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The Yellow Wallpaper

By: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Narrated by: Jo Myddleton
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Publisher's summary

In this classic late-nineteenth-century story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a new mother suffering from what we might today call 'post-partum depression', is diagnosed with a nervous disorder.

Instructed to abandon her intellectual life and avoid stimulating company, she sinks into a still-deeper depression invisible to her husband, who believes he knows what is best for her. Alone in the yellow-wallpapered nursery of a rented house, she descends into madness.

Public Domain (P)2008 Summersdale Publishers Ltd

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What listeners say about The Yellow Wallpaper

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Perfect performance

This has been one of my favorite short stories for years, and Jo Myddleton brings it to life beautifully. The narrator character was pitch perfect, which left all of the ambiguity and nuance within the story intact.

It’s easy to over dramatize this story when it’s read aloud. I love Myddleton’s sensitivity and restraint.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Psycho-bio goes to extremes

What made the experience of listening to The Yellow Wallpaper the most enjoyable?

Wonderful speaker

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Yellow Wallpaper?

the patterns

What about Jo Myddleton’s performance did you like?

Loved her voice please have her do more. I would love to listen to her all day long

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes, absolutely

Any additional comments?

I'm suggesting this to all of my friends

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wow.

That was incredible! It was like Sylvia Plath and Stephen King wrote a short story together. I can't believe this was published in 18effing92! Every word, every turn was pitch-perfect, not to mention the performance. My God. I'm so impressed. I'm going to listen to this again right now, and I never do that. I don't even like most short stories, but that was an experience, and all done with a feminist undercurrent in the pre-pre-pre-feminist era. Unbelievable. Buy this exact version! Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a genius, and despite the fact that the character is supposed to be an American, Jo Middleton is a perfect fit. You will not regret this pick.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

superb, it took me a few sessions but the end was

worth the wait, a really true tale of what mental instability may present good listen for someone who is dark leaning

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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my thoughts on this book

this was a very Odd through intresting story. has replay value and I reccomend it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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The author.

Elizabeth Perkins was one of the first feminist writers. All of her work is brilliant.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Love it

I studied this short story back when I was in college in a Women's Writing course. I loved being reacquainted with the text. And the performance was absolutely perfect.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Such a great short story

I did the story as a dramatic reading in speech about 20 years ago. the story has such twists and turns with an ending that you would never expect.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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incredible descriptions

I loved this story. originally purchased in preparation to see this produced on stage, now I'm quite excited to see how it translates to a live play.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I READ IT TWICE

I caught a lot of the symbolism the second time around. It's an artful and timeless telling of the housewife’s experience with mental illness and abuse.

She doesn't even know she is being abused, she just “descents into madness”, as has been said.

The husband is a figment of the backdrop, yet he's the villain all at once. It's a symbolic telling of the loss of control associated with marriage for women throughout history and even today and the subsequent mental health associated with that regime-like captivity.

A very good little short read.

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