I have been mentally composing a “book post” for the past week and was reminded to actually write it by this lovely blog. I think I have mentioned before that I am taking a writing class this quarter and part of it involves reading a lot of modern short fiction. I have to admit, I don’t believe I’m a big fan of modern writing… However it has renewed my interest in the short story. For my “recreational reading” I have really been enjoying a collection of stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. She is best known for “The Yellow Wallpaper” which is a brilliantly creepy, turn-of-the-century era story. If you haven’t read it, you can find it here! Over spring break I also plan to read some more work by Kate Chopin. The Awakening is one of my favorite “short-ish” stories and it moves me every time I read it. I feel such a strong sense of gratitude to these women who had the courage to write about heroines who didn’t conform to the normal expectations of the time. These women have helped to make so many of the everyday opportunities I enjoy possible!
Another non-short favorite of mine is Willa Cather’s My Antonia. This is a book that touches me deeply and I find myself reading it over and over. So many of my favorite passages in all of literature are contained in this book. Cather used a male pen name at the beginning of her career in order to get her work published and often cross-dressed to be taken seriously.
I have always wanted to join a book club, but since I have taken so many literature and writing classes the last year and a half, it just hasn’t fit in yet. Until then I will continue to long for my perfect dream library…
