Shirley Jackson's husband, Stanley Hyman, claimed that his wife was "the only practicing witch among modern writers, albeit an amateur." Indeed, Jackson’s works reek of some kind of “devilishness”; they are unlike anything else. Absurdity, horror, mystery - all this is mixed together on the pages of her works, so that the reader is unable to distinguish reality from fiction. He can only rely on the author, surrender to his will - and obediently follow him through the intricately constructed labyrinths. The story “The Lottery,” which gives the collection its name, is one of Jackson’s most famous works. It has become a classic of American literature and has been filmed three times.