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Teresa's Reviews > Just an Ordinary Day: The Uncollected Stories
Just an Ordinary Day: The Uncollected Stories
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I thoroughly enjoyed this collection* of previously unpublished and uncollected stories. They range from fictionalized humorous, irreverently told, family anecdotes; to a tale of bigotry and intolerance as chilling (and still relevant) as anything Jackson has written; to a story whose first paragraph misleads you when it turns into one of the most delightful stories you’ve read; to the last that seems to be revenge upon a certain type of New England villager Jackson probably knew.
A couple of the stories have the same surreal, nightmarish plot; but they are different enough in tone that it’s not bothersome. Also included are two very different versions of the same story (a Bluebeard retelling)—both good, the second better—that would be useful in a writing class.
As a longtime Shirley Jackson fan, I first started this book shortly after it was published, then set it aside after reading only a few stories for who-knows-what reason. Having recently reread The Lottery and Other Stories, I craved more Jackson so picked this up again. I didn’t want to set it aside this time. I have other volumes of her work waiting for me and I am anxious to get to them.
* Unlike the other collection I’m currently reading: am I right, Howard?
A couple of the stories have the same surreal, nightmarish plot; but they are different enough in tone that it’s not bothersome. Also included are two very different versions of the same story (a Bluebeard retelling)—both good, the second better—that would be useful in a writing class.
As a longtime Shirley Jackson fan, I first started this book shortly after it was published, then set it aside after reading only a few stories for who-knows-what reason. Having recently reread The Lottery and Other Stories, I craved more Jackson so picked this up again. I didn’t want to set it aside this time. I have other volumes of her work waiting for me and I am anxious to get to them.
* Unlike the other collection I’m currently reading: am I right, Howard?
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Started Reading
July 25, 2019
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Finished Reading
July 26, 2019
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Howard
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Jul 26, 2019 02:55PM
Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle? (That's an emphatic yes.)
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One of these years, I'll get to Shirley Jackson.
Fionnuala wrote: "One of these years, I'll get to Shirley Jackson."And one of these years, I'd loved to know what you think, Fionnuala. In the meantime, she's become one of my (re)obsessions.
200 stories discovered in a box in the garage sometime after her death. Just finished Hill House - not do good as We Have Always - her masterpiece, I think.
I share the love, Teresa. Thank you for this!
Laura wrote: "200 stories discovered in a box in the garage sometime after her death. Just finished Hill House - not do good as We Have Always - her masterpiece, I think."Hi, Laura. The book's intro by 2 of her children states a half-dozen unpublished stories were found in a barn, which led her children to search for more, most of which were in 26 cartons at the Library of Congress. They ended up with "more than 130" stories and chose 54 for this book -- 31 of which had never been published before. Most of the others had been published in magazines. I agree with you about those novels -- off to read your review.
Julie wrote: "I share the love, Teresa. Thank you for this!"Thank you, Julie! I'm off to read some of your reviews. I haven't read The Sundial yet so I'll save that review for later. :)
Teresa,I enjoy sharing the Shirley love with you! Actually, my reviews are typically my reaction to a story, and I never give plot spoilers, so you're safe with my review of The Sundial. That story broke me.
Julie wrote: "Actually, my reviews are typically my reaction to a story, and I never give plot spoilers, so you're safe with my review of The Sundial. That story broke me."Good to know, Julie. I can't wait to read The Sundial, but I'm finishing the stories in her Library of America volume first.
Teresa,Shirley's smiling in her grave. Or, perhaps her ghost is smiling, right here in my house?
I love the stories of her memoir-type hilarious situations with her family. Laurie cracks me up. I highly recommend Raising Demons and Life Among the Savages. Also a nostalgic glimpse into raising children 70 years ago. They are a hoot.
Elizabeth: your comment was emailed to me, because I had written a comment above yours. Just wanted to say: I agree!
Elizabeth wrote: "I love the stories of her memoir-type hilarious situations with her family. Laurie cracks me up. I highly recommend Raising Demons and Life Among the Savages. Also a nostalgic glimpse into raising ..."I love those two books, too, Elizabeth. I've read both more than once and I definitely agree about Laurie.
Wonderful assessment of this, Teresa, and "irreverently told" describes perfectly some of the ones I liked best! And speaking of Laurie, I love the way he played into some of these stories. I realize I haven't read her other story collections yet--oh boy, something to look forward to.
Thanks, Kathleen! And I love when someone is as enthusiastic as I am about SJ. Unless there's more for her children (or grandchildren) to publish one day, I will continue to happily re-read all we do have.
