A review by servemethesky
Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
It’s funny to read reviews of this calling her a “boring 40s/50s housewife.” Folks seem to miss the subtle, incisive humor and the playfulness and joy of children.
There are lots of funny stories about Shirley’s kids, and jabs at her husband, who was semi useless though still a fixture of their family life.
This made me very glad that I am alive now rather than in the 40s/50s. I also found it interesting that Shirley makes no reference to her own fiction writing; I’m sure it was strategic to make these more relatable to the Good Housekeeping and Mademoiselle readers these were aimed at.
All in all, this was fascinating and fun to read. I can see how the playful, quirky, weirdness of her children comes through in Shirley’s fiction.
There are lots of funny stories about Shirley’s kids, and jabs at her husband, who was semi useless though still a fixture of their family life.
This made me very glad that I am alive now rather than in the 40s/50s. I also found it interesting that Shirley makes no reference to her own fiction writing; I’m sure it was strategic to make these more relatable to the Good Housekeeping and Mademoiselle readers these were aimed at.
All in all, this was fascinating and fun to read. I can see how the playful, quirky, weirdness of her children comes through in Shirley’s fiction.