Stephen King condemns Utah ban of Different Seasons

Author Stephen King has publicly criticized the state of Utah after his 1982 novella collection, Different Seasons, was banned from all public school libraries statewide. The ban, which officially took effect on July 6, 2026, was enacted under a 2024 state law concerning "objective sensitive material" in schools.

King responded to the decision on social media, writing, "They banned DIFFERENT SEASONS in Utah. Contains STAND BY ME and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, stories of friendship and courage. Readable by teens, too. Whats wrong with these people?" The collection includes four novellas, two of which are the source material for the acclaimed films Stand by Me (adapted from "The Body") and The Shawshank Redemption (adapted from "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption").

The removal was triggered after at least three school districts determined the book contained material violating state standards. The Davis, Jordan, Washington County, and Tooele County school districts all flagged the book. According to review documents from the Davis School District cited in local reports, the decision was based on passages in the novella "Apt Pupil" that describe "genitals in a state of sexual...