book review wallpaper

'American Modern' surveys the 'total community' modernist project that was Columbus, Indiana

'American Modern', a new publication zooming in on the lesser-known architectural gems of Columbus, Indiana, and their impact, is out this month

• Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Released this summer, American Modern: Architecture, Community, Columbus, Indiana is a dynamic and thorough monograph shedding fresh light on the long-established experimental canvas that was this company town. Researched and written by seasoned architecture critic Matt Shaw, who also happens to have grown up in the mid-western city, the book is an in-depth historical record of its status as one of the country's most prominent modernist projects ; a semi-urban city populated by distinct, groundbreaking civic buildings imagined by mid-20th-century heavyweight architects such as Eero Saarinen and I. M. Pei as well as a slew of their contemporary successors, Deborah Berke and IwamotoScott amongst many.

For over a half century, era-defining talents have cut their teeth here, leaving their mark by erecting radical concept-driven projects both in the largely unconstrained development of their own distinct styles but also in the contribution to what Shaw has identified as a somewhat utopian yet participatory rather than top-down “total community project,” if not also the ever-developing definition of modernism.

Flick through 'American Modern', an all-encompassing historical account

The close to 500-page tome was published by Monacelli Press in collaboration with the Landmark Columbus Foundation, the organisation working to both preserve and imbue the city’s raft of iconic structures with new relevance; utilising this physical heritage to stage the contemporary-focused biannual Exhibit Columbus programme (taking place next from October 2024 through August 2025). By juxtaposing a slew of historical imagery with new full-page photographs shot by the inimitable Iwan Baan over the course of a year, the monograph appraises the city’s illustrious history within the context of its present condition, activated by citizens going about their business.

Like these especially forthright depictions, American Modern ’s mostly chronological chapters delve in and out of different aspects of Columbus’s evolution ever since becoming a bastion of architectural experimentation; how various community initiatives, shifting policies, and changing conditions have shaped its central architecture endeavour over the past half century. The study also zooms out completely to explore how the Columbus project compares to other similar undertakings and considers its lasting impact, especially the context of modernism as a far-reaching global cultural and social movement.

Deftly designed by New York practice Studio Lin, the anthology also incorporates larger graphic chapter pages imbued with — almost yellow trace-esque — collages incorporating area-specific logos and other visual material culture denoting the progressive periods of time each section charts. It concludes with a fold out map plotting the 80 or so buildings the book surveys.

A company town like no other

As American Modern ’s first chapter highlights, Columbus rapidly industrialised as the seat of production and administration of the Cummins Engine Company. Owing to an family-entrenched commitment to civic duty and certain religious beliefs, its second CEO Joseph Irwin Miller saw the potential of shaping the town less in the direct image of the company and more a model modernist community. Though notable buildings like the Eliel Saarinen-designed First Christian Church were already in place, the Cummins Foundation was established in 1954 with the aim of shortlisting the budding architects of the day and commissioning them to design a wide variety of civic and private structures: everything from sacred spaces, schools, and libraries to banks and even the CEO’s own curtain-walled home, replete with a quintessential sunken living room and iconic midcentury modern furnishings.

Notable contributions over the years have included the 1967 Fire Station No. 4, one of Postmodernist  forebearer Robert Venturi’s first constructed projects, as well as the hexagon-shaped and metal-spired North Christian Church imagined in 1954 by Eliel’s son Eero — think the emblematic TWA Flight Center and the iconic Womb Chair. Notable public sculptures like Swiss artist Jean Tinguely’s 1974 kinetic Chaos 1 piece were also introduced throughout town.

Wallpaper* Newsletter

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.

Even with the nature of manufacturing and the town’s social fabric shifting over the decades, the tradition of “covering architect’s and artist’s fees” continued well into the 1990s and early 2000s. One of the more high-profile contributions in this later period was Kevin Roche’s 1995 addition to Columbus Art Center and Burke’s small drive-through branch of the Irwin Union Bank, completed in 2006. Like the Vitra Campus outside of Basel, Switzerland — which is suffused with pavilions and sculptures introduced by creatives— designing even the smallest structure in Columbus has become a kind of “rite of passage” for American architects. With a continuous stream of distinct buildings making their mark, the city isn’t a modernist project frozen in time nor one reflective of a singular style but rather one that is still being elucidated.

“Today, arriving in Columbus… visitors cross a vibrant red bridge with cables that frame the iconic 1880s courthouse tower,” Shaw describes in the book’s An Alternative American Dream intro. “Turning onto Fifth Street, Eero’s shimmering glass Irwin Union Bank and Trust Downtown Branch sits quietly on the corner, hearkening back to the height of American mid-century life. A block away, I. M. Pei’s stately, modern brick library anchors a smooth plaza featuring a bronze Henry Moore sculpture—this is the centre of the town. Across the street, Eliel Saarinen’s simple brick church, one of the first modern worship spaces in America, reminds us that public life requires a spiritual presence as well, even if it is humbly simple.

The town has an exceptional record of well-resourced, civic minded individuals contributing to this community project of giving over to the public realm and incorporating beauty into city development… But this story is more than meets the eye. It is connected to much larger stories about the twentieth century in American history. “Modernism” can mean many things in many disciplines, but architectural Modernism is the belief that buildings should reflect the progress of their time.”

In a talk held at Brooklyn architecture and design bookstore Head Hi , Shaw stated, “Columbus is different to predetermined cities like Brasilia or Milton Keynes in the UK as it wasn’t master planned. These iconic, some landmarked, buildings were introduced over time in a somewhat random fashion and are found throughout the city.” This approach also contrasts other company towns like Bentonville, Arkansas where retail giant Wallmart has shaped most of the built environment and public life in its own homogeneous image. Similarly, Destination Kohler, a mock English countryside village in northern Wisconsin serves as both the bathroom fixture manufacturer’s HQ and a full-fledged golf resort, a clear extension of the brand’s image.

IKEA employees living in its remote company town of Älmhult, Sweden live with the company products and eat its branded packaged food. According to Shaw, Irwin Miller’s vision for Columbus went far beyond corporate aggrandisement. Rather, it aligned much more with the heterogeneous idea of a “total community project” where different approaches were championed such as the Kennedy-era concept of creating a Great Society. His ultimate ambition was to better the lives of his employees in different ways.

“Central to the Columbus project is a Great Society–era belief in arts and beauty as driving forces toward a better future for everyone,” Shaw also writes in the book’s intro. “Even at its most forward thinking, the human scale in Columbus was almost never left behind, which makes Columbus architecture so different. It is the highest of high Modernism, the best ideas from around the world—absorbed and made more pragmatic, smaller, and more humane in a community where purely top-down solutions would have never worked.”

'American Modern' is available through Amazon

landmarkcolumbusfoundation.org

Adrian Madlener is a Brussels-born, New York-based writer, curator, consultant, and artist. Over the past ten years, he’s held editorial positions at The Architect’s Newspaper, TLmag, and Frame magazine, while also contributing to publications such as Architectural Digest, Artnet News, Cultured, Domus, Dwell, Hypebeast, Galerie, and Metropolis. In 2023, He helped write the Vincenzo De Cotiis: Interiors monograph. With degrees from the Design Academy Eindhoven and Parsons School of Design, Adrian is particularly focused on topics that exemplify the best in craft-led experimentation and sustainability.

