Two on Tuesday

I love reading. I mean I really love reading. It's a lifelong passion that is as dear and integral to who I am as my animal passion. There are so many awesome books that I love and plan to share in my Tuesday posts. Since Fergus the happy humper is quite randy at the moment and I'm having to stop and jump up every two or three words, I'm motivated to be super quick with this post.

Two very short stories that affected me profoundly and that I wish everyone (especially women) would read:

1. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Can be enjoyed at several different levels. It's creepy at its surface--creepy in a good way. More closely examined it is a profound piece that exposes the view of and treatment of insanity in the early 20th century, particularly as applied to women.

2. I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen: A wonderful short story that addresses motherhood and the hopes, dreams, and guilt that are inextricably linked to motherhood, poverty, social class, gender roles, and so much more in a powerful and emotionally touching way.

You can get them at any library and read them both within a few hours (or less). I own them both and would be happy to loan them out, too. I promise they are both so worth the time, and would LOVE to chat about them with you if you do read them. I really, really miss the great literary conversations that I so enjoyed in college!