A review by runningjenw
The Letters of Shirley Jackson by Shirley Jackson

5.0

I'm so glad I read this book. I loved getting to know Shirley and her family. Her candid descriptions of daily life and the intimate, conversational way in which she writes her letters was incredibly endearing. I was fascinated by the openness with which she discussed (what I thought were) taboo subjects of the time, such as sex and cohabitation before marriage (gasp!). I was astounded at the amount of alcohol she consumed, and awed by the way she managed a household of four children, a writing career, and, at times, financial insecurity. As I neared the end of the book when I knew her impending death was near, my heart started to sink. I was fully invested in her life story and incredibly sad when it ended so tragically early. While I have read some of her most well known work, after reading her letters, I must go back and read it all over again. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves memoirs, anyone who is fascinated by the mid-20th century, anyone who loves writing, writers or books, and, of course, any fan of Shirley Jackson.