Tag Archives: Shirley Jackson

Superfast Birthday = Best Husband Ever

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My birthday was on Sunday, but it extended through today with a box of books that Superfast Husband bought for me! Check out this tantalizing list of books–I don’t know what to read first (after I finish The Fionavar Tapestry)!

  • The Axe, Volume 1 of The Master of Hestviken and Gunnar’s Daughter by Sigrid Undset
  • Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
  • Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
  • Dreamsongs by George RR Martin
  • Come Along with Me and Just An Ordinary Day by Shirley Jackson

And Superfast Younger Brother added to the fun with Ray Bradbury’s Now & Forever.

Considering I’ve entered my “period of confinement,” as my friend Catherine puts it, I am very glad to have all these great books to read. Superfast Baby could show up any day between now and the end of the month (official due date is 11/18, but that’s really just an estimate). I am very motivated now to learn how to read while breastfeeding.

Answers–13 Opening Lines–How Many Can You Guess?

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I mentioned that I had to go on maternity leave for my reading jobs, so my On Reading posts will no longer mean that I read a book for work. I could be a stickler for consistency and just stop doing them, but they’re just too much fun–especially when I catch the fever for a really great meme like the one accidentally started by the Accidental Novelist, and picked up by Poodlerat.

Here are 13 opening lines (or two) to books that are beloved by me, the Superfast Reader. See if you can guess where they come from. I’ll update the post with the answers as the correct ones come in. Continue reading →

Private Demons: The Life of Shirley Jackson by Judy Oppenheimer

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Synopsis:
A biography of Shirley Jackson, author of the short story “The Lottery,” and one of my favorite authors.

Review:
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 biography of the woman I believe to be one of the greatest American writers of the mid-20th century. Continue reading →

Posted in American Literature | Tagged , , , , | 5 Replies

Shirley Jackson: So Much More than One Story

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I got a lovely email from Chauceriangirl telling me she loved my blog & expressing her shared admiration for my dear beloved Shirley Jackson. (The link takes you to a great post she wrote about Shirley Jackson inspired by our email exchange.)

In her email, she wrote (printed with her permission): Continue reading →

Posted in American Literature, On Reading | Tagged , | 12 Replies

A Little Bit About Meme

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I had a work read today that was an oddity of a historical novel. I suspect some of what I read will stay with me for quite some time.

So, in honor of that read, here’s a meme I found at So Many Books Continue reading →

Posted in On Reading | Tagged , , , , | 12 Replies

The Bird’s Nest by Shirley Jackson

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Synopsis:
One girl with four personalities at war for dominance, and her only hope is the doctor who is growing to loathe her.

Review:
I swear this has never happened to me–I could have sworn I read The Bird’s Nest when I went through my Shirley Jackson phase back in 1998. I found this awesome woman in Canada who found me most of her out-of-print books–except this one–in a used bookstore in Toronto. I knew I didn’t own The Bird’s Nest, but I thought that at least I had checked it out from the library. And since the subject matter is both so classic to the time (multiple personalities!) and so perfect for Shirley Jackson, I can’t imagine not moving heaven and earth in order to read it. Continue reading →