Tunisian practice Fleury Atallah Architectes joins the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2024

By Giovanna Dunmall Published 2 September 24

Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s ‘APOM’ perfume is here. And, as Francis Kurkdjian tells Wallpaper*, it is the only fragrance he might consider wearing himself

By Mary Cleary Published 2 September 24

Young South Korean practice Studio Heech joins the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024, our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios

By Tianna Williams Published 2 September 24

The new Arup-designed pavilion at Tippet Rise amplifies live and recorded classical music performances from deep within the expansive Montana sculpture park

By Adrian Madlener Published 28 August 24

The Wavelet House, a California family home by Fougeron Architecture, envelops a rich array of internal spaces beneath a dramatic and sculptural roof form

By Jonathan Bell Published 27 August 24

A new Florida house, in Boca Raton, by architects Choeff Levy Fischman and interior designer Deborah Wecselman, has been shaped around an art collection

By Jonathan Bell Published 26 August 24

The Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024 includes AD-WO, a young USA architecture practice

By Ellie Stathaki Published 25 August 24

High Desert House by Ryan Leidner is a US home and studio inspired by Californian landscapes

By Ellie Stathaki Published 20 August 24

'Tropicality' is a key theme in a new book on Indonesian architect Andra Matin, whose work blends landscape, architecture and living

By Harriet Thorpe Published 18 August 24

Kovac Design Studio’s Strata House is a contemporary eyrie in Bel Air with plush interiors and jaw-dropping views over Los Angeles

By Léa Teuscher Published 16 August 24

Heliotrope Architects designs a Pacific Northwest retreat – a family estate clad in Kebony wood and nestled into a forest of Western red cedars and Douglas firs just north of Seattle

By Lauren Gallow Published 13 August 24

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Cookies policy
• Advertise with us

Wallpaper* is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election results
• Google trends
• AP & Elections
• U.S. Open Tennis
• Paralympic Games
• College football
• Auto Racing
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Book Review: ‘Swallow the Ghost’ a promising but uneven exploration of memory in internet age

This cover image released by Mulholland shows “Swallow the Ghost” by Eugenie Montague. (Mulholland via AP)

• Copy Link copied

In many ways, Eugenie Montague’s “Swallow the Ghost” feels like three separate novels. That’s what makes her debut novel so imaginative — and also so frustrating.

The story’s center is Jane Murphy, who works at a New York social media startup on an internet novel that’s become a viral hit through social media posts where elaborate backstories about its characters are formed.

But Murphy’s story and a tragic event are told through three interlocking sections. The first focuses on Jane. The second focuses on Jesse, a former journalist working as an investigator for a law firm. The third focuses on Jeremy, the pretentious, Kafka-quoting novelist and sometimes boyfriend of Jane’s.

The writing style and genre shifts with each section, but Montague’s novel at its heart explores memory in the digital era. It’s a promising concept but feels uneven.

Montague’s novel is filled with beautiful prose that’s hard to forget, and poses intriguing questions about how someone is remembered. The interactions between Jesse and his mother, who he cares for and who has dementia, are some of the most simply heartbreaking moments in the novel.

But there are other portions of the novel that meander, especially the final section of the book that is framed as a transcript of a conversation with Jeremy at a bookstore event. The conversation reveals more about Jane and also about the questions the novel poses, but it also slows down the momentum of the prior section focused on Jesse and the mystery he was investigating.

Though the approach falls short at times, it’s an ambitious one that leaves readers much to think about and introduces Montague as an inventive new voice.

Find more AP book reviews at https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews

Oops, sorry!

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

My Hero Academia: You're Next

Izuku Midoriya, a U.A. High School student who aspires to be the best hero he can be, confronts the villain who imitates the hero he once admired. Izuku Midoriya, a U.A. High School student who aspires to be the best hero he can be, confronts the villain who imitates the hero he once admired. Izuku Midoriya, a U.A. High School student who aspires to be the best hero he can be, confronts the villain who imitates the hero he once admired.

• Tensai Okamura
• Yôsuke Kuroda
• Kôhei Horikoshi
• Kaito Ishikawa
• Kenta Miyake
• 1 User review

• Shoto Todoroki

• Giulio Gandini
• Anna Scervino
• Katsuki Bakugo

• Ochaco Uraraka
• Izuku Midoriya
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia This is the final My Hero Academia movie, as the manga ended a few days after the film's release.
• Connections Spin-off from My Hero Academia (2016)

User reviews 1

• October 11, 2024 (United States)
• Official website
• 我的英雄學院劇場版：You're Next
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $19,003,869

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 50 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

• A photo Photos   10k
• Pen Tool Illustrations   7
• A stack of folders Collections   364k
• A group of people Users   3

Book review

Browse premium images on iStock | Claim your discount now

Make something awesome

Everyday Psychology. Critical Thinking and Skepticism.

“The Yellow Wallpaper” – Book Review

“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a short story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1892. It depicts the experience of a woman who, while spending Summer together with her husband and his sister in a beautiful colonial mansion, struggles to deal with the monotonous daily life she is constrained to live as a result of a resting cure prescribed to her as a mean of treatment for her “nervous depression – a slight hysterical tendency” .

The experience, narrated from this woman’s perspective in the form of her journal, portrays the negative implications of the all so limited Victorian understanding and treatment of a woman’s psychological functioning and the expression of her psyche in the everyday life. At the end of the 19th Century, women were still considered psychologically frail and their intellectual aspirations were not recognized, but rather mocked and smothered.

The main character of “The Yellow Paper” is such a woman, whose intellectual needs cannot find the proper expression in her married life, especially when her husband, a well-known physician, is the one observing, diagnosing and recommending treatment for what he considers a nervous condition. Isolated in this big house, but mainly to only one room, a former nursery, with nearly no pastime activities aside from her writing in her journal, though not allowed, she starts to develop an increased interest regarding the room’s wallpaper and especially its pattern. Although little in comparison to her needs, aspirations, and capacities, the wallpaper becomes the sole mental stimulation and soon, the interactions take a darker turn as new aspects emerge.

Although it is very tempting,  I will keep away from character analysis for this book so that I will not spoil your reading experience and most of all,  that of finding out what the major twist of this short story is.

Even though the text’s main role was that of criticizing the oppressive attitude the medical profession endorsed regarding women and their intellectual potential, the book has a ghost-story feel to it as well.

“The Yellow Wallpaper”  is a very short, and yet very generous piece of writing. There is a lot to be understood from this story about the Victorian society, women’s role and rights, marriage, mental health, inner psychological dimensions, the cognitive stimulation-health ratio and many more. The portrayal of the initial mechanism of projection is wonderful in this short story, comparable to that in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde.

I really enjoyed reading “The Yellow Paper”. It provides the right amount of unexpected in the middle of an otherwise idyllic setting.

