I just finished Shirley Jackson's fiction/nonfiction parenting memoir Raising Demons, and I continue to be fascinated by Shirley Jackson. Because it's also a somewhat spooky time of year, and Jackson was mainly known for her spooky writing, I thought now might be a good time to host a book menage, featuring Shirley Jackson as our featured author.
So here's the plan:
1. Read one work of nonfiction by or about Shirley Jackson. This would include either of her parenting memoirs, Life Among the Savages or Raising Demons (the sequel to Life...). If you're not interested in either of those titles, please try and track down Judith Oppenheimer's biography of Jackson, titled Private Demons.*
2. Read one work of spooky fiction by Jackson, such as her infamous short story The Lottery,** or her novels The Haunting of Hill House (Penguin Classics) or We Have Always Lived in the Castle.***
3. Meet back here the week of December 3, and we'll discuss whatever we've read.
*Apologies: Some of these titles may be hard to find. If you can't track them down, consider reading the Wikipedia page about Jackson instead, or just read one of her novels.
**Please be aware there's some advertising at this page, which provides the full text of the story, or you could check out any short story collection of Jackson's and find it there.
***She wrote a lot of other novels, but is most well-known for these.
YES! I am IN.
Posted by: Care | 29 October 2012 at 07:15 AM
AND, I was able to find both Raising Demons AND Private Demons! I will read the Just an Ordinary Day story collection, as well.
Posted by: Care | 29 October 2012 at 07:22 AM
I've been trying to find a copy of Life Among the Savages since you mentioned it several weeks ago. I really want to order myself a copy, but I should ILL it instead and save a few dollars.
Posted by: Melanie | 29 October 2012 at 08:05 AM
Care,
I am so glad you are IN! And also glad you could find the right books. I'm going to re-read The Lottery myself, I barely remember it, and also will hopefully get through Hill House, that's one I haven't read yet.
Melanie,
Well, if I might be so mercenary to ask, if you do order Life Among..., would you consider doing so by following my Powell's link in the post or in the right sidebar and ordering it from there (or from Amazon, if you can find it used and cheaper there)?
But of course, as a rampant ILL'er, I would totally support that choice as well. I almost bought a mum plant at the market this week, but couldn't get myself to pay the six bucks, which was really super cheap and would have supported local business. So I get the need to and support your efforts to save a few dollars.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 29 October 2012 at 08:39 AM
I'm in! Very very in!
Wasn't Shirley Jackson a December baby?
Posted by: bybee | 30 October 2012 at 05:53 AM
Indeed she is, Bybee (Dec. 14), good on you for knowing that!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 31 October 2012 at 01:38 PM
Ooh ooh, I am in! Sorry, I was away last week. A menage, yippee!
Posted by: Ruthiella | 05 November 2012 at 07:45 PM
Ruthiella,
YAY! I'm excited too.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 06 November 2012 at 08:32 AM