Book of the day: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman, also known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was born on July 3, 1860 and died on August 17, 1935. She was an American humanist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform. She was a utopian feminist and served as a role model for future generations of feminists because of her unorthodox concepts and lifestyle.

She wrote her “The Yellow Wallpaper” book, her semi-autobiographical short story after a severe bout of postpartum psychosis. This book is now the all-time bestselling book of the Feminist Press. The story is about a woman who suffers from mental illness after three months of being closeted in a room by her husband for the sake of her health. She becomes obsessed with the room's revolting yellow wallpaper. Gilman wrote this story to change people's minds about the role of women in society, illustrating how women's lack of autonomy is detrimental to their mental, emotional, and even physical wellbeing.