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Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings — Psychological Horror

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Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings

Name: Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings
Price: 23.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780812987324

✍️ Shirley Jackson

Reader Score

4.4

(4 reviews)

$23.00 ~~$31.00~~ Save $8.00 (25%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A curated collection of fifty-six stories, essays, and drawings by Shirley Jackson.

This volume offers a rare glimpse into Jackson's private archives, revealing her process through unpublished material. It highlights her ability to use domestic details as vehicles for psychological tension. The inclusion of lectures on writing provides insight into her craft, while the essays show her comedic voice. This approach contrasts with the pure dread of her novels, showing a writer comfortable with ambiguity and social satire.

Key Themes

domestic terror feminist critique writing lectures

Literary Context

Jackson died in 1965, but her stature has grown significantly since then. This release coincides with the centenary of her birth, bringing renewed attention to her work. The compilation draws from archives held at the Library of Congress, curated by her direct descendants.

Shirley Jackson

📚 all books by this author (81) →

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca · Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood · Toni Morrison's Beloved

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Psychological Horror

🏛 Random House Trade 📅 2016 📖 448 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780812987324

📝 Description: Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings

Shirley Jackson remains a towering figure in American literature, and this volume cements her legacy with fifty-six pieces, over forty of which have never been published before. Her children edited the collection by examining archives at the Library of Congress, selecting works that span her distinct literary modes. The book presents short stories alongside essays and whimsical drawings, offering a comprehensive view of her creative range. The content focuses heavily on domestic life, exploring dinner parties, household budgets, commutes, and neighborly gossip. Jackson uses these familiar settings to examine the subversive pressures of marriage, parenting, and community. She blends humor with terror to reveal the distrust in love and the lack of personal space within social norms. Readers will find frank lectures on writing interspersed with comic accounts of her large family. This collection suits those interested in mid-twentieth-century American fiction and feminist literary criticism. It appeals to readers who appreciate the uncanny woven into everyday routines. Those seeking straightforward horror or non-fiction history may find the blend of genres less appealing. The book stands as a significant compilation for understanding Jackson's influence on contemporary gothic and supernatural writing.

💎 Our verdict on Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, and Other Writings

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Shirley Jackson’s curated collection provides a fascinating look at her range, blending humor with terror through familiar domestic settings. While the inclusion of fifty-six pieces offers a deep dive into her literary modes, the blend of genres may alienate readers seeking straightforward horror or non-fiction history. The work is best suited for those who appreciate psychological tension and social satire over traditional scares. Readers expecting pure dread similar to her novels might find the comedic elements jarring. However, for fans of mid-twentieth-century fiction and feminist criticism, this archive is an essential, insightful resource that reveals the subversive undercurrents of marriage and community.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This collection offers a rare glimpse into Shirley Jackson’s private archives, revealing her creative process through unpublished stories, essays, and drawings. It is ideal for readers interested in psychological horror who appreciate the uncanny woven into everyday routines rather than straightforward frights. The volume highlights her ability to use domestic details—like dinner parties and household budgets—to examine social satire and distrust. Those seeking a comprehensive view of her craft will find value in the lectures on writing and comic family accounts. It stands as a significant compilation for understanding her influence on contemporary gothic writing, appealing to those who enjoy ambiguity over pure dread.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

Seekers of psychological dread and domestic noir will revel in Jackson’s subtle terrors woven into ordinary life. Fans of genre-blending essays and short stories will appreciate the depth. However, readers craving visceral gore or strict historical documentation may find the tonal shifts jarring…

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 4 reviews

Claire K.

November 10, 2025

Not my usual subgenre but wanted to branch out. Not a jump-scare book; it gets under the skin and stays there. It assumes some familiarity with the genre's tropes. Solid, if not essential.

Donna H.

May 16, 2025

Genuinely scary

A friend from my book club recommended it. Good introduction if you have not read this author before. It is the kind of horror that rewards reading with the lights on. Great value for what you get.

Adam R.

March 4, 2025

Added this to the shelf next to the ones I reread. The atmosphere builds slowly and then does not let go. Read it in two sittings; the second one ran past midnight. A couple of the side characters are thinly drawn. Recommended with reservations.

❓ Frequently asked questions

It is a hybrid collection. You will find short stories and essays intermingled with personal reflections and sketches, making genre classification difficult but rewarding.

Her children curated these from the Library of Congress archives to showcase her full creative range, offering rare insights into her domestic life and writing process.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Shirley Jackson stands as a cornerstone of mid-century American horror, bridging the gap between Gothic tradition and modern psychological realism. This collection highlights her unique ability to infiltrate the suburban ideal with unsettling ambiguity, influencing generations of writers who explore the monster within the home rather than outside it. By including previously unseen works, this volume solidifies her reputation as a master of the uncanny in domestic spaces, proving her work remains vital for understanding the era's underlying social anxieties.