Shirley Jackson (1919–65) wrote several books, including , , and . For the last twenty years of her life, she lived in North Bennington, Vermont. One of the most terrifying stories of the twentieth century, “The Lottery” created a sensation when it was first published in . “Powerful and haunting” and “nights of unrest” were typical reader responses. Widely anthologized, “The Lottery” is today considered a classic work of short fiction.
This collection, the only one to appear during Shirley Jackson’s lifetime, combines “The Lottery” with twenty-four equally unusual or unsettling tales. Taken together, these writings demonstrate Jackson’s remarkable and commanding range—from the commonplace to the chilling, from the hilarious to the truly horrible—as a modern storyteller.
This FSG Classics edition also features a new introduction to Jackson’s work by A. M. Homes.