In short, I would describe it as an intense thriller compressed in several pages.

Have you read “The Yellow Wallpaper”? If so, I would be glad to read your opinions.

* You can get a free electronic copy of “ The Yellow Wallpaper ” on Gutenberg.Org.

Share this:

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Get a Free Review of Your Book
• Enter our Book Award Contest
• Helpful Articles and Writing Services
• Are you a Publisher, Agent or Publicist?
• Five Star and Award Stickers
• Find a Great Book to Read
• Win 100+ Kindle Books

Get Free Books

• Are you a School, Library or Charity?

Become a Reviewer

• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Partner

Award Winners

Non-fiction, book reviews.

• 2024 Award Winners
• 2023 Award Winners
• 2022 Award Winners
• 2021 Award Winners
• 2020 Award Winners
• 2019 Award Winners
• 2018 Award Winners
• 2017 Award Winners
• 2016 Award Winners
• 2015 Award Winners
• 2014 Award Winners
• 2013 Award Winners
• 2012 Award Winners
• 2011 Award Winners
• 2010 Award Winners
• 2009 Award Winners
• Children - Action
• Children - Adventure
• Children - Animals
• Children - Audiobook
• Children - Christian
• Children - Coming of Age
• Children - Concept
• Children - Educational
• Children - Fable
• Children - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
• Children - General
• Children - Grade 4th-6th
• Children - Grade K-3rd
• Children - Mystery
• Children - Mythology/Fairy Tale
• Children - Non-Fiction
• Children - Picture Book
• Children - Preschool
• Children - Preteen
• Children - Religious Theme
• Children - Social Issues

Young Adult

• Young Adult - Action
• Young Adult - Adventure
• Young Adult - Coming of Age
• Young Adult - Fantasy - Epic
• Young Adult - Fantasy - General
• Young Adult - Fantasy - Urban
• Young Adult - General
• Young Adult - Horror
• Young Adult - Mystery
• Young Adult - Mythology/Fairy Tale
• Young Adult - Non-Fiction
• Young Adult - Paranormal
• Young Adult - Religious Theme
• Young Adult - Romance
• Young Adult - Sci-Fi
• Young Adult - Social Issues
• Young Adult - Thriller
• Christian - Amish
• Christian - Biblical Counseling
• Christian - Devotion/Study
• Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
• Christian - Fiction
• Christian - General
• Christian - Historical Fiction
• Christian - Living
• Christian - Non-Fiction
• Christian - Romance - Contemporary
• Christian - Romance - General
• Christian - Romance - Historical
• Christian - Thriller
• Fiction - Action
• Fiction - Adventure
• Fiction - Animals
• Fiction - Anthology
• Fiction - Audiobook
• Fiction - Chick Lit
• Fiction - Crime
• Fiction - Cultural
• Fiction - Drama
• Fiction - Dystopia
• Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
• Fiction - Fantasy - General
• Fiction - Fantasy - Urban
• Fiction - General
• Fiction - Graphic Novel/Comic
• Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
• Fiction - Historical - Personage
• Fiction - Holiday
• Fiction - Horror
• Fiction - Humor/Comedy
• Fiction - Inspirational
• Fiction - Intrigue
• Fiction - LGBTQ
• Fiction - Literary
• Fiction - Magic/Wizardry
• Fiction - Military
• Fiction - Mystery - General
• Fiction - Mystery - Historical
• Fiction - Mystery - Legal
• Fiction - Mystery - Murder
• Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
• Fiction - Mythology
• Fiction - New Adult
• Fiction - Paranormal
• Fiction - Realistic
• Fiction - Religious Theme
• Fiction - Science Fiction
• Fiction - Short Story/Novela
• Fiction - Social Issues
• Fiction - Southern
• Fiction - Sports
• Fiction - Supernatural
• Fiction - Suspense
• Fiction - Tall Tale
• Fiction - Thriller - Conspiracy
• Fiction - Thriller - Environmental
• Fiction - Thriller - Espionage
• Fiction - Thriller - General
• Fiction - Thriller - Legal
• Fiction - Thriller - Medical
• Fiction - Thriller - Political
• Fiction - Thriller - Psychological
• Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
• Fiction - Time Travel
• Fiction - Urban
• Fiction - Visionary
• Fiction - Western
• Fiction - Womens
• Non-Fiction - Adventure
• Non-Fiction - Animals
• Non-Fiction - Anthology
• Non-Fiction - Art/Photography
• Non-Fiction - Audiobook
• Non-Fiction - Autobiography
• Non-Fiction - Biography
• Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
• Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
• Non-Fiction - Cultural
• Non-Fiction - Drama
• Non-Fiction - Education
• Non-Fiction - Environment
• Non-Fiction - Genealogy
• Non-Fiction - General
• Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
• Non-Fiction - Grief/Hardship
• Non-Fiction - Health - Fitness
• Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
• Non-Fiction - Historical
• Non-Fiction - Hobby
• Non-Fiction - Home/Crafts
• Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
• Non-Fiction - Inspirational
• Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
• Non-Fiction - Marketing
• Non-Fiction - Memoir
• Non-Fiction - Military
• Non-Fiction - Motivational
• Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
• Non-Fiction - New Age
• Non-Fiction - Occupational
• Non-Fiction - Parenting
• Non-Fiction - Relationships
• Non-Fiction - Religion/Philosophy
• Non-Fiction - Retirement
• Non-Fiction - Self Help
• Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novela
• Non-Fiction - Social Issues
• Non-Fiction - Spiritual/Supernatural
• Non-Fiction - Sports
• Non-Fiction - Travel
• Non-Fiction - True Crime
• Non-Fiction - Womens
• Non-Fiction - Writing/Publishing
• Romance - Comedy
• Romance - Contemporary
• Romance - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
• Romance - General
• Romance - Historical
• Romance - Paranormal
• Romance - Sizzle
• Romance - Suspense
• Poetry - General
• Poetry - Inspirational
• Poetry - Love/Romance

Our Featured Books

Front & Center Leadership

Two Images of God

Race To Novus

Becoming Hungarian

Unleashing Happiness

A Sanctum of Swords

Salvation Taverns

Reunion by the Lake

The Gran Bwa Forest

The Faction

Unsettling Thoughts

Chain-Breaker

Stormflower

Voices Carry

Moses and Akhenaten

Letting Go of September

Great Again

A Simple Twist Of Fate

Virtual War

Kindle book giveaway.

The Digital Wallpaper

Click here to learn about the free offer(s) from this author..

