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Shirley Jackson: Novels and Stories
Shirley Jackson: Novels and Stories | Shirley Jackson
25 posts | 12 read | 7 to read
"The world of Shirley Jackson is eerie and unforgettable," writes A. M. Homes. "It is a place where things are not what they seem; even on a morning that is sunny and clear there is always the threat of darkness looming, of things taking a turn for the worse." Jackson's characters-mostly unloved daughters in search of a home, a career, a family of their own-chase what appears to be a harmless dream until, without warning, it turns on its heel to seize them by the throat. We are moved by these characters' dreams, for they are the dreams of love and acceptance shared by us all. We are shocked when their dreams become nightmares, and terrified by Jackson's suggestion that there are unseen powers-"demons" both subconscious and supernatural-malevolently conspiring against human happiness. In this volume Joyce Carol Oates, our leading practitioner of the contemporary Gothic, presents the essential works of Shirley Jackson, the novels and stories that, from the early 1940s through the mid-1960s, wittily remade the genre of psychological horror for an alienated, postwar America. She opens with "The Lottery" (1949), Jackson's only collection of short fiction, whose disquieting title story-one of the most widely anthologized tales of the 20th century-has entered American folklore. Also among these early works are "The Daemon Lover," a story Oates praises as "deeper, more mysterious, and more disturbing than 'The Lottery, ' " and "Charles," the hilarious sketch that launched Jackson's secondary career as a domestic humorist. Here too are Jackson's masterly short novels: "The Haunting of Hill House" (1959), the tale of an achingly empathetic young woman chosen by a haunted house to be its new tenant, and "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" (1962), the unrepentant confessions of Miss Merricat Blackwood, a cunning adolescent who has gone to quite unusual lengths to preserve her ideal of family happiness. Rounding out the volume are 21 other stories and sketches that showcase Jackson in all her many modes, and the essay "Biography of a Story," Jackson's acidly funny account of the public reception of "The Lottery," which provoked more mail from readers of "The New Yorker" than any contribution before or since.
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SconsinBookyBadger
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While out shopping for cat supplies, I swung by B&N blocks away down the street. Pistachio isn‘t the only one getting pampered today.

GondorGirl Pistachio is a wonderful cat name! 6mo
SconsinBookyBadger @GondorGirl Pistachio says thank you! 🐾 😸 6mo
15 likes2 comments
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SomedayAlmost
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Shirley Jackson tries to catch snowflakes.
Opening of a literary essay? #bookishcat #snowday #catsoflitsy

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SomedayAlmost
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Pickpick

“Only Stand and Wait” is a previously unpublished suspense tale by the brilliant Jackson in a recent edition of the “Strand Magazine.” It is more of a fable than a straight story; she does not even give the main characters names. The “blindness” discussed in the piece is more symbolic than literal. (I don‘t read this as an intended depiction of the truly visually impaired by Jackson.) #shortstory #suspense #TeamSlaughter #Scarathalon22

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StephTKO
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Trying to find meaning again. 📚📚📚

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Mitch
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It‘s going to be a so me to watch online tomorrow for just one day! Set your clocks! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

https://www.curzonhomecinema.com/film/watch-shirley-film-online

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Dyslexicon13
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6 likes1 stack add
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Soubhiville
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It‘s almost August, and our August #AuthorAMonth is Shirley Jackson. Check out those creepy covers! Have you read any of these? Have you decided which ones you‘d like to read?

Reminder that there will be a prize box for the Litten who reads the most books by the chosen author in their month by mid-December.

Would you like to be added to tagged members? Let me know.

Post your review and use tags each month to be counted!

