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bethanyviolet's review against another edition
2.0
i am going to defend this two star rating by saying that the only reason this is rated lowly is because i have read the haunting of hill house and hangsaman, and they are four stars for me and written so well. this book was also written well but the plot is giving elaborated journal entries. however, shirley has given me a fair amount of baby fever.
kbrsuperstar's review against another edition
The narrator keeps doing these I'm just a widdle baby voices for the children's dialogue and it's making me feel murderous
soundracer's review
4.0
A warm, nostalgic and very funny look at raising a young family in the 1950's. Shirley Jackson was better known for her thrillers -- she is credited with being a forerunner of Stephen King -- but here she turns the everyday trials and tribulations of being a parent into a set of special stories that are hilarious while at the same time heartwarming. Utlimately the book is an appreciation of family life -- even on those days when it is exasperating. Recommended especially for parents with young children.
brinysea's review
4.0
I love Shirley Jackson’s short stories. While very different in tone, her domestic musings are just as engaging.
margaretmechinus's review
2.0
After reading We Have Always Lived in the Castle, I was excited to read another genre by this horror author. This was supposed to be a memoir about her family, but it was a different kind of horror- listening to someone tell endless, pointless, antidotes about their “precious” children. I slipped away about half way through.
meghan111's review
3.0
Wow, this is a clear picture of what the social norms and expectations were in the 1950s - I was struck by the anecdote about a night where all the kids come in to the parent's bed, causing the parents to relocate, and the parents needing their cigarettes and ashtray right next to whatever bed they sleep in. It's full of stuff like that, and the writing is clever and reminded me of Betty MacDonald. It's so interesting that the master of domestic horror was also acclaimed for her Good Housekeeping cute domestic tales of family life.
mehitabels's review
5.0
this has been a tough month for books - lots of life stress, head cold, and I swear I'm losing hours in the day somewhere. but Shirley Jackson's wonderful tales of home and family bring me such joy, it's like taking a bath in a cup of tea