I discovered this book thanks to Acacia Ives, who mentioned it in one of her reading wrap-ups. I’d heard of Shirley Jackson, of course, but since most of her stories are of the terrifying variety, and I am a wimp through and through, I discounted her as one of those authors I’d never be able to experience. Until I was made aware of this book. Unlike her other works, this one is a memoir, and it focuses on her life as a young wife and mother in the 1950s. As a new(ish) mother myself, the foibles and frustrations of motherhood are of particular interest to me. It’s a time that, while full of joy and wonder, is also full of frustration, exhaustion and a general feeling of being completely and totally out of your depth in very dangerous waters.
Jackson’s story begins when she had two children – a son and a baby daughter – and she and her husband were in the process of moving to a small town where they hoped to rent a larger home. They found a slightly odd and imposing house with strange dead ends and roundabout passageways (the description of which hints at Jackson’s usual creepy genre). Despite getting lost a fair amount, they eventually got the lay of the land and found their way into the community and a place where their family could grow (to the tune of two more kids) and thrive. Jackson’s account of motherhood is one that I can relate to. She give pitch-perfect representation of the interior monologue of minding young children, and of the day-to-day chaos that goes with it.
What I love most about the book is how well she represents the details. She captures the personalities of each member of her family (even the tiny ones), her relationship with them and their relationships with one another. She shares with us her daughter’s imaginary step-children and the accommodations that were required to make them part of the family. She captures the moments of fear when your child is hurt, or when you are contemplating doing something (like learning to drive) that might lead to causing an accident yourself. Those moments when your kid(s) wants something you can’t give them and you come up with something on the spur of the moment to distract or convince them to do what you want them to do. That feeling of not having any idea whether you are doing the right thing, or whether it is going to work – yet having to project a sense of confidence and being in charge of the situation because the second you give that up you’re done for.
Motherhood is full of intricacies, and things pretty much never go according to plan. We like to think that when we have our own kids we’ll never give in to their tantrums, we’ll make sure they eat the same food the adults eat, we won’t give them candy, they’ll wear appropriate clothing for the season. But as soon as you become a parent you discover that you are no longer the one in charge. The new boss is tiny, unreasonable, and very fond of trying to run off into traffic or otherwise endanger their very existence (and yours as you dart through moving vehicles after them). It’s a terrifying and difficult job, one fraught with peril, but it also provides unexpected moments of hilarity and joy that more than make up for all the suffering, and that will be treasured for years to come. Jackson captured the full scope of the motherhood experience, and in doing so created a book any mother can relate to, despite being nearly 70 years old, and have a very enjoyable time reading.
I’m very much looking forward to reading the sequel to this, Raising Demons, but won’t allow myself to do so quite yet. I’m saving it for when my kid starts drawing on the walls, climbing kitchen cabinets and biting me. That’ll be a rough day.
If you’re a mom, this is definitely a book you need in your life. If you’re contemplating becoming one, give it a try, though I’m not sure if you’ll quite appreciate it fully until you’re in the vomit-stained and sleep-deprived trenches with the rest of us! And for anyone else who just enjoys a light read full of small anecdotes and lots of love, this one is definitely among the best.
In a hilariously charming domestic memoir, America’s celebrated master of terror turns to a different kind of fright: raising children
In her celebrated fiction, Shirley Jackson explored the darkness lurking beneath the surface of small-town America. But in Life Among the Savages, she takes on the lighter side of small-town life. In this witty and warm memoir of her family’s life in rural Vermont, she delightfully exposes a domestic side in cheerful contrast to her quietly terrifying fiction. With a novelist’s gift for character, an unfailing maternal instinct, and her signature humor, Jackson turns everyday family experiences into brilliant adventures. – Goodreads
Book Title: Life Among the Savages
Author: Shirley Jackson
Series: Yes – Jacksons #1
Edition: Paperback
Published By: Penguin Books
Released: May 5, 2015 ( First published 1953)
Genre: Memoir, Motherhood, Domesticity
Pages: 240
Date Read: May 25-July 5, 2018
Rating: 9/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.05/5 (3,570 ratings)
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