Monday, May 24, 2010

Writing it Real - Shirley Jackson's Memoir Life Among the Savages

I am completely enjoying reading Shirley Jackson's memoir about motherhood entitled, Life Among the Savages.  Thanks to Ayelet Waldman who recommended the text as a "real" account of parenthood (aka the good, the bad, and the ugly about what it is like to raise young children). Jackson (who most famously wrote the chilling, highly anthologized short story, "The Lottery") is writing about parenting her three small children in rural Vermont (after just having left New York City) in the early 1950s.  Jackson's tales may have been written over half a century ago, but her accounts of her oldest son's terrible first weeks of Kindergarten, her daughters cast of imaginary friends, could have been written yesterday.  If you are looking for a well-written, hilarious read about what it is really like to be a parent, I highly recommend this book.

1 comment:

Emily said...

Do you have any idea who illustrated the cover of this edition?