Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Let Me Tell You
Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings | Shirley Jackson
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR From the renowned author of The Lottery and The Haunting of Hill House, a spectacular new volume of previously unpublished and uncollected stories, essays, and other writings. Features Family Treasures, nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Short Story Shirley Jackson is one of the most important American writers of the last hundred years. Since her death in 1965, her place in the landscape of twentieth-century fiction has grown only more exalted. As we approach the centenary of her birth comes this astonishing compilation of fifty-six piecesmore than forty of which have never been published before. Two of Jacksons children co-edited this volume, culling through the vast archives of their mothers papers at the Library of Congress, selecting only the very best for inclusion. Let Me Tell You brings together the deliciously eerie short stories Jackson is best known for, along with frank, inspiring lectures on writing; comic essays about her large, boisterous family; and whimsical drawings. Jacksons landscape here is most frequently domestic: dinner parties and bridge, household budgets and homeward-bound commutes, childrens games and neighborly gossip. But this familiar setting is also her most subversive: She wields humor, terror, and the uncanny to explore the real challenges of marriage, parenting, and communitythe pressure of social norms, the veins of distrust in love, the constant lack of time and space. For the first time, this collection showcases Shirley Jacksons radically different modes of writing side by side. Together they show her to be a magnificent storyteller, a sharp, sly humorist, and a powerful feminist. This volume includes a Foreword by the celebrated literary critic and Jackson biographer Ruth Franklin. Praise for Let Me Tell You Stunning.O: The Oprah Magazine Let us nowat lastcelebrate dangerous women writers: how cheering to see justice done with [this collection of] Shirley Jacksons heretofore unpublished worksuniquely unsettling stories and ruthlessly barbed essays on domestic life.Vanity Fair Feels like an uncanny dollhouse: Everything perfectly rendered, but something deliciously not quite right.NPR There are . . . times in reading [Jacksons] accounts of desperate women in their thirties slowly going crazy that she seems an American Jean Rhys, other times when she rivals even Flannery OConnor in her cool depictions of inhumanity and insidious cruelty, and still others when she matches Philip K. Dick at his most hallucinatory. At her best, though, shes just incomparable.The Washington Post Offers insights into the vagaries of [Jacksons] mind, which was ruminant and generous, accommodating such diverse figures as Dr. Seuss and Samuel Richardson.The New York Times Book Review The best pieces clutch your throat, gently at first, and then with growing strength. . . . The whole collection has a timelessness.The Boston Globe [Jacksons] writing, both fiction and nonfiction, has such enduring powershe brings out the darkness in life, the poltergeists shut into everyones basement, and offers them up, bringing wit and even joy to the examination.USA Today The closest we can get to sitting down and having a conversation with . . . one of the most original voices of her generation.The Huffington Post From the Hardcover edition.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
quote
Linsy
post image

“The Real Me: I am tired of ... pretend[ing] that I am a trim little housewife in a Mother Hubbard stirring up appetizing messes over a wood stove. I live in a dank old place with a #ghost that stomps around in the attic room we've never gone into (I think it's walled up), and the first thing I did when we moved in was to make charms in black crayon on all the door sills and window ledges.“

#ominousoctober #scarathlon
#teamslaughter

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful cover 💚 1y
50 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Linsy
post image
Pickpick

This book was a delight! While I enjoyed the new stories collected here, I really loved getting a glimpse into Jackson's life! Her essay about her house being haunted is probably my favorite, but honestly all of her essays were just a delight. I definitely need to read Life Among the Savages now! 👻💚😘

blurb
TracyReadsBooks
post image

Sunny and 60s in September is as good an excuse as any other to go for a walk…and what better destination then a bookstore? I went for the tagged book but couldn‘t resist visiting the sale section before leaving and that‘s where I found the bottom two books. Happy to help all three find a new home. ❤️📚❤️

review
SomedayAlmost
post image
Pickpick

Short story review: The vivid, disquieting “The Man in The Woods” is wonderfully strange and creepy. Read it while camping today. 15 points for #TeamHarkness during the final read-a-thon of #scarathalon. @StayCurious

review
SomedayAlmost
post image
Pickpick

Short story review: “The Lie.” 4 stars. Good interior monologue but not quite as ominous as classic Jackson fiction. 1 hour for #ReadYourWay read-a-thon and 5 points for #TeamHarkness equals 15 points total for #Scarathalon@witn @StayCurious

