Comments on: Shirley Jackson: So Much More than One Story

By: Private Demons: The Life of Shirley Jackson by Judy Oppenheimer

Private Demons: The Life of Shirley Jackson by Judy Oppenheimer — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:40:53 +0000

[...] I was inspired to read this thanks to an email I got from Chaucerian Girl. She expressed an appreciation for Private Demons, Judy Oppenheimer’s [...]

By: Superfast Reader

Superfast Reader — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 11:33:54 +0000

Just wishlisted it at Bookmooch–

By: Bybee

Bybee — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 03:31:55 +0000

Oh, wonderful! This is another opportunity to strongly recommend the fine biography of Shirley Jackson by Judy Oppenheimer. It was published in ’87 or ’88, and sadly, it’s out-of-print. Hunt up a copy. You will not be sorry.

By: Superfast Reader

Superfast Reader — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:40:56 +0000

I recently read the Bird’s Nest & loved it as well–click the Shirley Jackson tag to find my review.

By: Faith

Faith — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 18:58:59 +0000

Haunting of Hill House is a good one to start with. I also just adore The Birds Nest.

I must confess to liking the newer movie that is allegedly based on Haunting of Hill House. But I have to completely separate it from the book in my mind or else I just sit there and get annoyed.

By: Superfast Reader

Superfast Reader — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:50:32 +0000

Definitely Haunting of Hill House!

I have no beef with special effects per se–I adored The Lord of the Rings trilogy–but the problem comes when they start off with the effects and work backwards into the story, instead the other way around.

By: OpenChannel

OpenChannel — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:34:32 +0000

Superfast – I’ll have to pick up the 60′s one, then. AND read the book again.

re: 90′s one – exactly the concerns for the upcoming release of The Dark is Rising, eh? Losing what’s great about the story. Hollywood tends to think that throwing special effects at something can make up for lack of story.

Kelly – I’d say start with Haunting of Hill House!

By: Kelly

Kelly — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:27:30 +0000

I don’t think that I have ever read anything by Shirley Jackson. Any suggestions as a good one to start with?

By: Superfast Reader

Superfast Reader — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:20:16 +0000

The 60s one is fantastic–eerie and wild and tormented. Full-on Gothic fabulousness.

The 90s one is unwatchable. They made it a special effects extravaganza and lost everything great about the story.

By: OpenChannel

OpenChannel — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 01:40:15 +0000

I remember reading The Haunting of Hill House in high school (which was, um… a long time ago…) and being riveted by it. Just couldn’t put it down. I should read it again. I remember that I just randomly picked it up at the library and was surprised by how good it was. Never saw the films.