Originally published in 1971,
The Exorcist, one of the most controversial novels
ever written, went on to become a literary phenomenon: It spent fifty-seven weeks on the New York
Times bestseller list, seventeen consecutively at
number one. Inspired by a true story of a child's
demonic possession in the 1940s, William Peter
Blatty created an iconic novel that focuses on Regan,
the eleven-year-old daughter of a movie actress
residing in Washington, D.C. A small group of overwhelmed yet determined individuals must rescue
Regan from her unspeakable fate, and the drama
that ensues is gripping and unfailingly terrifying.
Two years after its publication, The Exorcist was,
of course, turned into a wildly popular motion picture, garnering ten Academy Award nominations. On opening day of the film, lines of the novel's
fans stretched around city blocks. In Chicago,
frustrated moviegoers used a battering ram to gain
entry through the double side doors of a theater.
In Kansas City, police used tear gas to disperse an impatient crowd who tried to force their way into a cinema. The three major television networks
carried footage of these events; CBS's Walter Cronkite devoted almost ten minutes to the story. The Exorcist was, and is, more than just a novel and
a film: it is a true landmark.
Purposefully raw and profane, The Exorcist
still has the extraordinary ability to disturb readers
and cause them to forget that it is "just a story." Published here in this beautiful fortieth anniversary
edition, it remains an unforgettable reading experience and will continue to shock and frighten a new generation of readers.