TheSpineView 👏👏👏🧡📚🖤🎃 3y
17 likes1 comment
review
SomedayAlmost
post image
Pickpick

“Paranoia” short story review: 5 stars for this disquieting tale by Jackson, the master of psychological horror. Hits home for anyone who has lived in the waves of people in a big city. #horror #shortstory #scarathalon #TeamHarkness
#15points via @StayCurious

blurb
TheBookDream
post image

Trying to finish up the non-fiction bits before I return it

blurb
TheBookDream
post image

So is it possible to fall in love with an author solely through their writing? Because I think I just did.

18 likes1 stack add
blurb
TheBookDream
post image

Aaaand the power‘s out thanks to this terrific wind storm. What a good time to read Shirley Jackson 👻

blurb
TheBookDream
post image

I‘ll be honest, I didn‘t check this out thinking “this is the author of Haunting on Hill House.” I totally didn‘t connect it at all. Sooooo good so far.

review
mollyrotondo
post image
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Can I just say that I love Shirley Jackson so very much?! She is so smart and funny. Her essays in this book are hilarious! There are some really beautiful short stories in here. This whole book made me smile! This is a #bookspinbonanza pick number Fourteen. I‘ve done three #bookspin books so far this month which is a record for me! I am going to try to fit a fourth in before May is over 🤞

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! Awesome progress!!! 4y
48 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
SomedayAlmost
post image

You are so amazing, @vivastory ! Thanks for these generous swap gifts! I can‘t tell you how excited I am for the new Shirley Jackson collection! Thoughtful gifts, all! Happy Halloween and Samhain! Thank you to our organizer @MaleficentBookDragon as well! #grateful #allhallowsreadswap #happyhalloween

vivastory I'm glad you liked it 😊 it was a treat putting a box together for a fellow S. Jackson fan 4y
25 likes1 comment
blurb
madamereadsalot1
post image

I'm reading the tagged book for #AuthorAMonth and hoping I'll finish the collection in time to count. The first story in it so far has not been topped and I want to share it with everyone because it's that fantastic! So do us all a favor, follow the link and read it from when it was published in the New Yorker!
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/05/paranoia-shirley-jackson

@Soubhiville

vivastory Thanks so much for posting! I have The Lottery & Other Stories edited by AM Homes, but was unaware of this one. I'm buying it now. Have you ever read her story set during Labor Day weekend, "The Summer People"? I first read it last year in Vandermeer's anthology The Weird. I tried to find it online to send you the link but it doesn't look like it's been posted online. It was also included in 5y
madamereadsalot1 @vivastory I have not read that one! I'll have to find it somewhere. Thanks for pointing me to it, I'm not sure if I've even heard of it before. If I had, I've forgotten. 😅 I loved the Lottery, though I didn't read the entire collection it's included in. 5y
vivastory Glad to discuss Shirley Jackson. She's one of my favorites of all time. 5y
See All 6 Comments
madamereadsalot1 @vivastory she's excellent! We Have Always Lived in the Castle is one of my favorite books. 5y
Soubhiville This is the first time I‘ve seen this title. I‘ll check out that story in the morning. Thanks for sharing. 5y
madamereadsalot1 @vivastory @Soubhiville let me know what ya think when you finish it!! 5y
24 likes1 stack add6 comments
blurb
ElishaLovesBooks
post image

#dollarstorefinds #tbr

Some great books at the dollar store today!

blurb
Reita325

Jackson has written two books about life with her family which are a departure from the horror stories of which she is most famous. I feel like I know her children a bit from her stories, so I didn't feel badly reading this book of unpublished and in some cases, unfinished, work since two of her four children put this together. There's a little bit of everything, short stories, essays, humor pieces even sketches she drew.