Book Review

Reviewed by C.R. Hurst for Readers' Favorite

The Digital Wallpaper by Anna Maeve is a modern reimagining of the classic short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman called The Yellow Wallpaper, first published in 1892. Like the original story, Maeve’s story offers a riveting look at a woman whose unstable mental health is made more so by her isolation, in this case, in a newly purchased home equipped with every gadget that modern convenience can provide. This smart house becomes the prison of The Digital Wallpaper’s Emily who, like Gilman’s heroine, battles paranoia and the fear that the wallpaper is spying on her every move. And like the original, this modern retelling forces the reader to decide whether the narrator is simply confused or whether she is indeed stark raving mad. Anna Maeve captures the original story’s pacing and anxiety by limiting the perspective to Emily’s point of view, making her an especially sympathetic character. In the opening, she seems a rather ordinary, insecure young woman who rapidly becomes increasingly disturbed. I could not help but feel disturbed by her fear and isolation. The only other character in the story, her husband, offers her no help. Whenever she tries to talk to him about her fears, he is so dismissive that I shared Emily’s pain at his reaction. This ability to create empathy in a reader is the hallmark of a good writer, especially one who writes fiction with psychological themes. The rising specter of digital surveillance makes this story especially relevant to a modern reader and makes me wonder whether we all should fear our own digital wallpapers.

• Non-Fiction
• Author’s Corner
• Reader’s Corner
• Writing Guide
• Book Marketing Services
• Write for us

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Genre: Short Story, Feminism, Mental Health | First Publication: 1892

Title: The Yellow Wallpaper

Author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Published in:  The New England Magazine

Genre: Short Story, Feminism, Mental Health

First Publication: 1892

Language:  English

Major Characters:  An unnamed narrator (A young, upper-middle-class married woman), John, Jennie

Narration: First Person

Themes: The Subordination of Women in Marriage, The Importance of Self-Expression, The Evils of the “Resting Cure”

Book Summary: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

First published in 1892, The Yellow WallPaper is written as the secret journal of a woman who, failing to relish the joys of marriage and motherhood, is sentenced to a country rest cure. Though she longs to write, her husband and doctor forbid it, prescribing instead complete passivity. Narrated with superb psychological and dramatic precision, this short but powerful masterpiece has the heroine create a reality of her own within the hypnotic pattern of the faded yellow wall-paper of her bedroom—a pattern that comes to symbolize her own imprisonment.

This key women’s studies text by a pivotal first-wave feminist writer , lecturer, and activist (1860-1935) is reprinted as it first appeared in New England Magazine in 1892, and contains the essential essay on the author’s life and work by pioneering Gilman scholar Elaine R. Hedges.

Book Review: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Yellow Wallpaper book is a novella written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the late nineteenth century. The book’s plot is based on the author’s biography. More precisely, it’s an introspection of the author, a description of her feelings during her post-partum depression.

For many people, reading this book is a unique chance to understand a mental disorder through the eyes of a person experiencing depression. Depression is among the most widely-spread mental health problems . So, it’s crucial to know more about this issue.

The Yellow Wallpaper essays: What to Consider

To get the gist of a book, you should focus on its most important quotations, even if you didn’t read it. The following one can be a perfect example. “The colour is hideous enough and unreliable enough, and infuriating enough, but the pattern is torturing”. The main heroine’s feelings and moods are projected on this yellow wallpaper. It is as if she sees the reflection of her inner self on the wall. Wallpaper becomes a mirror for her inner world. And she doesn’t like what she sees there.

Also, Yellow Wallpaper essays can open your eyes to gender, mental, and oppression issues behind the plot. You can explore the story’s symbolism using examples of essays on The Yellow Wallpaper , learn more about characters’ psychology, and find inspiration for your writing. Not only may students benefit from the story’s analysis, but they can also use the samples to organize their next writing assignments better.

Storyline: Things to Know

The Yellow Wallpaper follows the narrator as she descends into lunacy. The narrator is a woman whose husband, John, a doctor, tells her to take it easy and cease keeping a journal. Nonetheless, the narrator is a writer at heart and a creative mind.

She discovers a room that was previously a nursery on the top level of their leased home. The presence of the yellow wallpaper on the walls prevents her from enjoying her time there. She progressively gets captivated and obsessed with the color and pattern on the walls. With time, it gets to the point that she can’t tell the difference between truth and fantasy. There are not so many definite Yellow Wallpaper themes to discuss because there are not many events in the story. It’s all about feelings and perceptions and everything in between.

Plot Development

What should be a relaxing vacation for a lady and her husband turns into an exhausting mental fight. You won’t be able to take a deep breath while reading this fascinating description of postpartum depression and a husband’s dominating actions under the cover of therapy.

From the get-go, it’s evident that the narrator isn’t in the best of health. She may be experiencing depression, but doctors of the period would likely diagnose her with “female hysteria” or a nervous breakdown. Her increasing, savage loathing for the wallpaper is fascinating since it starts as a simple distaste and escalates into something unfathomable.

The narrator’s mental state gets murky later on. She doesn’t know what’s wrong with her and is lost in her confusion. Given that she finds fault with the wallpaper’s lack of neatness, we may even assume that she suffers from OCD too.

The main character is a narrator, who is a delicate, creative, and intelligent woman with a vivid imagination. All we know about the story is taken from her perception. The narrator’s spouse is shown as the sensible, common-sense loving, scientifically judged opposite of his wife. The narrator seems misinterpreted, and John comes out as overprotective and limiting. Uncertainty surrounds current events. So one’s point of view in The Yellow Wallpaper might change.

This story has only two characters – the narrator and her husband. But the yellow wallpaper is mentioned so many times that sometimes it seems it’s a character too. If so, what does it symbolize? The yellow wallpaper in this narrative can be seen as a metaphor for various things, including unmet literary ambitions, suppressed sexual desires, or even “contemporary” fears of foreign migration. One alternative explanation attributes the yellow wallpaper to the use of arsenic in production around the end of the nineteenth century. One of the book’s benefits is its openness to multiple interpretations. The story is so rich in possible senses that you might want to write a research paper after reading it.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s narrative has long been noted for its eerie quality and the variety of meanings that may be applied to it. Charlotte Perkins Gilman brought to light the tedium and dullness of a woman’s life in the 19th century, as well as the sexism and mistrust women faced when discussing their creative or intellectual endeavors. Whether taken as a disturbing nightmare, a comprehensive review of mental illness , or a simply feminist text highlighting the situation of women at the turn of the century, the book is riveting and really deep.

More on this topic

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Sign me up for the newsletter!

Readers also enjoyed

How to age disgracefully by clare pooley, hidden potential by adam grant, blood of hercules by jasmine mas, summer romance by annabel monaghan, framed by john grisham and jim mccloskey, popular stories, one day, life will change by saranya umakanthan, most famous fictional detectives from literature, the complete list of the booker prize winner books, book marketing and promotion services.

We provide genuine and custom-tailored book marketing services and promotion strategies. Our services include book reviews and social media promotion across all possible platforms, which will help you in showcasing the books, sample chapters, author interviews, posters, banners, and other promotional materials. In addition to book reviews and author interviews, we also provide social media campaigning in the form of contests, events, quizzes, and giveaways, as well as sharing graphics and book covers. Our book marketing services are very efficient, and we provide them at the most competitive price.

The Book Marketing and Promotion Plan that we provide covers a variety of different services. You have the option of either choosing the whole plan or customizing it by selecting and combining one or more of the services that we provide. The following is a list of the services that we provide for the marketing and promotion of books.

