Celebrating 75 years of Shirley Jackson’s taut, ambiguous, disturbing stories

In June 1948, readers of The New Yorker magazine were confronted by one of the most disturbing short stories of the 20th century. “The Lottery”, written by a young writer named Shirley Jackson opens with a description of a deceptively idyllic rural community.

It is a “clear and sunny” morning in June, and villagers cheerfully gather in their local square for the annual drawing of lots from which no one can be excluded. The story climaxes with an unforgettable act of violence which is all the more shocking because it is merely a matter of tradition.

The story was an immediate sensation, but the experience was not an entirely positive one for Jackson. As she recounted in her essay “Biography of a Story” (1960), she received hundreds of letters from the public, many angry, others puzzled, and some from readers who actually wanted to see one of these (entirely fictional) lotteries unfold themselves. Jackson knew even then that she would forever be linked with “The Lottery”.

The tale’s impact was such that it has arguably overshadowed the legacy of Jackson’s remarkable debut collection, The Lottery and Other Stories (1949), which celebrates 75 years this year.

The Lottery and Other Stories

First published in April 1949, The Lottery and Other Stories remains a powerful reminder of Jackson’s distinctive literary vision. The stories also...

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