Posts

Showing posts with the label Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Book review: The Yellow Wall-Paper

Image
B y Charlotte Perkins Gilman Published by Penguin Group Synopsis: Based on the author's own experiences, The Yellow Walkkpaper is the chilling tale of a woman driven to the brink of insanity by the 'rest cure' prescribed after the Birth of her child. Isolated in a crumbling colonial mansion, in a room with bars on the windows, the tortuous patter of the yellow wallpaper winds its way into the recesses of her mind. How did this book end up in my hands? This book has been on my TBR list for many years and I decided to gift it to myself in January. Was it a page-turner? Yes, the three short stories in the book are all equally thrilling. Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? All three short stories in this edition ( The Yellow Wall-Paper , The Rocking Chair , Old Water ) have definitely exceeded expectations. Did I like the ending? Yes, all three endings were unexpected and perfect. Did the book leave me with unanswered questions? I would...

Book review: Herland

Image
B y Charlotte Perkins Gilman Published by Dover Thrift Editions Synopsis: When three American men discover a community of women, living in perfect isolation in the Amazon, they decide there simply must be men somewhere. How could these women survive without man's knowledge, experience and strength, not to mention reproductive power? In fact, what they have found is a civilisation free from disease, poverty and the weight of tradition. All alone, the women have created a society of calm and prosperity, a feminist utopia that dares to threaten the very concept of male superiority. How did this book end up in my hands? A friend of mine had recommended it to me as a ‘must read’ for any self-respecting feminist and I followed her advice. Was it a page-turner? Not for me. I found myself wanting to pick up the book purely because I hoped that the interesting part might be just around the page! Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? Not entirely. The sy...