blurb
ApplesandSpindles
post image

Pop Culture Happy Hour said the essays in this Shirley Jackson collection were delightfully fiendish. Sold! Also haven't read this Christie yet, so why not?

review
writeropolis
post image
Pickpick

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. Let Me Tell You is a great collection. Read my full review: https://wp.me/p9KtkP-km #amreading #bookworm #bibliophile #bookish #booknerdigans #bookblogger #tsundoku #greatreads #readmorebooks #coolgirlsread

Libby1 Hello! Good to see you here again! ❤️📚❤️ 5y
4 likes1 comment
quote
uncommonpoppy
post image

I have never liked the theory that poltergeists only come into houses where there are children, because I think it is simply too much for any one house to have poltergeists AND children. #quote #shirleyjackson

blurb
kyraleseberg
post image

My greatest #DollarTree book find to date! 😍

Tamra Wow, lucky you! 5y
JoScho 💚💚💚 5y
LauraBeth Great find! 😍 5y
Chab256 Omg...now I need to troll every Dollar Tree near me! 5y
kyraleseberg @Chab256 It's worth it! I have three that I check regularly (I even asked the days they put new books on the shelves 🙈) 5y
27 likes5 comments
blurb
allureofbeauty
post image
review
Litpixie
post image
Pickpick

I adore Shirley Jackson's work and this collection of short stories, essays and lectures were wonderful. The lectures I found particularly interesting since she often talked about The Haunting of Hill House. To see the thinking behind a writer's work was fascinating.

blurb
Litpixie
post image

Miss F. Etti Mology, Spinster. The sketch at the beginning of the how to write section. I love this little lady.

blurb
Litpixie
post image

Earlier today I finished The Haunting of Hill House and so tonight I'm beginning this book. I'm also reading The Diary of Virginia Woolf Vol 4. I'd like to think that Woolf will lessen any nightmares Jackson may cause.

blurb
parasolofdoom
post image

August reads!

review
parasolofdoom
post image
Pickpick

Shirley Jackson is a goddamn gem. This is a posthumous collection of previously uncollected short stories and nonfiction writings and absolutely a must read for any fan, even if you're only familiar with the iconic pieces.

Ostaff1 I read The Lottery when I was in middle school, and I had nightmares. I always recommend her! 6y
22 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
parasolofdoom
post image

Have I gone on about my love of Shirley Jackson here before? I effing love everything she does. Still in the short fiction part of this and if you're at all a fan of her short stories outside of The Lottery, it's absolutely worth checking out.

27 likes2 stack adds
quote
parasolofdoom
post image

Libby1 I think the children would scare them away! 6y
Tamra @Libby1 truth! 6y
parasolofdoom @Libby1 poltergeists would definitely never be able to outdo them 😂. Both of my toddlers are the live dangerously sort --I was always told one kid would be really easy going but that was LIES! 😂 6y
20 likes3 comments
blurb
Jocelyn73c
post image

I got these for super cheap at Barnes and Noble! Has anyone read either?? Thoughts??

review
jdiehr
Pickpick

I found this book to be very inspiring. Shirley Jackson was a housewife, a mother of four, and a fantastic writer. She was able to squeeze 3 hours out of a day to write.
No more excuses! I am going to devote time daily to my writing.

quote
jdiehr

"I am tired of writing dainty little biographical things that pretend that I am a trim little housewife in a Mother Hubbard stirring up appetizing messes over a wood stove.
I live in a dank old place with a ghost that stomps around in the attic room we've never gone into..."

quote
jdiehr

"...we have always been a family that carries bewilderment like a banner..."

quote
jdiehr

"My husband reviews books for a living, and I would like to enter a protest. I know things are pretty hard these days, with the girls hanging around snatching the eligible males right out of the high school graduating classes, but I don't think I deserved a book reviewer. My mother raised me better, that's all."

blurb
jdiehr
post image

I wasn't going to buy anything at the Friends of the Library book sale today, but then...

