Shirley Jackson (December 14, 1916 ^[1] – August 8, 1965) was an influential American author. Although a popular writer in her time, her work has received increasing attention from literary critics in recent years. She has influenced such writers as Stephen King, Nigel Kneale and Richard Matheson. Image File history File links Sjacksonlottery. ... Image File history File links Sjacksonlottery. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Author (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Stephen King, see Stephen King (disambiguation). ... Nigel Kneale (born Thomas Nigel Kneale on April 18, 1922 in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, UK) is a Manx television and film scriptwriter, who has worked mostly in the UK. He is best known for his creation of the character of Professor Bernard Quatermass, who has appeared in three... Richard Burton Matheson (born February 20, 1926) is an American author and screenwriter, typically of fantasy, horror or science fiction. ...

She is perhaps best known for her short story "The Lottery" (1948), which suggests there is a deeply unsettling underside to bucolic, smalltown America. In her critical biography of Shirley Jackson, Lenemaja Friedman notes that when Shirley Jackson's story "The Lottery" was published in the June 28, 1948 issue of The New Yorker, it received a response that "no New Yorker story had ever received." Hundreds of letters poured in that were characterized by, as Jackson put it, "bewilderment, speculation and old-fashioned abuse." ^[2] For the gambling game, see lottery. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see New Yorker. ...

In the July 22, 1948 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle Jackson offered the following in response to persistent queries from her readers about her intentions: is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Todays San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. ...

Explaining just what I had hoped the story to say is very difficult. I suppose, I hoped, by setting a particularly brutal ancient rite in the present and in my own village to shock the story's readers with a graphic dramatization of the pointless violence and general inhumanity in their own lives.

Jackson's husband, Stanley Edgar Hyman, has written in his introduction to a posthumous anthology of her short stories that "she consistently refused to be interviewed, to explain or promote her work in any fashion, or to take public stands and be the pundit of the Sunday supplements." That she thought it meant something, and something subversive, moreover, she revealed in her response to the Union of South Africa's banning of "The Lottery": "She felt," Hyman says, "that they at least understood." Stanley Edgar Hyman was a literary critic who wrote primarily about critical methods: the distinct strategies critics use in approaching literary texts. ...

Life

Born in San Francisco to Leslie and Geraldine Jackson, Shirley and her family lived in the community of Burlingame, then an affluent middle-class suburb that would feature in Shirley's first novel The Road Through the Wall. In 1939, the Jackson family relocated to Rochester, New York, where Shirley first attended the University of Rochester (from which she was "asked to leave") before graduating with a BA from Syracuse University in 1940. While a student at Syracuse, Shirley became involved with the campus literary magazine, through which she met future husband Stanley Edgar Hyman, who was to become a noted literary critic. For Stanley J. Kunitz and Howard Harcraft's Twentieth Century Authors (1954), she wrote: San Francisco redirects here. ... Location in San Mateo County and the state of California Coordinates: , Country State County San Mateo Incorporated June 6, 1908 Government  - Mayor Terry Nagel  - City Manager Jim Nantell Area  - City  6. ... “Suburbia” redirects here. ... This article is about the city of Rochester in Monroe County. ... The University of Rochester (UR) is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian research university located in Rochester, New York. ... Crouse College, a 19th-century Romanesque building which houses the universitys visual arts and music programs Syracuse University (SU) is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States the geographic center of the state, about 250 miles northwest of New York City. ... A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. ... Literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. ...

I very much dislike writing about myself or my work, and when pressed for autobiographical material can only give a bare chronological outline which contains, naturally, no pertinent facts. I was born in San Francisco in 1919 and spent most of my early life in California. I was married in 1940 to Stanley Edgar Hyman, critic and numismatist, and we live in Vermont, in a quiet rural community with fine scenery and comfortably far away from city life. Our major exports are books and children, both of which we produce in abundance. I beat my kids regularly.

Although Jackson claimed to have been born in 1919 in order to appear younger than her husband, biographer Judy Oppenheimer determined that she was actually born in 1916.

In addition to her adult literary novels, Jackson also wrote a children's novel, Nine Magic Wishes, available in an edition illustrated by her grandson, Miles Hyman, as well as a children's play based on Hansel and Gretel and entitled The Bad Children. In a series of short stories, later collected in the books Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons, she presented a fictionalized version of her marriage and the experience of bringing up four children. These stories pioneered the "true-to-life funny-housewife stories" of the type later popularized by such writers as Jean Kerr and Erma Bombeck during the 1950s and 1960s. Artwork by Arthur Rackham, 1909. ... Life Among the Savages is a collection of short stories edited into novel form, written by author Shirley Jackson. ... Jean Kerr (July 10, 1923, Scranton, Pennsylvania - January 5, 2003, White Plains, New York) was an American author. ... Erma Louise (Harris) Bombeck (February 21, 1927 - April 22, 1996) was an American humorist who achieved great popularity for a newspaper column that depicted suburban home life in the second half of the 20th century. ...