Book Reviews

Book Reviews have direct impact on readers while they are choosing their next book to read. When they are purchasing book, most readers prefer the books with good reviews. We’ll review your book and post reviews on Amazon, Flipkart, Goodreads and on our Blogs and social-media channels.

Author Interviews

We’ll interview the author and post those questions and answers on blogs and social medias so that readers get to know about author and his book. This will make author famous along with his book among the reading community.

Social Media Promotion

We have more than 170K followers on our social media channels who are interested in books and reading. We’ll create and publish different posts about book and author on our social media platforms.

Social Media Set up

Social Media is a significant tool to reaching out your readers and make them aware of your work. We’ll help you to setup and manage various social media profiles and fan pages for your book.

We’ll provide you our social media marketing guide, using which you may take advantage of these social media platforms to create and engage your fan base.

Website Creation

One of the most effective and long-term strategies to increase your book sales is to create your own website. Author website is must have tool for authors today and it doesn’t just help you to promote book but also helps you to engage with your potential readers. Our full featured author website, with blog, social media integration and other cool features, is the best marketing tool you can have. You can list each of your titles and link them to buy from various online stores.

Google / Facebook / Youtube Adverts

We can help you in creating ad on Google, Facebook and Youtube to reach your target audience using specific keywords and categories relevant to your book.

With our help you can narrow down your ads to the exact target audience for your book.

For more details mail us at [email protected]

The Bookish Elf is your single, trusted, daily source for all the news, ideas and richness of literary life. The Bookish Elf is a site you can rely on for book reviews, author interviews, book recommendations, and all things books. Contact us: [email protected]

Quick Links

• Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

• Politics & Social Sciences
• Social Sciences

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

The Yellow Wallpaper Paperback – June 6, 2018

2018 Reprint of 1892 Edition. This short story is regarded as an important early work of American feminist literature, illustrating attitudes in the 19th century toward women's health, both physical and mental. Presented in the first person, the story is a collection of journal entries written by a woman whose physician husband (John) has rented an old mansion for the summer. Forgoing other rooms in the house, the couple moves into the upstairs nursery. As a form of treatment, the unnamed woman is forbidden from working, and is encouraged to eat well and get plenty of exercise and air, so she can recuperate from what he calls a "temporary nervous depression – a slight hysterical tendency", a diagnosis common to women in that period. Gilman used her writing to explore the role of women in America at the time. She explored issues such as the lack of a life outside the home and the oppressive forces of the patriarchal society. Through her work Gilman paved the way for writers such as Alice Walker and Sylvia Plath.

• Print length 24 pages
• Language English
• Publication date June 6, 2018
• Dimensions 6 x 0.06 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10 1684222273
• ISBN-13 978-1684222278
• See all details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Martino Fine Books (June 6, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 24 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1684222273
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1684222278
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.06 x 9 inches
• #8 in General Gender Studies
• #144 in Psychological Fiction (Books)
• #258 in Contemporary Women Fiction

About the author

Charlotte perkins gilman.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman; also Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was a prominent American feminist, sociologist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 68% 16% 10% 3% 2% 68%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 68% 16% 10% 3% 2% 16%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 68% 16% 10% 3% 2% 10%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 68% 16% 10% 3% 2% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 68% 16% 10% 3% 2% 2%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the book a short, interesting read that's great for a car or train ride. They also describe the story as wild and creepy in a good way.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the story length interesting and powerful. They also say the book is spooky, paranoiac, and claustrophobic.

"The Yellow Wallpaper is a great short story , especially for those who want to get into feminist literature." Read more

"...It was nice to read on a late evening, and gosh it was truly spooky !" Read more

"...Great book, I loved the story . I’ll probably buy a smaller copy eventually for my shelf." Read more

"...Price reflects this, so I rate it a 5. Interesting story , would have liked for it to have continued on!" Read more

Customers find the book a short read that's great for a car or train ride. They also say the insanity makes the story flow faster.

"...Overall, super quick read (I’m talking like 70 pages)...." Read more

"... Super quick read and I enjoyed it...." Read more

"The book came in perfect condition and it was a short but excellent read !" Read more

"The insanity made the story flow faster ! I love it!! I recommend this incredibly short, rambling by of a mad-woman, story to all." Read more

Customers find the book thin.

"Affordable option to add to collection! Paper cover is thin , but to be expected for binding on a short story...." Read more

" book is thin , but so can be my attention span.enjoyed it a lot." Read more

"It’s super thin and the people who packed it just threw it loose in the box with my other non book items and it got a lol bent...." Read more

Reviews with images

A nice short read!

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• About Amazon
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell products on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon and COVID-19
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Get the Reddit app

This is a moderated subreddit. It is our intent and purpose to foster and encourage in-depth discussion about all things related to books, authors, genres, or publishing in a safe, supportive environment. If you're looking for help with a personal book recommendation, consult our Weekly Recommendation Thread, Suggested Reading page, or ask in r/suggestmeabook.

[Book Club] "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Week 4

Link to the original announcement thread.

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the final discussion thread for the October book club selections which will cover our second book, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. This thread will be openly discussing everything in the novella.

Below are some questions to help start conversation; feel free to answer some or all of them, or go your own way and post about whatever your thoughts on the material.

What are some of your favorite parts or quotes? What parts did you find confusing or wish were different?

What are the psychological implications of the color yellow and what does it mean to you? Could the wallpaper have been any other color? How might a change in color have changed the story?

How important is it that the narrator reside in a colonial mansion and could this story have taken place in a different place (or at a different time)?

Which properties of the room or the wallpaper did you find inscrutable or the most unusual? What purpose might Gilman had in highlighting those attributes?

What do you feel Gilman wanted readers to take away from this story? Which elements of the story do you feel most support the morals or conflict she wished to convey?

What further reading, by Gilman or another author, would you recommend to someone who loved this novel and wants more?

Note: The announcement thread for November has been posted so be sure to pick it up ahead of week one!

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

Trending Searches

• Text Effects
• Business Cards

Vector Pages

Photo pages, video pages.

• Search by Image

Explore Other Popular Photo Searches

Recent searches, book review photos & images,  - 1,535 high resolution, royalty free stock photos and pictures matching book review.

• book review example
• book review format
• book review analysis
• stack of books
• old book cover
• old book covers
• book cover design
• coloring book

• picture book
• book layout
• science book
• history book
• book background
• review post

• book chapter
• writing book
• english book
• digital book
• book template

Popular Searches

Related Searches

Big Graphic Design Mega Bundle

Advertisement

The Best Removable Wallpapers

By Katie Okamoto

Katie Okamoto is an editor on the discovery team. She’s covered the intersections of products, sustainability, and health for more than a decade.

For DIY-inclined renters and homeowners alike, peel-and-stick removable wallpaper (also called self-adhesive removable wallpaper) can quickly transform a space.

These wallpapers are designed to remove as cleanly as possible from non-textured walls that are painted in most finishes—ideally avoiding the need to repaint.