StayCurious I got sidetracked in July with other books but I‘d still like to join. I hope it‘s not too late! 5y
OriginalCyn620 I‘ve got We Have Always Lived In The Castle ready to go! I‘ll try to read more but that one for sure will be read! 📚 5y
Kimberlone I would like to join in for August! 5y
See All 16 Comments
BookwormAHN I've read The Lottery and The Haunting of Hill House. We have Always Lived in the Castle is on the top of my pile. 5y
sudi I haven't read any books by Shirley Jackson. But i bought two ebooks i found interesting which are The Lottery and We have always lived in the castle. 5y
erzascarletbookgasm These covers are awesome! Please count me in for SJ! 5y
Eyelit I‘ve got two books of short stories on my kindle and I‘ve plan to read them both in August. Also really need to finally read haunting of hill house 5y
ValerieAndBooks Those are great covers in the picture!! I have some Shirley Jacksons; two still to be TBR! I‘ll post a pic soon. 5y
IndoorDame Amazing covers! Count me in, I've only ever read The Lottery and would love to read more of her work 5y
HeathHof I'd like to join ! 5y
LapReader Me please 5y
ImperfectCJ I love Shirley Jackson! If I ever went back to school for literature, I'd write my Master's thesis on her. Be sure to read Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons, memoir-type books about her family life. They are utterly hilarious and quite surprising after all of the scary stuff. 5y
Soubhiville Thanks @ImperfectCJ ! I‘ll look for them. ❤️👍 5y
Soubhiville @StayCurious please do join in! It‘s never too late! 5y
Soubhiville @Kimberlone @erzascarletbookgasm @Mynameisacolour @LapReader I‘ve added you all to the spreadsheet! Just post your reviews, use the hashtag, and tag me to be sure you get credit for each book! Happy reading 😊📚 5y
Kimberlone @Soubhiville thank you! I downloaded from audible and am excited to listen to 5y
71 likes16 comments
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Kimbono
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Pickpick

I‘ve read her novels and The Lottery but was still unprepared for the short story “The Witch” Whoa. Shirley Jackson was something else.

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Thndrstd
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Merry Christmas!

I‘m excited for all my Christmas gifts but here is the book I got.

BookwormAHN Merry Christmas 🎄 5y
GypsyKat Merry Christmas!!! 5y
48 likes1 stack add2 comments
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rachelk
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I liked everything I read last month, but what surprised me most was how much I loved the short stories by Shirley Jackson — by far my favorite reading and I don‘t usually think of myself as a short story fan. #October #Wrapup

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SpookyBoogie
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1.) Shirley Jackson: Novels and Stories
2.) 397. My goal was 365.
3.) I got a raise.
4.) My birthday!
5.) @1happyheathen

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rachelk
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Pickpick

My first chilling book of October finished.... I had read a little Shirley Jackson prior to this but with a Netflix series adaptation out Friday (‘The Haunting of Hill House‘) and three movies in the works (‘The Lottery‘, ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle‘ and ‘Shirley‘) I wanted more. This is a great collection. #October

vivastory One of the greatest 5y
Lcsmcat I didn‘t know about the Netflix adaptation. I loved that book. Thanks for sharing. 5y
rachelk @vivastory I agree :) 5y
rachelk @Lcsmcat I hope they do a good job with it 🤞🏻 5y
43 likes1 stack add4 comments
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ConnieK
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A great friend gave me this today.

Burghbookaddict Welcome to Litsy! 🌞 6y
tammysue Hello - Welcome to Litsy!! 👋🏻🎉📚🌼 6y
Eggs Welcome to Litsy 👋🏻😊 6y
See All 6 Comments
Thndrstd Welcome! Great gift. 6y
TheRiehlDeal Pretty cool gift from your friend! I have her "The Haunting of Hill House" on one of my TBR's. Hopefully I like her work. Have you read any of her books? Any of them stand out as must-reads? 6y
ConnieK @TheRiehlDeal No. I haven‘t read anything from her yet. 6y
22 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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CherryPie
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😊I have 3 of these Beanie things to hold Kindles & phone for reading. Sore hands here. Not the best solution.
📚 Shirley Jackson
🍔 Chezburga, chezburga, schawing burga!
✴ I need a fave hashtag on litsy. Any suggestions? #libraryloanfail seems all too real.
📖 Most popular book the year I was born: The Exorcist. No surprise there. Read it as a wee lass. The year my dad was born was How Green Was My Valley. Nice contrast.

