Quotes from book
The Lottery

"The Lottery" is a short story written by Shirley Jackson, first published in the June 26, 1948 issue of The New Yorker. It has been described as "one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature".The story describes a fictional small town in contemporary America, which observes an annual rite known as "the lottery". The purpose of the lottery is unknown until the end, but it is to ensure the community's continued well being.


“Some places have already quit lotteries.”

Mrs. Adams said.
"Nothing but trouble in that," Old Man Warner said stoutly. "Pack of young fools."
The Lottery (1948)

Similar authors

Shirley Jackson photo
Shirley Jackson 49
novelist, short story writer 1916–1965
Sinclair Lewis photo
Sinclair Lewis 136
American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright
W. Somerset Maugham photo
W. Somerset Maugham 158
British playwright, novelist, short story writer
Rudyard Kipling photo
Rudyard Kipling 200
English short-story writer, poet, and novelist
Luigi Pirandello photo
Luigi Pirandello 7
Italian dramatist, novelist, short story writer, and poet, …
Italo Calvino photo
Italo Calvino 44
Italian journalist and writer of short stories and novels
Doris Lessing photo
Doris Lessing 94
British novelist, poet, playwright, librettist, biographer …
Ivo Andrič photo
Ivo Andrič 16
novelist, short story writer
F. Scott Fitzgerald photo
F. Scott Fitzgerald 411
American novelist and screenwriter
Julio Cortázar photo
Julio Cortázar 29
Argentinian writer