After spending 10 weeks researching, sampling, and testing wallpapers from nine brands in a range of patterns, we found three peel-and-stick wallpapers that you can apply with confidence and (relative) ease, no matter your style.

Everything we recommend

Wallshoppe Removable Wallpaper

Smooth-finish paper, easiest to install.

Wallshoppe’s smooth, satin, paper-based wallpaper is easy to install and has plenty of patterns to choose from.

Buying Options

Chasing Paper Wallpaper

Tactile, woven finish, crisp printing.

Chasing Paper’s lightweight, fabric-based wallpaper has a tactile, woven finish. It’s easy to install and has crisp printing in multiple styles.

Livette’s Wallpaper

Excellent print quality, but harder to remove and install solo.

Livette’s is an Oeko-Tex–certified option with gorgeous patterns to choose from. But it can be trickier to install without help.

Of all the peel-and-stick wallpaper we tested, Wallshoppe’s Removable Wallpaper was by far the easiest for one person to apply, readjust, and handle, without it sticking to itself. The non-vinyl material’s smooth finish and thickness also make this wallpaper forgiving of mistakes, so it looks polished.

When installed, the wallpaper has a slight sheen and classic flat-paper look (as opposed to Chasing Paper’s wallpapers, which have a woven texture that’s more tactile). The design selection—more than 2,000 patterns—is impressive, and it includes various bold and bright patterns. The patterns we tested were Orange Crush wallpaper by Nathan Turner in Onyx , El Quijote wallpaper by Chris Benz in Mustard , Françoise Floral wallpaper by Clare V. in Green , Blowfish wallpaper in Sky , and Merci Beaucoup wallpaper by Clare V. in Pink .

Chasing Paper Wallpaper is great for those who like paper that has a matte look with a tactile finish (it’s made of fabric instead of paper) and crisp, fine-line printing. Though this company has fewer designs than some others, the range is well curated—including several small-scale patterns (which can be hard to find for peel-and-stick, a category that sometimes caters to a big-and-bold aesthetic). We found the non-vinyl, lightweight textile material easy to apply and reposition without it creasing or wrinkling (and it still remained secure on the wall). The patterns we tested were Cane and Palm in Orange , Grid in Fern and White , Jaipur in Dusty Blue , Stripes in Neutral , and Jacobean in Grey .

We were impressed by Livette’s Wallpaper’s excellent print quality and designs in more than 300 patterns. Its fine-webbed, non-vinyl woven material is extremely lightweight and has a refined, matte look once installed. The adhesive has a very strong hold, which all but guarantees the wallpaper will stay up for years to come. But the strong hold also makes it harder to correct mistakes during installation, compared with other papers we tested. This paper is also pricier than our two other picks. The patterns we tested were Baby Blue Lemons wallpaper , Sunny Delicate Scallop Print wallpaper in Yolk & Off White , and Greek Terrazzo wallpaper in Multicolor .

The research

Why you should trust us, who should get this, how we picked and tested, smooth, satin paper: wallshoppe removable wallpaper, fabric-based, matte look with a tactile finish: chasing paper wallpaper, impressive print quality, but harder to install and remove: livette’s wallpaper, other good peel-and-stick wallpapers, wallpaper terminology, some notes on how to pick, buy, and install your wallpaper, what’s the most sustainable wallpaper, what about certifications and “green” labels, the competition.

I hold a Master of Architecture and have been immersed in design one way or another for more than a decade. As an editor at Metropolis , I covered products, interiors, and buildings through the lens of environmental and human health. Before that, I worked in design—and actually helped design an exhibition wallpaper while working at Project Projects —and sustainability. As an undergraduate, I majored in environmental studies.

For this guide, I dove into recent scientific research, CDC recommendations, and industry standards on indoor air quality and materials found in wall coverings. I also interviewed Teresa McGrath and Nsilo Berry, both researchers at the Healthy Building Network . (HBN is a materials transparency organization for the architecture and construction industry. It shares information on building materials, and its database, the Pharos Project , received an award from the Environmental Protection Agency.) I also spoke with wallpaper manufacturers for the wallpapers we tested to inquire about the ordering process, lead times, application instructions, and clarifications on materials.

I also spoke with wallpaper experts in interior design: Kelly Finley , founder of Joy Street Design, an interior-design firm based in Oakland, California, and Shavonda Gardner , a designer who specializes in small homes.

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is arguably the most DIY-friendly kind. Compared with other wallpapers—including pre-pasted and paste-the-wall removable types—it requires no water or liquid adhesive, no drop cloths, and no drying and curing time. Since it works like a giant sticker, peel-and-stick paper is instantly gratifying, and you can always undo it, no harm, no foul. “It’s good for spaces where people want to try wallpaper but can’t commit to gluing it on the wall,” said designer Shavonda Gardner, who’s also the founder of the small-home design blog SG Style .

However, peel-and-stick wallpaper may not be right for everyone. We don’t suggest using peel-and-stick paper for very short-term needs (of a year or less), for both economic and environmental reasons. It also doesn’t work on all wall types. Here are some things to consider before diving in:

Check your walls: Peel-and-stick wallpaper works only on non-textured walls. It does not work at all on textured drywall , including spray textures like popcorn and orange peel, brush textures like sand swirl and rosebud, or knife textures like knockdown and comb.

Check your paint finish: The smooth surface you want to wallpaper should ideally be finished with satin, eggshell, semi-gloss, or gloss paint. If you’ve recently painted, make sure the paint has dried and cured completely, which can take several weeks. If your walls have matte paint, many peel-and-stick wallpapers will adhere. But unless the labels say the papers are safe for matte paint, they will probably strip off paint when you remove them. Some paint stripping may also occur in rooms with very old paint and extreme climatic conditions, regardless of finish (think a sunbaked laundry room in weeks of 90-degree Fahrenheit heat without air conditioning). That might be okay if you plan to repaint, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re expecting a non-damaging removal. This is also something we’ll keep an eye on as we test our wallpaper samples in the long-term.

Check your room: The wallpapers we tested can all be used in kitchens and bathrooms, but there are caveats. The most important one is to have proper ventilation (like an exhaust fan or operable window) in moist and humid spaces, such as bathrooms, “so that moisture isn’t going to be trapped or attached to the walls,” said Gardner. Do not hang wallpaper where it will be splashed directly or constantly with water, like on a backsplash. Some companies do not recommend putting vinyl wallpaper (a type of plastic) within one foot of a heat source, such as a stove.

Be prepared: While peel-and-stick wallpaper is DIY-friendly compared with other wallpapers, know that you are still taking on a sizable project, especially if you’re wallpapering a large or tall area. “It requires a lot of extra effort in the front end to make it work,” said Kelly Finley , owner and principal designer at Joy Street Design in Oakland, California, and a self-professed lover of wallpaper. “Give yourself grace. It’s not going to be perfect.”

To install peel-and-stick wallpaper, you will need to be able to use small hand tools (like a craft knife) and (most likely) to stand on a stool or step ladder. Everyone is different, but no matter your ability or experience with DIY projects, you should at least consider enlisting someone to help—especially if you plan to cover an area that is taller than your wingspan. We suggest a few tips and tools you’ll want to have on hand before you get started in the notes section of this guide.

