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Hearts in Atlantis

Hearts in Atlantis

HorrorLiterary Fiction
Pages
528
Published
2000
Language
English

Synopsis

Stephen King returns with a collection of interconnected stories exploring the disillusionment of the Baby Boomer generation. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the turbulent 1960s, these tales follow characters grappling with lost ideals and the consequences of their choices. From college campuses to haunted dorms, King examines how a generation that promised so much ultimately fell short.

Prose complexity
6/10

Vibe

MelancholicReflectiveDarkThought-Provoking
Coming of AgeFound FamilySacrificeMentor FigureDual Timeline

Genres

Horror Literary Fiction Psychological Horror Thriller Military Short Stories Suspense

About the author

S
Stephen King

Stephen King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author whose work has defined popular horror fiction for more than half a century. Born in Portland, Maine, he grew up in poverty after his father abandoned the family, and credits his mother's resilience and a voracious reading habit as the foundations of his imagination. He began selling short stories to men's magazines while working as a high school English teacher, and published his first novel, Carrie, in 1974—his wife Tabitha retrieved...

Characters

All characters in Hearts in Atlantis

Frequently asked questions

  • What is Hearts in Atlantis?

    Published in 1999, Hearts in Atlantis is a linked collection of five stories set across several decades of the Vietnam War generation's life. The centerpiece novella, 'Low Men in Yellow Coats,' follows eleven-year-old Bobby Garfield in 1960 and his friendship with a mysterious elderly lodger named Ted Brautigan.

  • Who is Ted Brautigan and how does he connect to the Dark Tower?

    Ted Brautigan is a psychic being with the ability to read minds, who has been hunted for years by 'Low Men'—agents of the Crimson King from the Dark Tower universe. He finds temporary safety boarding in Bobby's house. Ted later appears as a significant figure in the Dark Tower novel Black House.

  • What does 'Atlantis' in the title mean?

    The title refers to a lost world—both the idealism of the 1960s generation and the specifically collegiate world where students spent their time playing cards (Hearts) in dormitory lounges instead of protesting the Vietnam War. 'Atlantis' is what Bobby's friend Carol calls that world of lost youth: beautiful, submerged, gone.

  • Was Hearts in Atlantis adapted for film?

    The 2001 film of the same name adapted only the first story, 'Low Men in Yellow Coats,' starring Anthony Hopkins as Ted Brautigan and Anton Yelchin as Bobby. The film omitted the Vietnam-era stories entirely. It received mixed reviews but is generally considered a thoughtful, understated adaptation.

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