@MinDea #humpdaypost

Lreads That beanie kitty is so cute! 6y
26 likes1 comment
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JessicaThunstromNelson
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Finally getting my Shirley Jackson on

TheAnitaAlvarez Good choice! 6y
5 likes1 stack add1 comment
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JessicaThunstromNelson

Finally getting my Shirley

JessicaThunstromNelson I didn't realize when this disappeared before I was done that it sent, or I would have deleted it before anyone clicked it. Oops. 😂 6y
2 likes1 comment
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vivastory
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I'm all over the magnets...

LeahBergen Oopsie. I MIGHT have ordered the 2 Jackson T-shirts today from @outofprint ‘s BOGO sale. 😬 6y
vivastory @LeahBergen It's an irresistible deal! 6y
69 likes2 comments
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Allkat
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Many litsy comments about the story Haunting of Hill House made me run to the library and check out this one. It also has her short stories.

FantasyChick Has always been one of my favorites! 6y
Allkat @FantasyChick . Funny my daughter came home from school saw me reading this, said her class had just read the lottery . A coincidence. Really liked - we have always lived in the castle. 6y
9 likes2 comments
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kyraleseberg
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An interesting article on Shirley Jackson, worth a read!
https://www.bookwitty.com/text/gothic-fiction-author-shirley-jackson-chronicling...

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emilyhaldi
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If only I could make this #5fordinner happen!!
•Donna Tartt
•John Kennedy Toole
•Margaret Mitchell
•Jane Austen
•Shirley Jackson

Thanks for the tag! @Cinfhen @LauraBeth
Passing the love to @mrozzz @MrBook @CAGirlReading @kspenmoll

britt_brooke John Kennedy Toole! Great choices. 👌🏻👌🏻 7y
Cinfhen You & @Mdargusch seem to share fondness with some authors...excellent choices 🤓 7y
Mdargusch I want to be there too! John KT! That would be crazy! 7y
See All 7 Comments
Kalalalatja Great picks! 👌 7y
MrBook Awesome! I'll give mine later on today 😊👍🏻, thank you for tag, my awesome friend! 7y
Reviewsbylola John is a good one! 7y
115 likes7 comments
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argeorge
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apparently trying to scare the crap out of myself before bed tonight.

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Curley_Bender
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Some Shirley Jackson with my lunch will all but guarantee that today is better than yesterday.

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JoeStalksBeck
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I asked Karin Slaughter, Lisa Unger and Sara Blaedel what books scared them the most. Both said Shirley Jackson scared them to death lol

Readerann I have had nightmares about 'The Lottery' ever since high school! 7y
JoeStalksBeck @Readerann Lisa Unger also said Cujo 7y
riversong153 @Readerann I agree about The Lottery. I remembered reading it in high school, I recently heard someone read it on a podcast. Creepy 🙊 7y
120 likes3 comments
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brendanmleonard
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Reading stops for no one - I was planning on reading Disappearance at Devil's Rock, but got sucked into these short, biting, Twilight Zone chillers in "The Lottery." Reading this LOA edition brings up a very important question, Littens - is this one book...or three?

Jenshootsweddings Three 😇 such an amazing writer! ❤️ 7y
DiruVamp I would count them as 3 as well! You can never go wrong with Shirley Jackson 7y
Bookgirl Awesome stories! 3 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Totally 3. No doubt. 7y
93 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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brendanmleonard
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Whoo! Rough Internet day today, folks - so I'm getting into the swing of things and get caught up on reading/pages from last week! Really digging this so far...with a furry snuggle buddy to keep me company.