Consider your budget: Even when you’re not paying an installer, the price of any type of wallpaper, removable or otherwise, can add up quickly, depending on the area you’re working with. The peel-and-stick wallpapers we tested range from about 75¢ to about $5 per square foot. That means it could cost more than $2,000 to wallpaper a 10-by-12-foot room with 8-foot ceilings (especially if you buy extra to ensure pattern-matching, as is recommended), compared with a few hundred dollars for paint and primer. Very generally speaking (because prices vary widely), traditional or unpasted wallpaper is usually less expensive upfront. But a true comparison is hard to gauge because you have to account for the cost of adhesive and installation, which you will most likely need for traditional wallpaper.

The best wallpaper for you will vary, based on your taste and budget. One person’s dream room may be another person’s hellscape. But there are still common things that set the best peel-and-stick options apart.

Durability: Any peel-and-stick wallpaper worth its salt must stay on the wall for a while, without corners lifting or edges wrinkling. And when the time comes, it must peel off easily—ideally without damaging what’s underneath and costing you your security deposit (or a new coat of paint). (Unfortunately, some paint stripping might occur, especially in rooms that get especially hot or humid, and the likelihood is higher if you do not follow manufacturer advice.)

Quality: Peel-and-stick wallpaper should feature high-quality printing that looks as crisp up close as it does from a distance. It should not harm your health . And it should have enough structure that it won’t become a sticky nightmare during installation. We steered clear of any wallpapers that did not or could not disclose information about phthalates and VOC emissions, the two biggest health concerns for peel-and-stick removable wallpapers. Especially because many people use peel-and-stick wallpaper in children’s bedrooms—precisely because of their convenience and temporariness—we thought it was important to err on the side of human safety and health.

Design: There are a dizzying number of companies that sell self-adhesive wallpapers—and an even more dizzying array of designs. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ll fall in love with until you see it. We looked at manufacturers that offered some range in aesthetics and that offered at least 100 pattern and color options.

Samples: We tested only brands for which you can order samples for a small fee (usually between $5 and $12 per sample; most are about as big as a letter-sized sheet of paper, although some are larger). Many wallpaper companies print on demand and thus honor exchanges but not returns—so samples are a must-have.

With these criteria in mind, we narrowed an initial list of 23 peel-and-stick wallpaper brands down to nine that we wanted to put to the test. We tested samples of each of the nine, putting them to an initial 48-hour stick-and-peel test. We immediately eliminated one candidate for quality and performance, and we moved on to test eight contenders.

For this group of eight brands, we called in additional patterns to compare print quality and consistency. Our main tester then applied these samples to smooth gloss paint, following their directions, in three climatically intense locations: a bathroom with a shower that is used daily, a kitchen, and a laundry room. We feel confident that we are testing the wallpapers in representative interior climates, including high summer temperatures, direct sunlight, and high humidity. After leaving samples up for at least two weeks, we removed them from the bathroom and kitchen. We’re leaving our test samples up in the laundry room, which is the hottest and sunniest room, and will continue to update this guide on how they fare.

To mimic the experience of installing wallpaper alone, we also called in full-size panels or rolls for each of the eight brands. We applied them in vertical sections in a hallway and the kitchen, and we left them up for a minimum of two weeks. After this mock install, we removed these sections and selected our picks.

Wallshoppe’s Removable Wallpaper has a supple, heavy-grade paper feel that’s smooth to the touch. The weight made this wallpaper considerably easier to apply than any other one we tried, and the thick paper material helped conceal small imperfections on the wall that other brands would have thrown into sharper relief.

Also, the material was not prone to excessive bubbling. This wallpaper was pliable when torqued in multiple directions, and it resisted creasing and wrinkling. It was easier to maneuver—even when we removed the sticker backing—than thinner peel-and-stick wallpapers, which can stick to themselves (beyond saving) once the backing comes off.

Our testers found it was possible to attach a corner and adjust the position with ease. The low-tack adhesive was secure throughout our tests, but it wasn’t overly aggressive. So it was easy for us to relift small sections, to reposition and leverage corners and line up edges.

We found the print quality of the painterly, collage-like illustration we ordered to be very good. And there was no off-putting plastic odor, which makes sense because the material is vinyl-free.

There are also more than 2,000 peel-and-stick pattern and color options by artists and illustrators to choose from. Wallshoppe’s patterns tend to have a painted, flat, or collage-like illustration style (versus traditional or photo-realistic), and they come in vibrant colors and patterns, ranging from broody dark florals to cheerful modern shapes .

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• You may want to avoid Wallshoppe’s text-based patterns, since the designs seemed blurrier in the samples we saw than in other types of patterns.
• Wallshoppe also does not offer returns or exchanges (unless a product arrives damaged, in which case you have 14 days). A no-returns policy is fairly common for peel-and-stick wallpaper that’s printed on demand (this cuts down on waste and keeps costs for the company down). But some other companies do offer exchanges, no questions asked. To avoid getting stuck with a wallpaper you’re meh about, order samples ($5 each) before committing to a pattern or color.

Listed materials : PVC-free paper-based material

Inks: water-based, nontoxic latex

Average cost per square foot: $3.33 (estimated)

Shipping: $15 flat fee for orders up to $300, and free after that

Return policy: none , unless a product is defective (then return within 14 days)

Chasing Paper Wallpaper is printed on a thin yet supple woven fabric that doesn’t crease easily, ensuring smooth installation.

Although this wallpaper is not as easy to install as Wallshoppe’s, we found the Chasing Paper wallpaper was easy to line up, remove, and restick parts of the paper to smooth out bubbles (a normal part of the installation process for most peel-and-stick wallpaper).

Unlike Wallshoppe’s flat, paper-like wallpapers, Chasing Paper wallpapers are fabric-based and have a textured, slightly rough finish that reads as matte. Both lines are great wallpapers, but you may prefer one type of visual finish to the other.

When, after three weeks, we removed a full 2-by-8-foot Chasing Paper panel and transferred it to a different wall, we found it did not crease or wrinkle easily as we handled it (unlike some other thin wallpapers), and we were able to reapply it.

The print quality on the samples we received was excellent, with crisp, fine lines and saturated colors. But tone did differ a bit from how it looked onscreen (which is why you should always order samples).

There is a decent range of styles and color palettes to choose from, including truly small-scale prints (surprisingly uncommon for peel-and-stick wallpapers, which often reflect a bigger, bolder aesthetic).

This wallpaper has the most textile-like feel of those we tested, seeming the most like linen under the hand once installed. It is non-vinyl, and its Greenguard -certified ink adds third-party reassurance that you won’t expose your household to unhealthy concentrations of volatile organic compounds .

