Weightless Books

This volume collects two classic works by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: “The Yellow Wallpaper” — a chilling tale of descent into madness — and “What Diantha Did,” an early feminist work. Also included is a rare, brief essay by Gilman on why she wrote “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Gilman (1860 – 1935) was a prominent American sociologist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform. She was a utopian feminist during a time when her accomplishments were exceptional for women, and she served as a role model for future generations of feminists because of her unorthodox concepts and lifestyle. Her best known work is her semi-autobiographical short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” which she wrote after a severe bout of postpartum psychosis.

Posted on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 12:00 am.