blurb
readinginthedark
post image

@wanderinglynn you‘re so amazing! I‘m blown away! The books and gifts are things I‘ve been eyeing way before now, and your snack game is seriously on point. I think that truffle pig is my new favorite thing. 😆 Thank you! #sockswap

wanderinglynn So happy you like everything. ☺️ 6y
readinginthedark @wanderinglynn Yep! You‘re a good Litsy stalker! 😆👍🏻 6y
MaleficentBookDragon 💕 Pocky! 6y
readinginthedark @MaleficentBookDragon I know, I haven‘t had Pocky in forever! I took all of it to work for my daily pick-me-up snack. 😊 6y
82 likes4 comments
blurb
HardcoverHearts
post image

Look what‘s on sale today (4/29) in ebook format for Kindle, Kobo, Nook and IBook ...

blurb
Suetara
post image
review
ShookBelf
post image
Mehso-so

Fourth book of #freakyfriday and I'm torn. It's no secret that I just don't 'get' short stories - I always feel as though I'm missing something and I'm left feeling deeply unsatisfied - and this collection of Jackson's short stories is no different.
BUT the essays and musings and 'other writings' contained in this book are nothing short of marvellous and they are extremely funny.
Overall, just a so-so.

@CSeydel @Clwojick @monalyisha

Reviewsbylola Beautiful cover but I feel the same way about short stories. 6y
43 likes1 comment
blurb
Leftcoastzen
post image

Always love it when I find a bargain book at Barnes and Noble I really want!

vivastory I picked this up a few months ago. I need to get to it! 6y
37 likes1 comment
blurb
wanderinglynn
post image

Today‘s book finds between the local used book store & BN‘s clearance shelves. Guess this sets my reading list for April!

blurb
erzascarletbookgasm
post image

Recognise that great happy smile? That‘s @readinginthedark feeling super happy with her new hair cut (she looks cute with the new haircut, btw). Congratulations on your recent Litsy milestone 🎊💃🏻👏, and thanks for this wonderful giveaway! 😙
These are my two picks from my TBR wishlist. #tbrforthewin

readinginthedark 😆Thank you! Great choices!!! 6y
74 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
CSeydel
post image

1. Synchronized skating! Oh, what‘s that you say? They STILL haven‘t added Synchro to the Olympics?! 😠 then I‘m not interested!

1b. ... that said, my daughter trains at the same rink as Nathan Chen, Adam Rippon, Mariah Bell, & Ashley Wagner. So we see them often ... fun to watch them compete!

2. Shirley Jackson
3. July 🇺🇸
4. SW The Last Jedi
5. Done! 💜 Plus, my daughter (pictured above) turns 14 on Sunday 💜

#friyay @jesshowbooks

DreesReads A friend‘s daughter does synchro too! They‘re going to Portland, got a bronze in Witchita. She‘s about a year older than your daughter. 6y
CSeydel @AudreyMorris Awesome! Which team? My daughter is on Matrix. Our Intermediate will be competing in Portland too! 6y
theresidentromantic I've never heard of synchronized skating, but I love figure skating! I'll have to look it up! 6y
See All 8 Comments
CSeydel @theresidentromantic I absolutely love watching Synchro! It‘s not as much about spectacular jumps, but precision and power. Look up The Haydenettes if you want to see what it looks like at the World Champion level! 6y
DreesReads @CSeydel she is on team fusion (I had to check Facebook!). 6y
CSeydel @AudreyMorris Oh, you‘re SoCal too! I know kids on Fusion. They do look great this year 😄⛸🏆 6y
DivineDiana Synchronized Skating? Amazing what you learn on Litsy! So cool 😎 that you get to see those skaters! And so cool 😎 that this your daughter‘s sport! Happy Birthday to her! 🎉 6y
30 likes8 comments
blurb
Amyegia
post image

I love this essay by Shirley Jackson so much I got my own granny fork to cook with. I love it already.

