The short-lived era of Shirley Jackson is one of the most memorable in American horror literature. The Vermont-based Jackson tackled a wide range of topics yet always managed to add a chilling message or supernatural element to keep readers engaged.
Her books are the subject of movie and TV show adaptations, and her terrifying stories can live inside your head rent-free for years.
Best Shirley Jackson books
The Haunting of Hill House
Set in the 1950s, the book follows one week in the life of paranormal investigators. Dr. Montague organizes a trip to study supernatural activity at a Victorian gothic haunted house. But it doesn’t take long for everyone to experience more than they bargained for at Hill House.
The book starts with a slow burn as the characters become more comfortable with the surroundings. And that’s when Jackson switches into high gear and unleashes the horrors of Hill House on the protagonists.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Two sisters live in an isolated estate with their disabled uncle. But Mary Katherine and Constance are complex characters. One is weirder than the other and hides some truly dark thoughts.
Although not a horror novel, the dark tone and family murder theme will keep readers guessing until the very end.
The Sundial
The Sundial follows married couple Lionel and Maryjane, Fanny, and other family members as they come to terms with life at the Halloran House. An accidental death spreads discord and mistrust among the characters. But the house itself holds a few secrets.
Hangsaman
Natalie Waite is a young, defeated, and unhappy woman. But life holds even more terrifying surprises as Natalie gets ready to go to college. Jackson’s masterful storytelling delivers a true nail-biter.
The Bird’s Nest
Jackson tackles the topic of multiple personalities. Elizabeth’s headaches lead to a startling conclusion by Dr. Wright. But as Beth and Betsy emerge, something demonic seems to follow Elizabeth around.
The Witchcraft of Salem Village
Jackson’s take on the Salem witch trials is a riveting view of an infamous time in American history. The author offers a unique analysis of true stories, legends, and assumptions about the controversial witch trials that took place in Salem.
Life Among the Savages
Jackson’s memoir about her life in rural Vermont differs from her other books. It offers a detailed look into the author’s life and makes readers wonder: How did someone leading a normal life create some of the most chilling stories ever written?
The Lottery and Other Stories
Many believe The Lottery to be Jackson’s finest work, despite being her first published novel. Although it lacks supernatural and paranormal elements, it’s still one of Jackson’s most chilling tales. It also helps that the book’s message is subtle and still a topic for much debate.
Raising Demons
Jackson’s Raising Demons collection of short stories blurs the lines between fiction and memoir. It tackles topics like raising kids, the author’s home life, and supernatural elements.
Come Along With Me
This is one of Jackson’s unfished short fiction works, but also one of her finest.
Let Me Tell You
This collection of short stories, published in 2015 by Random House has some of the writer’s best fiction and non-fiction works.
The Bad Children
Jackson didn’t write many children’s books. But The Bad Children is a play written for her kids. It’s not an easy one to find but a great read with dark and comical tones.
Just an Ordinary Day
This is another short stories collection. It has various published and nonpublished works and even multiple versions of the same story.
The Road Through the Wall
The Road Through the Wall is a gothic thriller novel written by Jackson when she was 28. Although a young author, the book still received good reviews in women’s magazines and other media.
The Summer People
A short story with a dark twist, The Summer People has a suspenseful narrative. It also serves as an allegory about elite arrogance and has aged well considering the modern political climate.
About the author
Shirley Hardie Jackson is an American writer born in 1916. A native of San Francisco, California, Jackson attended Burlingame High School in California and graduated from Brighton High School in New York, and Syracuse University with a bachelor’s in journalism.
She married Stanley Edgar Hyman, a literary critic, and settled in North Bennington by 1945.
It was in Vermont that Jackson wrote most of her novel. Her first novel earned the author a publication in The New Yorker in 1948. But her following stories cemented her legacy as a masterful gothic horror storyteller and skillful psychological suspense author.
Unfortunately, the author died of heart failure at the age of 48. That’s why many of her stories are either unfinished or unpublished. She is survived by Laurence Jackson Hyman, her son.
Ruth Franklin’s A Rather Haunted Life offers an interesting take on Jackson’s life and inspiration, much of which came from Jackson’s time in New England.
Notable adaptations of Jackson’s work
Stephen King often referred to Jackson’s fiction and The Haunting of Hill House as one of the best ghost stories ever penned. And it’s no surprise that it’s one of the first Shirley Jackson books to receive a movie adaptation.
Jackson had many works turned into TV gold.
· The Haunting, based on The Haunting of Hill House, starred Lili Taylor, Liam Neeson, Owen Wilson, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
· Lizzie is a 1957 adaptation of The Bird’s Nest with Eleanor Parker and Richard Boone
· We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a 2018 movie based on a novel of the same name. It stars Taissa Farmiga, Alexandra Daddario, and Crispin Glover.
· The Haunting of Hill House TV show is a Netflix-produced series by Mike Flanagan. It follows the Crain family as they settle into Hill House. It’s one of the best adaptations in recent years of an American Gothic horror novel.
· The Haunting is a 1963 movie by Robert Wise that closely follows the storyline in the novel and takes the concept of terror to a new level.
Listen to Shirley Jackson audiobooks with Speechify
Shirley Jackson is a true artist regarding suspense, terror, and dark tales. And her books give a new meaning to chills when narrated by an experienced voice actor. That’s why listening to Shirley Jackson audiobooks offers a more immersive and memorable experience.
If you want Jackson’s classics to live inside your head rent-free, Speechify Audiobooks has you covered. Its audiobook collection contains many Shirley Jackson works and hundreds more in similar horror and suspense subgenres.
When you join Speechify, you can also get your first audiobook for free. Browse the library, pick your title, and listen on almost any device.
FAQ
What is Shirley Jackson’s famous quote?
”No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality” is one of Shirley Jackson’s most famous quotes from her The Haunting of Hill House novel.
Was Shirley Jackson agoraphobic?
Shirley Jackson developed agoraphobia, and a nervous breakdown after publishing We Have Always Lived in the Castle in 1962.
What was Shirley Jackson’s message in The Lottery?
The true message is still a matter of debate. However, The Lottery deals with the idea of violent human nature and disregard for one another.
What were two of Shirley Jackson’s most famous books?
The Lottery and The Haunting on Hill House are two of the author’s most popular books.