In our 151st episode, The Cru dives into the unsettling world of Shirley Jackson, author of the infamous short story The Lottery.
We explore what makes Jackson’s writing so enduringly disturbing, from her use of the uncanny and the “horror of the mundane” to her razor-sharp final lines. Along the way, we discuss why The Lottery remains a staple of high school reading lists even as many readers find her lesser-known stories far more powerful.
We also touch on Jackson’s life, her dual career writing both domestic magazine pieces and psychological horror, and the lasting influence she’s had on modern writers.
Stories begin at the 21:30 mark.
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