KCorter ❤ Shirley Jackson ❤ 6y
14 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
emilyhaldi
post image

#greenbooks and a balsam fir candle, which is something I usually burn #onlyonchristmas time, but I love it so much I‘m not sure why I don‘t keep this scent going all year round 🎄🌲🎄🌲🎄

#seasonsreadings2017
#decktheshelves

bookloo 💚💚💚💚 6y
Mdargusch Pretty photo 💚 6y
BookMaven407 💚 Modern Lovers. 6y
See All 8 Comments
mcipher I love that blue background!! Gorgeous. 6y
saresmoore I love that scent, too. And I actually do burn it year-round. Why not? Also, I love the green covers. 😍 6y
JaclynW That scent is lovely! Year round worthy. But it's fun to have something special that you bring out only for certain seasons. 🎄 6y
Reviewsbylola I only burn it for Christmas too. 6y
Cinfhen Pretty pic & candle scent sounds 😇 6y
138 likes1 stack add8 comments
blurb
Liberty
post image

Dewey's Readathon countdown, Day 16: The prompt is "green." One of my favorite covers, one of my favorite authors. #readathon #30DaysofReadathon ??☘️

141 likes3 stack adds
blurb
LauraBrook
post image

Aaaaaand this is my #bookhaul from Barnes and Noble yesterday. I had to stop in and buy a friend a birthday present, and these just happened to jump into my hands! 🤷🏻‍♀️ The cozies were buy 3 get 1 free, and I'm a) a sucker for Halloween-y books and b) my Mom's birthday is coming up. The magazines were nice finds (love British mags!), and the Shirley Jackson was like new for only $6! Couldn't pass them up. And now I'm back on a buying ban. 🤞🏼

Little_Reader 😂😂😂 We all understand! The struggle is real. 6y
Readerann Ooooh, that Shirley Jackson book is lovely! And the 'books jumping into your hands' thing is definitely real. 😁 6y
batsy Those cosy spines make me happy! I really liked the one Barbara Ross I read, need to catch up on the series. 6y
69 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
ephemeralwaltz
post image

Browsing part II. I hadn't seen this cover before!!😍😍😍

Annl Great cover! 7y
ephemeralwaltz @Annl yes!😍 7y
Balibee146 Fab cover 7y
54 likes3 comments
blurb
HippieChickHomeschool
post image

Living a hard, rough life 😂😂😂

Libby1 I hope to live that hard life tomorrow morning. 7y
HippieChickHomeschool @Libby1 *sigh* It's a struggle 😉 7y
33 likes2 comments
blurb
LauraBeth
post image

When you feel as if you hit The Lottery ❤️

kyraleseberg Ooh I see what you did there 😜 That's a steal for sure! 7y
Pemberley 🤣 7y
erinreads I got this yesterday from B&N! 7y
See All 16 Comments
DiruVamp Oh wow what a great find!! 7y
HippieChickHomeschool I need to run out to B&N and see if I can get one too!!! 7y
Megabooks 😍😍😍 7y
ferskner She's the greatest! 7y
Mimi28 Sounds awesome!! 👍👍❤️❤️😉stacked!! 7y
LauraBeth @erinreads 🙌🙌 7y
LauraBeth @DiruVamp I was excited to see it sitting there 😀 7y
LauraBeth @Booksandcooks it's the little things that make my day! 😀 7y
LauraBeth @ferskner ❤️ her! 7y
LauraBeth @Mimi28 🙌🙌 7y
minkyb 😛 7y
143 likes3 stack adds16 comments
blurb
emilyhaldi
post image
Kalalalatja I love that plant! And the books are stunning too 😍 7y
mrozzz Great pic and great picks. 😁 7y
Reviewsbylola I had no idea that was your favorite color. You and the lord have a lot in common. 7y
See All 6 Comments
diovival 😍 7y
Cinfhen Pretty photo 💚 7y
Mdargusch I didn't know this either. @Reviewsbylola 7y
125 likes6 comments
blurb
LadyBrik
post image

Impulse grab at the library; such a beautiful cover. Anyone read it? #coverlust