Great American Women's Fiction

This collection of varied stories demonstrates the power of these authors from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In all of them the readers are well matched to their material. Chris McGlasson's strong, no-nonsense narrative voice is ideal for the Midwest settings of the Cather stories. Kate Chopin's stories, with their themes of women's strengths, are complemented by the grace and quiet strength of reader Tamara Walters. Jan Ahders ably captures two very different personalities in each of the Gilman stories: that of a woman slowly going mad in "The Yellow Wallpaper" and the fierce resolution of a woman determined to maintain her independence in "Three Thanksgivings." Marni Webb brings to life Wharton's "The Pelican" and "The Fullness of Life." This program brings well-deserved attention to the short stories of these notable authors. M.A.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Starred review from September 15, 2011
AudioGO here offers a strong collection of ten short stories from four important women writers. Readers Chris McGlasson, Tamara Walter, Jan Ahder, and Marni Webb wonderfully present, in order, Cather's "On the Divide" and "Garden Lodge"; Kate Chopin's "A Point of Issue," "Desire's Baby," "A Pair of Silk Stockings," and "The Story of an Hour"; Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "Three Thanksgivings" and "Yellow Wallpaper"; and Edith Wharton's "The Pelican" and "The Fullness of Life." Particularly powerful and moving are Walter's presentation of "Desire's Baby" and "Pair of Silk Stockings" and Ahder's "Three Thanksgivings" and "Yellow Wallpaper." The readings are all the more enhanced by the high production quality, making the entire set well worth a listen. Its recreational and educational value recommends this program for all listeners and collections.—Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Parkersburg Lib.

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