New York, Sept 16: The National Book Foundation awarded popular thriller and horror writer Stephen King its 2003 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters on Monday. King, who has flourished as a writer of popular fiction since the 1974 publication of his first novel, "Carrie," joins a prestigious list of previous winners that includes John Updike, Philip Roth, Saul Bellow and Toni Morrison.
The 55-year-old King has more than 300 million copies of his books in print, including "The Shining" (1977), "Pet Sematary" (1983), and "Misery" (1987) -- all of which were made into popular films, as was "Carrie."
The award, given by the organizers of the National Book Award, carries a $10,000 prize and will be bestowed at the annual National Book Awards ceremony on Nov. 19.
"This is probably the most exciting thing to happen to me in my career as a writer since the sale of my first book in 1973," King said.
The selection of King did not meet with universal approval in literary and academic circles.
"That they could believe that there is any literary value there or any aesthetic accomplishment or signs of an inventive human intelligence is simply a testimony to their own idiocy."
Bureau Report