Comments | bookfails: You "win" the Lottery! Aka ADVERTISING FAIL

insanepurin in bookfails

You "win" the Lottery! Aka ADVERTISING FAIL

Mar 30, 2010 13:27

There's a short story I read called "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, which I loved. Naturally, I got curious about what else she's written, ready to get my hands on more psychological creepy stuff. So I found "The Lottery", a collection of short stories she's written. Here's what the back of the book says:

"The Lottery," one of the most terrifying ( Read more... )

so called horror, author last names g-l, it's literature dammit, because sometimes it's not just the book, seeking author and book opinions

Comments 13

gairid March 30 2010, 18:39:49 UTC

I am a fan of Shirley Jackson's writing, but I can understand being less than interested in some of her short stories. They fascinate me for some reason, probably because I'm one of those people that is interested in the minutiae of the past, especially the more immediate past.

That said, if you like The Lottery I can't rec The Haunting of Hill House highly enough: it remains very high in the pantheon of works that I've read many times over since I first read it my dark, dimly recalled high school years. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is also good, yet somehow less memorable to me that Haunting. Both of them are good horror novels, both psychological and straight-on scary.

Jackson also has two books (Raising Demons and Life Among The Savages) that were originally written as a series of articles for a women's magazine (I don't recall which) in the early fifties. These collected stories make up two pretty decently threaded books--they're all about raising her family and they are hilariously, laugh out lout funny, though I suppose ( ... )

phantomminuet March 30 2010, 19:34:03 UTC

Both are excellent books, particularly "The Haunting of Hill House".

girlingoldboots March 30 2010, 19:34:36 UTC

Oh gods, don't get me started on Shirley Jackson. I'm sorry you read that.

My Mother Unit and I get into seriously bitter arguments over her. I think Jackson's crap, Mother thinks Jackson's the best thing since sliced bread. Don't read "The Haunting of Hill House" It's bad, bad, god-awful.

A GOOD horror story in the same vein would be "Hell House" by Richard Matheson.

nightshade_7976 March 30 2010, 22:29:48 UTC

Love, love LOVE Hell House! Great book!

girlingoldboots March 30 2010, 22:50:58 UTC

I know. Unfortunately it seems to be a forgotten book.

tonksinger March 30 2010, 20:21:24 UTC

The Haunting of Hill House is brilliant. It's a very different kind of horror from our modern gore-fests (and a better kind, in my opinion), and it's wonderfully written. If you know about Jackson's life and context, that brings a lot more meaning to her oeuvre--the 1950's were a very interesting time for a woman horror writer, and a lot of her works (as you noticed) center around families, children, and the household.

books_n_cats March 30 2010, 20:34:55 UTC

off subject: I love your icon. May I snag?

tonksinger March 30 2010, 20:39:39 UTC

I stole it from Facebook Bumper sticker, so yes, go ahead. :)

books_n_cats March 30 2010, 20:44:28 UTC

Thankies!!!

nightshade_7976 March 30 2010, 22:31:04 UTC

I don't know what to tell ya, as I've never read the books. I've seen The Haunting (the old one), but it's never the same. I did, however, read The Lottery, and really enjoyed it, so I don't know...