ORONO — A Shakespeare scholar who grew up reading Stephen King’s books will hold a University of Maine position named in honor of the acclaimed author.
The University of Maine has named Caroline Bicks as its inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature.
Bicks has been teaching English at Boston College since 2002 and will join UMaine in September.
She often speaks on the Bard’s relevance and echoes in popular culture today, including parallels between the personalities of Shakespeare’s Juliet and King’s Carrie.
Her recent book is titled “Shakespeare, Not Stirred: Cocktails for Your Everyday Drama.”
Bicks is a New York City native who grew up spending her summers in Castine.
“I remember reading every Stephen King book they had at the Castine public library,” she said in a statement. “His writing taught me early on that an artfully composed story can make a powerful and lasting impression. I still can’t sleep with the closet door open thanks to ‘The Boogeyman.’ It’s an enormous privilege to be holding this chair in King’s honor.”
The Stephen E. King Chair in Literature was established in the University of Maine Foundation with a $1 million gift from the Harold Alfond Foundation.
King graduated from the University of Maine in 1970.
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