The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (1948) | Horror Story Narration

Narrator's Note:

Vox populi, vox Dei. (The Voice of the People, is the Voice of God)

 

A nugget about Shirley Hardie Jackson:

Many of today's renowned horror novelists cite Shirley Jackson as a major influence. You may have heard of Netflix's adaptation of "The Haunting of Hill House", but her book -- the original source -- is considered to be one of the greatest supernatural ghost stories of the 20th century, and of all time. Yet her most famous story is "The Lottery".

When first published in 1948, it caused an uproar, prompting hundreds of abusive letters to be sent by outraged readers. During a time when men declared that "a woman's place is in the home", Shirley Jackson was the bread-winner, raising four kids and making a name for herself in the literary world, though her unfaithful husband tightly controlled the finances she earned from her growing success. She died in 1965 due to a heart condition. She was 48.

Let's not forget one of the 20th century's greatest writers, and what we can continue to learn from her mind.

Look for Shirley Jackson's works wherever great novels are available.