In 1965, Shirley Jackson died of heart failure in her sleep at the age of 48. Shirley suffered throughout her life from various neuroses and psychosomatic illnesses. These ailments, along with the various prescription drugs used to treat them, may have contributed to her declining health and early death; however, it must also be noted that Jackson was a heavy smoker and was notably overweight at the time of her death. After her death, her husband released a posthumous volume of her work, Come Along With Me, containing several chapters of her unfinished last novel as well as several rare short stories (among them "Louisa, Please Come Home") and three speeches given by Jackson in her writing seminars. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A prescription drug is a medication that is regulated by legislation to require a prescription before it can be obtained. ...

Novels and adaptations

Eleanor Parker in Hugo Haas' Lizzie (1957), adapted from Shirley Jackson's The Bird's Nest (1954).

In blurb copy written by Hyman for Jackson's debut novel, The Road Through the Wall (1948), he promoted Jackson as someone who practiced witchcraft. Hyman believed this image of Jackson would help promote sales of novels and film rights. She later wrote about witchcraft accusations in her book for young readers, The Witchcraft of Salem Village (1956). ^[3] Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...

Her other novels include Hangsaman (1951), The Bird's Nest (1954), The Sundial (1958) and The Haunting of Hill House (1959), the latter a contemporary updating of the classic ghost story with a vivid and powerful opening paragraph: The Sundial is a 1958 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ... The Haunting of Hill House is a 1959 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ... A ghost story may be any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or the belief of some character(s) in them. ...

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.

This passage also serves as an excellent example of Jackson's literary style: Never strident or sensationalist, her narrative voice is calm, emotionally detached and exquisitely precise in imagery and word choice.

Adapted to films twice (1963 and 1999), The Haunting of Hill House is regarded by many (including Stephen King) as one of the important horror novels of the 20th Century. "The Lottery" has been filmed three times, in addition to radio, TV and theater adaptations, and her stories and novels have been the source for several other films, including Come Along with Me (1982), directed by Joanne Woodward. Eleanor Parker starred in Hugo Haas' Lizzie (1957), based on The Bird's Nest, with a cast that included Richard Boone, Joan Blondell, Marion Ross and Johnny Mathis. Eleanor Jean Parker (born June 26, 1922) is an American film and television actress. ... Richard Boone often played in Westerns and action films. ... Blondell in Nightmare Alley (1947) Rose Joan Blondell (August 30, 1906 - December 25, 1979) was an Oscar-nominated American actress. ... Marion Ross (born October 25, 1928) is an American actress. ... John Royce Mathis (b. ...

Her 1962 novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, was adapted for the stage by Hugh Wheeler in the mid-1960s. Directed by Garson Kanin and starring Shirley Knight, it opened on Broadway October 19, 1966. The David Merrick production closed after only nine performances at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, but Wheeler's play continues to be staged by regional theater companies. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a 1962 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ... Hugh Callingham Wheeler (19 March 1912 - 26 July 1987) was an English-born playwright, librettist, poet, and translator who resided in America from 1946 until his death. ... Garson Kanin (November 24, 1912 – March 13, 1999) was an American writer and director of plays and films. ... Shirley Enola Knight, also known by her married name of Shirley Knight Hopkins, was born on July 5, 1936, to a wealthy family in Goessel, Kansas. ... is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... David Merrick (November 27, 1911 - April 25, 2000) was an American theatrical producer and director, associated with both musicals and dramas, brilliant successes and embarrassing fl ops. ... The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is located in New York City, on 243 W. 47th St (between 8th Avenue and Broadway). ...

Magazines

In 1938, while she was studying at Syracuse, her first published story, "Janice," appeared, and the stories that followed were published in Collier's, Good Housekeeping, Harper's, Mademoiselle, The New Republic, The New Yorker, Woman's Day, Woman's Home Companion and other publications. Colliers Weekly was a United States magazine that was published between 1888 and 1957. ... A cover of Good Housekeeping from 1908. ... An issue of Harpers Magazine from 1905 Another issue, from November 2004 Harpers Magazine (or simply Harpers) is a monthly magazine of politics and culture. ... Mademoiselle was an influential womens magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. ... For other uses, see New Republic. ... For other uses, see New Yorker. ... John Clymer cover for Womans Day (December, 1942) Womans Day is a magazine, aimed at a female readership, which A & P launched in the 1930s. ...

