The Exorcist
The Exorcist is a 1971 horror novel by American writer William Peter Blatty. The book details the demonic possession of eleven-year-old Regan MacNeil, the daughter of a famous actress, and the two priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. Published by Harper & Row, the novel was the basis of a highly successful film adaptation released two years later, whose screenplay was also written and produced by Blatty, and part of The Exorcist franchise. The novel was inspired by a 1949 case of demonic possession and exorcism that Blatty heard about while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University. As a result, the novel takes place in Washington, D.C., near the campus of Georgetown University. In September 2011, the novel was reprinted by Harper Collins to celebrate its fortieth anniversary, with slight revisions made by Blatty as well as interior title artwork by Jeremy Caniglia.
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What you might want to know about The Exorcist
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
When twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil starts behaving in ways no doctor in Washington DC can explain, her actress mother Chris turns in despair to two Jesuit priests. One of them is a psychiatrist, the other an old exorcist.
Yes, loosely. William Peter Blatty was inspired by a 1949 Maryland exorcism case involving a young boy. The novel changes the gender of the possessed and adds significant fictional elements, but the framing exorcism event is based on documented reports.
Yes. William Friedkin directed a 1973 film adaptation written by William Peter Blatty himself. The film is widely cited as one of the great horror films and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards.
The Exorcist was written by William Peter Blatty, published in 1971 by Fazi.
The Exorcist is 400 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Exorcist takes most readers 6 to 9 hours to finish.
The Exorcist is a standalone novel by William Peter Blatty, not part of a series.
The Exorcist is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.