books are banned from school libraries, run to your public library, or the nearest bookstore, and read what it is your elders don't want you to know."

Carrie is one of the books on the banned list, according to the PEN America report Sony Pictures Releasing

Kasey Meehan, who leads PEN’s Freedom to Read program and co-authored the latest report, explained why King’s catalog often gets swept up in bans. Her comments point to how broad removal efforts can have unintended results.

"His books are often removed from shelves when 'adult' titles or books with 'sex content' are targeted for removal — these prohibitions overwhelmingly ban LGBTQ+ content and books on race, racism, and people of color — but also affect titles like Stephen King's books," she told NBC, noting how sweeping criteria can rope in mainstream authors along with the stated targets.

"Some districts — in being overly cautious or fearful of punishment — will sweep so wide they end up removing Stephen King from access, too." The tendency to overcorrect can leave students with fewer choices and fewer viewpoints in their libraries.

Other writers who faced bans this cycle include fantasy author Sarah J. Maas, as well as Jodi Picoult and Patricia McCormick. The list spans genres and age categories, which shows how the issue cuts across the market.

For King, the report followed another round of controversy. Supporters of the MAGA movement recently tried to cancel him over remarks he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, 31, was fatally shot during a Prove Me Wrong event at a university in Utah on September 10. The tragedy set off a wave of online reactions, including from high-profile figures.

In the aftermath, King posted on social media and claimed that the father of two “advocated stoning gays to death,” a statement that was incorrect. The post drew fast pushback from users who said he had misstated the context.

Commenters suggested King was referring to a moment when Kirk addressed YouTuber Ms Rachel after she highlighted a Bible verse about loving your neighbor. The exchange became a flash point in the conversation.

The legendary author found himself in hot water last month after he made a comment about Charlie Kirk X/stephenking

"By the way Ms. Rachel, you might want to crack open that Bible of yours, in a lesser referenced part in the same part of scripture, is in Leviticus 18 is that 'Thou shall lay with another man, shall be stoned to death.' Just saying... [This chapter] affirms God's perfect law when it comes to sexual matters."

After users flagged the discrepancy, King acknowledged the error and issued a clarification online. He walked back the claim while keeping focus on selective use of scripture in public debates.

King wrote: "I apologize for saying Charlie Kirk advocated stoning gays. What he actually demonstrated was how some people cherry-pick Biblical passages."

Earlier this summer, King was asked how he might end a fictionalized version of America under Donald Trump if he were writing it as a novel. He offered two possible outcomes, one he preferred and one he feared.

"I think it would be impeachment – which, in my view, would be a good ending," he said in comments reported by The Guardian, outlining a constitutional resolution.

"I would love to see him retired, let's put it that way. The bad ending would be that he gets a third term and takes things over completely." His remarks sparked discussion about political stakes and how fiction can mirror real anxieties.