310 Quotes by Shirley Jackson

She brought herself away from the disagreeably clinging thought by her usual method – imagining the sweet sharp sensation of being burned alive.

Let him be wise, or let me be blind; don’t let me, she hoped concretely, don’t let me know too surely what he thinks of me.

They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed.

In the darkness their feet felt that they were going downhill, and each privately and perversely accused the other of taking, deliberately, a path they had followed together once before in happiness.

The house was vile. She shivered and thought, the words coming freely into her mind, Hill House is vile, it is diseased; get away from here at once.

She turned her car onto the last stretch of straight drive leading her directly, face to face, to Hill House and, moving without thought, pressed her foot on the brake to stall the car and sat, staring. The house was vile. She shivered and thought, the words coming freely into her mind, Hill House is vile, it is diseased; get away from here at once.

I loathe writing autobiographical material because if it’s dull no-one should have to read it anyway, and if it’s interesting I should be using it for a story.

An Eleanor, she told herself triumphantly, who belongs, who is talking easily, who is sitting by the fire with her friends.

Remember, Natalie, your enemies will always come from the same place your friends do.