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Dark Tales Paperback – October 10, 2017

by Shirley Jackson (Author), Ottessa Moshfegh (Foreword)
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For the first time in one volume, a collection of Shirley Jackson’s scariest stories, with a foreword by PEN/Hemingway Award winner Ottessa Moshfegh
 
After the publication of her short story “The Lottery” in the New Yorker in 1948 received an unprecedented amount of attention, Shirley Jackson was quickly established as a master horror storyteller. This collection of classic and newly reprinted stories provides readers with more of her unsettling, dark tales, including the “The Possibility of Evil” and “The Summer People.” In these deliciously dark stories, the daily commute turns into a nightmarish game of hide and seek, the loving wife hides homicidal thoughts and the concerned citizen might just be an infamous serial killer. In the haunting world of Shirley Jackson, nothing is as it seems and nowhere is safe, from the city streets to the crumbling country pile, and from the small-town apartment to the dark, dark woods. There’s something sinister in suburbia.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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  1. Print length
    208 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    October 10, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0143132008
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0143132004
  8. Lexile measure
    1100L
  9. See all details
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Popular Highlights in this book
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  1. There is a peculiar malfunction in the brain, I think, when something deeply familiar appears in a strange context.
    Highlighted by 156 Kindle readers
  2. Don’t be hypnotized by the sanctity of the superficial rhythm of humdrum life, Jackson warns, for under the surface of things, people change, sometimes irrevocably, and yet they may appear unaltered.
    Highlighted by 129 Kindle readers
  3. In Jackson’s world, the safe house is a trap. Enter it, and you might get lost in the dark.
    Highlighted by 77 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Jackson writes about gentle, familiar suburbia with poison at its heart.”
—Bustle

About the Author

Shirley Jackson (1916-1965) received wide critical acclaim for her short story “The Lottery,” which was first published in the New Yorker in 1948. Her works available from Penguin Classics include We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Haunting of Hill House, Come Along with Me, Hangsaman, The Bird’s Nest, and The Sundial, as well as Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons available from Penguin.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics (October 10, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0143132008
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143132004
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1100L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson

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Shirley Jackson was born in San Francisco in 1916. She first received wide critical acclaim for her short story "The Lottery," which was published in 1948. Her novels--which include The Sundial, The Bird's Nest, Hangsaman, The Road through the Wall, We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Haunting of Hill House--are characterized by her use of realistic settings for tales that often involve elements of horror and the occult. Raising Demons and Life Among the Savages are her two works of nonfiction. Come Along With Me is a collection of stories, lectures, and part of the novel she was working on when she died in 1965. All are currently in print (Penguin). Two posthumous volumes of her short fiction are Just An Ordinary Day (Bantam) and Let Me Tell You (Random House). A graphic novel adaptation of "The Lottery" by Miles Hyman, her grandson, was published in 2016 (Farrar-Straus-Giroux). Also in 2016: Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson (Penguin Classics) and an authorized biography by Ruth Franklin: Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life (Norton).

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,491 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the stories in the collection great, subtle, and evenly paced. They describe the book as an exceptional read with creepiness and thought-provoking content. Readers also mention that the stories are deeply human and poignant.

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Stories qualityCreepinessReadabilityThought provokingWriting style
15 customers mention "Stories quality"13 positive2 negative

Customers find the stories in the book great. They say the stories are subtle and leave them with a sense of dread and anxiety. Readers also mention the middle stories are evenly paced and alternate between mildly unnerving.

"I highly recommend this book. The stories are so captivating and quietly disturbing. They make you think long after you have finished reading them...." Read more

"...The stories in the middle are evenly paced and alternate between the mildly unnerving (Louisa Please Come Home) to the downright creepy..." Read more

"...It is a compilation of many short stories, each one related but unique, about the same area in upstate New York, the presumed site of her story,..." Read more

"This book of short stories was fantastic! I gave a copy to another person who totally agreed with me...." Read more

7 customers mention "Creepiness"5 positive2 negative

Customers find the book creepy, unsettling, and subtle. They say it leaves them with a sense of dread and anxiety.

"...I really enjoy Shirley Jackson because it is so matter of fact but terrifying...." Read more

"This woman is utterly scary and she knows where your heart lives...." Read more

"...These stories are much more subtle and leave you with a sense of dread and anxiety. Horror without blood and monsters...." Read more

"Just try to avoid falling in love with the witty, creepy, magical-feeling stories and delightful prose in this group of mini-classics." Read more

7 customers mention "Readability"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book exceptional, thought-provoking, and a good re-read. They say it's amazing.

"...If you like to read or write short fiction, this little book is a good one to peruse." Read more

"...I would give this to others too and it would be a great read for book clubs!!!" Read more

"...But the good ones though are quite good and rather thought provoking but do have a similar bent: the event happens suddenly, out of the blue, and..." Read more

"...It's a keeper, and a good re-read." Read more

5 customers mention "Thought provoking"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the stories thought-provoking and deeply human. They also mention the book contains interesting characters and surprising twists.

"...gem of this collection is The Beautiful Stranger, which is poignant in the helplessness the reader feels at the ending -- particularly so if you've..." Read more

"...It contains 17 gems, all with interesting characters and surprising twists...." Read more

"...on how we felt about individual stories and were amazed at how thought provoking they were...." Read more

"...But the good ones though are quite good and rather thought provoking but do have a similar bent: the event happens suddenly, out of the blue, and..." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style magical, delightful, and meticulous. They appreciate that every word is just the right one and flows effortlessly.