In 1996, a crate of unpublished stories was found in the barn behind Jackson's house. The best of those stories, along with previously uncollected stories from various magazines, were published in the 1996 collection, Just an Ordinary Day. The title was taken from one of her stories for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts." A large number of Ms. Jackson's papers are available in the Library of Congress. 1960 National Book Award nomination: The Haunting of Hill House 1962 One of Time's "Ten Best Novels" of 1962 1966 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Short Story: "The Possibility of Evil" (Saturday Evening Post, December 18, 1965) 1960 National Book Award nomination: The Haunting of Hill House 1962 One of Time's "Ten Best Novels" of 1962 1966 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Short Story: "The Possibility of Evil" (Saturday Evening Post, December 18, 1965) 1960 National Book Award nomination: The Haunting of Hill House 1962 One of Time's "Ten Best Novels" of 1962 1966 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Short Story: "The Possibility of Evil" (Saturday Evening Post, December 18, 1965) F&SF April 1971, special Poul Anderson issue. ... Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, from July 8, 1888 to May 15, 1894. ...

Literary studies

Judy Oppenheimer covers Shirley Jackson's life and career in Private Demons: The Life of Shirley Jackson (Putnam, 1988). S. T. Joshi's The Modern Weird Tale (2001) offers a critical essay on Jackson's work. Sunanda Tryambak Joshi (b. ...

Darryl Hattenhauer provides a comprehensive survey of all of Jackson's fiction in Shirley Jackson's American Gothic (State University of New York Press, 2003). Bernice Murphy's recent "Shirley Jackson: Essays on the Literary Legacy" (McFarland, 2005) is a collection commentaries on Jackson's work. Image File history File linksMetadata Americangoth. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Americangoth. ...

Bibliography

Novels:

• The Road Through the Wall (1948)
• Hangsaman (1951)
• The Bird's Nest (1954)
• The Witchcraft of Salem Village (1956)
• The Sundial (1958)
• The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
• And Baby Makes Three (1960)
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962)
• Famous Sally (1966)

Short fiction: The Sundial is a 1958 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ... The Haunting of Hill House is a 1959 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ... We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a 1962 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ...

• "About Two Nice People"
• "After You, My Dear Alphonse"
• "Afternoon in Linen"
• "Charles"
• "Colloquy"
• "Come Dance with Me in Ireland"
• "The Daemon Lover"
• "Dorothy and My Grandmother and the Sailors"
• "The Dummy"
• "Elizabeth"
• "A Fine Old Firm"
• "Flower Garden"
• "Got a Letter from Jimmy"
• "The Intoxicated"
• "Like Mother Used to Make"
• "The Lottery"
• "Louisa, Please Come Home"
• "Men with Their Big Shoes"
• "My Life with R. H. Macy"
• "Of Course"
• "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts"
• "Pillar of Salt"
• "The Possibility of Evil"
• "The Renegade"
• "Seven Types of Ambiguity"
• "The Summer People"
• "The Tooth"
• "Trial by Combat"
• "The Villager"
• "The Witch"
• "What A Thought"

Charles is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in Mademoiselle in July 1948. ... The Daemon Lover, also known as James Harris, James Herries, or The House Carpenter (Roud 14, Child 243) is a popular ballad from Britain. ... For the gambling game, see lottery. ...

Awards

• 1960 National Book Award nomination: The Haunting of Hill House
• 1962 One of Time's "Ten Best Novels" of 1962
• 1966 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Short Story: "The Possibility of Evil" (Saturday Evening Post, December 18, 1965)

“TIME” redirects here. ... There have been many publications called the Saturday Evening Post; several were/are local British newspapers. ... is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• King, Stephen. Danse Macabre. Everest House, 1981.
• Kosenko, Peter. "A Reading of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery". New Orleans Review, vol. 12, no. 1 (Spring 1985), pp. 27-32.
• Murphy, Bernice. Shirley Jackson: Essays on the Literary Legacy.
• Oppenheimer, Judy. Private Demons: The Life of Shirley Jackson. New York: Putnam, 1988.
• Shapiro, Laura. Something from the Oven: Reinventing Dinner in 1950s America.

Danse Macabre is a nonfiction book by Stephen King on horror fiction and United States pop culture. ...

Listen to

• 1988 interview with Judy Oppenheimer by Don Swaim
• The Lottery, NBC Short Story, NBC radio, 1951

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Shirley Jackson

Wikisource has original works written by or about:

Shirley Jackson

• The Haunted World of Shirley Jackson
• "Monstrous acts and little murders," by Jonathan Lethem
• "Shirley Jackson: 'Delight in What I Fear'," by Paula Guran
• "Shirley Jackson: House and Guardians," by Kyla Ward
• "The Tall Man in the Blue Suit: Witchcraft, Folklore, and Reality in Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, or the Adventures of James Harris," book-length study by Håvard Nørjordet
• The Works of Shirley Jackson
• Review of Hugo Haas' Lizzie (1957)