{"id":1377,"date":"2016-12-14T06:07:07","date_gmt":"2016-12-14T11:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nickzaino.com\/departmentoftangents\/?p=1377"},"modified":"2016-12-14T06:07:07","modified_gmt":"2016-12-14T11:07:07","slug":"dot-podcast-ep18-miles-hyman-celebrates-shirley-jacksons-centennial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nickzaino.com\/departmentoftangents\/2016\/12\/14\/dot-podcast-ep18-miles-hyman-celebrates-shirley-jacksons-centennial\/","title":{"rendered":"DoT Podcast EP18 – Miles Hyman Celebrates Shirley Jackson’s Centennial"},"content":{"rendered":"

One hundred years ago today, horror and humor writer Shirley Jackson<\/a> was born in San Francisco, California. To celebrate this centennial, I spoke with her grandson, Miles Hyman<\/a>, about her work and her legacy. Hyman is an accomplished artist in his own right, and just released a graphic novel adaptation of what is perhaps Jackson\u2019s most famous work, her short story \u201cThe Lottery.\u201d Hyman had been looking for a way to approach the story for years, he writes in his introduction, but found the story had a \u201cno-nonsense, largely hermetic structure, words joined with a jeweler\u2019s precision,\u201d and it was hard to find his way in. It\u2019s an important story, one that appears in countless anthologies. Some may even recognize it from their high school literature courses. Jackson is a foundational horror writer, praised by everyone from bestselling author Stephen King<\/a>, who credits The Haunting of Hill House<\/em> as an inspiration for The Shining<\/em>, to director Guillermo del Toro<\/a>, who chose to include Hill House<\/em> in his horror series for Penguin Classics. More and more people seem to be finding her work again these days, and that trend looks to continue in the near future. Ruth Franklin released a new biography, Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life<\/em><\/a>, in September. Another of Jackson\u2019s novels, We Have Always Lived In the Castle<\/em>, is being adapted into a movie by Concussion<\/em> director Stacie Passon, slated for release in 2017. Last year, Random House published Let Me Tell You<\/em>, a volume of previously unpublished stories, essays, and other writing. And there is plenty in her catalogue for new fans to discover, from novels like The Bird\u2019s Nest<\/em> and The Sundial<\/em> to her humorous domestic memoirs, Life Among the Savages<\/em> and Raising Demons<\/em>. <\/p>\n

\"mileshyman\"Hyman gives a personal touch to Jackson\u2019s legacy. He was too young when his grandmother died in 1965 to have spent much time with her \u2013 he was just shy of three years old. But he has his family\u2019s memories, and things that he says, in the introduction to \u201cThe Lottery,\u201d like a love for Christmas, cats, and poker. We concentrate mostly on the work in this conversation, but that\u2019s personal, too. And he shares a memory of what it was like to be introduced as Shirley Jackson\u2019s grandson when he was a kid that I found especially amusing. <\/p>\n

After the interview, stick around for a preview of the new Wild Feathers<\/a> album, Live at the Ryman<\/em>. If you\u2019re listening to this podcast today or tomorrow, you won\u2019t be able to get Live at the Ryman<\/em> until Friday, but you\u2019ll hear \u201cLeft My Woman\u201d right after the interview with Mr. Hyman. I\u2019ll be reviewing it for the New Release Roundup, as well. <\/p>\n