"...It was more uncomfortable than thrilling. I still liked the writing style...." Read more

"...Her writing is very meticulous - every word is just the right word and there are no extra. Some of these stories are ghastly but without gore...." Read more

"...in love with the witty, creepy, magical-feeling stories and delightful prose in this group of mini-classics." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

WyckedWytche
5.0 out of 5 stars Shirley Jackson’s stories are incredible
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2024
Verified Purchase
I highly recommend this book. The stories are so captivating and quietly disturbing. They make you think long after you have finished reading them. I especially love that. This book included four narrators. That was a wonderful and welcome change.
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allie marini
5.0 out of 5 stars Casual Cruelty - The American Way
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2020
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Cross-posted from Good Reads

Most of these stories I'd read in other Jackson collections at some point, but years ago, so they were mostly like reading them for the first time. The foreward by Ottessa Moshfegh is perfectly suited to the tone & tenor of these stories. There's 17 stories in the collection, & the curator of the collection really knows how to bend the arc of narrative with the arrangement of the pieces. It opens & closes with a banger -- The Possibility of Evil (with a shiveringly wicked closing line) & The Summer People, (also with a hell of a last line) that made me creeped out at the thought of my parents (you guessed it...in a cabin by the lake in New England.) The stories in the middle are evenly paced and alternate between the mildly unnerving (Louisa Please Come Home) to the downright creepy (Jack the Ripper.) For me, however, the unsung gem of this collection is The Beautiful Stranger, which is poignant in the helplessness the reader feels at the ending -- particularly so if you've ever had a mean husband & wished that a kind one would just up and take his place. In a way, I feel like this collection of Jackson's work bears a lot in common with Rod Serling's writing for The Twilight Zone -- I could easily envision most of these stories as an episode. I recently finished Jackson's biography, and this was a great way to follow up.
18 people found this helpful
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Carolyn Chatham
5.0 out of 5 stars Seventeen stories worth reading...
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2019
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Until I read this book, the only short story by Shirley Jackson I had read was The Lottery. Most of us read that one in high school, right? If you liked that story, you should definitely buy this book. It contains 17 gems, all with interesting characters and surprising twists. They linger in your memory and pop up when you don’t expect them to pop up. If you like to read or write short fiction, this little book is a good one to peruse.
42 people found this helpful
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amanda berrey
3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite “dark” tales more like “dim tales”
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2024
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I didn’t hate this but calling it dark is a stretch. It was more uncomfortable than thrilling. I still liked the writing style. I honestly might even read another one of her books just to see what else she has. There were a couple good ones in here and it was really good to distract myself with
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Terpsichore1015
5.0 out of 5 stars Scary short stories written by Shirley Jackson
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2022
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Of all the books and short stories by Shirley Jackson, Dark Tales has been my favorite. It is a compilation of many short stories, each one related but unique, about the same area in upstate New York, the presumed site of her story, The Haunting of Hill House. Each brief story builds with details and ends with a surprise that resonates with the reader for days. The stories are intense and provide a view at the dark side of human nature. I recommend reading one story at a time and contemplating it. For classroom teachers, I recommend sharing the first story, "A Possibility of Evil," with middle or high school students leading into discussion of the underlying message about judging other people.
6 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Some really interesting takes with a twist, reminiscent of Stephen King
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2020
Verified Purchase
There are about 10 dark tales from Shirley Jackson. Nothing a what it seems and the stories start out normal but they get scarier as you read them. Each tale has a certain theme, what is the worst that can happen does. Ghosts can kill you, decisions can be distarous, visits that never end, hell, captivity, there is a story for Dylan Thomas. I really enjoy Shirley Jackson because it is so matter of fact but terrifying. She takes you into the dark recessed of the mind and makes a left turn.
6 people found this helpful
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Jacklyn W
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book of short stories!
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2018
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This book of short stories was fantastic! I gave a copy to another person who totally agreed with me. We compared notes on how we felt about individual stories and were amazed at how thought provoking they were. I would give this to others too and it would be a great read for book clubs!!!
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Naomi
5.0 out of 5 stars a Good starting point into the world of Shirley Jackson
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is excellent collection of the author’s short stories. If you haven’t read her work before, this is a good starting point to embark into her undefinable, intriguing world of uncertainties. Highly recommended
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Megan Fi
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent product
Reviewed in Canada on May 23, 2020
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If you love Shirley Jackson you will love this book
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Raveam91
5.0 out of 5 stars Consigliatissimo
Reviewed in Italy on January 18, 2021
Verified Purchase
Acquistato per un regalo,contiene numerosissimi racconti non tradotti in Italia,veramente molto belli!
Permette di conoscere meglio sia lo stile che l'autore.
Consigliatissimo!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for every horror literature fan.
Reviewed in India on May 31, 2018
Verified Purchase
A fine addition to my Penguin Modern Classic range (in my best General Grievous voice). Anyway, the book lingers towards the undertones of human degeneracy and paranoia which was captured so wonderfully in the writings. To say that, I was unable to put this down once I started, would be an understatement, as I found myself eager to flip the page while being captured by the feeling I experienced while processing each scenario through the words of Shirley Jackson. I would recommend this to any horror fiend with me signing off by saying that true horror is, indeed found in the human psyche.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for every horror literature fan.
Reviewed in India on May 31, 2018
A fine addition to my Penguin Modern Classic range (in my best General Grievous voice). Anyway, the book lingers towards the undertones of human degeneracy and paranoia which was captured so wonderfully in the writings. To say that, I was unable to put this down once I started, would be an understatement, as I found myself eager to flip the page while being captured by the feeling I experienced while processing each scenario through the words of Shirley Jackson. I would recommend this to any horror fiend with me signing off by saying that true horror is, indeed found in the human psyche.
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Melenie Jane Box
4.0 out of 5 stars Quality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2024
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Good read scary
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