• Because the material is quite thin, light wallpaper colors applied to walls with dark-colored paint may appear more muted. One of our testers noted that her sample with a white background looked darker than she’d expected when she applied it to a dark brown surface.
• With around 150 patterns to choose from, Chasing Paper offers the second-smallest selection of the wallpapers we tested. However, we found that selection to be well curated and wide ranging.
• The adhesive is quite sticky. And because the wallpaper is thin, it can get floppy if you’re not careful, increasing the risk of the panel sticking to itself—to the point of no return. (No matter the wallpaper, to avoid this catastrophe, we recommend that you remove the backing in small sections.)

Listed materials: PVC-free textile, free of VOC and phthalates, certified lead-free

Inks: water-based, nontoxic latex, Greenguard-certified

Average cost per square foot: $5.00 (estimated)

Shipping: free shipping on orders above $200

Return policy: no returns; exchanges “for any items that are not completely satisfactory” within 14 days

Livette’s Wallpaper is a lightweight, non-vinyl wallpaper with a subtle woven texture that, once installed, feels almost like silk.

Visually, it appears as flat matte, sometimes with a very slight sheen. Of the wallpapers we tested, this is the most expensive per square foot. But for long-term projects, we think those who can afford it will find that the higher price is justified, since the look, the hold, the print quality, and the selection are all excellent.

The samples we received were crisp and finely detailed, with excellent color saturation and a good balance of drawing to “white space,” even for larger patterns (a scale that we thought appeared sparse in some other wallpaper brands we tested).

With more than 300 patterns to choose from (everything from botanicals to abstract shapes) and a whole kids’ section (which may appeal to both adults and kids), Livette’s has one of the widest arrays of options—and at a variety of pattern scales, from small to large.

The samples are also the largest of any from other brands we tested (19 by 19 inches, rather than the typical letter size), giving us a better sense of the pattern. And the installation instructions are a must-read.

Livette’s Greenguard-certified ink adds third-party reassurance that you won’t expose your household to unhealthy concentrations of volatile organic compounds . This is also the only textile-based wallpaper we tested that has gone through the process to become Oeko-Tex –certified (a materials transparency standard for chemicals of concern in the textiles industry).

• This is not the easiest wallpaper to install solo. Though we found it to be about as thin as one of our other picks, Chasing Paper Wallpaper , we found Livette’s to be much stickier, with a very strong hold when we removed it.
• Because the wallpaper is thin, this intense stickiness makes it more challenging to reposition during installation. (However, our testers did find that once the wallpaper was in position, smoothing it out without bubbling was relatively easy.) We suggest you plan ahead and have patience when installing any wallpaper. But we especially recommend breaking out the pencil and level (or hiring a professional) when installing Livette’s.
• We found in long-term tests that this wallpaper also was more likely to peel paint than our top picks: Our test paper came off without issue in every area but the laundry room, which is painted with very old gloss paint and can reach upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit for weeks in the summer. To lower the chance of paint stripping, Livette’s instructions recommend prepping the walls—removing and fixing any loose or irregular painted areas, and even applying a fresh coat of paint primer. We think it’s wise to apply your Livette’s samples as tests for about three weeks.

Listed materials: PVC-free, Oeko-Tex–certified polyester-based textile, solvent-based adhesive

Inks: Greenguard-certified

Average cost per square foot: $6.59 (estimated)

Shipping: varies by order size

Return policy: no returns or exchanges , unless a product is defective or damaged in transit

If you’re a fan of large-scale, bold, contemporary patterns: Walls Need Love is a solid option for those who love a big, bold look. (Had the company offered a wider aesthetic range, we might have made this a pick.)

Within that style, there’s a good amount of patterns to choose from. We found the “linen texture” to be not very linen-like, though it had the most visible fabric-like texture of the wallpapers we tested. It was glossier in darker colors than we’d expect from a “linen” material, and we didn’t always love the effect in bright light. But this is a woven, medium-thick material that in testing was among the easiest to reposition—and even rehang—thanks to its substantial thickness and structure.

Although we found the website navigation to be slightly frustrating, our testers liked that the site gives you the option to purchase by wall size or by roll. Walls Need Love also offers free shipping and a lifetime warranty.

Listed materials : VOC-free, PVC-free blend of wood, polyester, and post-consumer recycled content

Average cost per square foot: $7.22 (estimated)

Shipping: free

Return policy: no returns or exchanges (unless a product is defective or damaged in transit)

If you want a wallpaper that you can view in a store before buying: Tempaper , a vinyl peel-and-stick option that came close to making our list of picks, is widely available at brick-and-mortar retailers, as well as online, so you can check it out in person.

Once installed, the samples we tested did not have the cheap, plasticky look of contact paper, as some vinyl wallpapers can. But we subtracted points for ease of application, as well as the fact that one of the panels we applied in the kitchen lifted in one corner after a couple of very hot weeks (though this may be because it was located a couple feet from a stove). (The company recommends applying Tempaper with a squeegee, to reduce the chance of any lifting and bubbling.)

We still think Tempaper is a decent choice, especially if you want lots of styles to choose from (there are 265 patterns, a number of which are collaborations with designers). Tempaper comes in a range of finishes, from matte-smooth with a slight sheen to metallic (depending on the style), and the print quality was crisp and consistent across samples. It also removes cleanly.

And even though vinyl can be prone to creasing if it’s handled too much, we found it was possible to reposition and correct for mistakes when we worked in small sections during installation. Unlike many wallpaper brands, Tempaper offers returns (minus a restocking fee).

Listed materials : vinyl

Inks: water-based

Average cost per square foot: Between $1.50 and $2 (estimated)

Shipping: free for orders over $49

Return policy: accepts returns , minus a 25% restocking fee, plus shipping

If you want an affordable, non-PVC wallpaper in vintage-inspired patterns: Astek Home stood out for its selection of unique and vintage-inspired styles. The company offers peel-and-stick in two materials: a vinyl wallpaper (Anywhere), designed to remove cleanly from matte paint, and a vinyl-free wallpaper (Eco), intended for all paint finishes except matte paint. Both the Eco and Anywhere samples we received passed performance tests in the bathroom and laundry room. Once we received the full roll, we put it up in a very hot part of the house with no special smoothing tools—it went on smoothly and was easy to apply. After being up for 6 months we peeled it back and did not notice any residue left behind or stripping of the paint, despite not prepping or cleaning the wall beforehand and hanging it over old paint (which is very prone to stripping). We had initially noticed that the two pattern samples we received were inconsistent in print quality, looking blurry at close range. Once we received the full roll and hung it up on the wall we think this print quality is intentional to make the tile pattern look more realistic from a distance (though it won’t fool anyone up close). It’s also worth noting that this wallpaper’s price—about $1.30 per square foot—is one of the lowest per-square-foot price for a non-PVC wallpaper that we tested.

Listed materials : vinyl (Anywhere paper), pvc-free vinyl and recycled fiber (Eco paper)

Inks: VOC-free inks

Average cost per square foot: $1.14 for Anywhere paper, $1.34 for Eco paper (estimated)

Return policy: accepts returns within 30 days , minus a 30% restocking fee, plus shipping

There are several terms wallpaper companies use to describe their products that we think are worth explaining. Some common ones are:

Peel-and-stick or self-adhesive wallpaper (the type discussed in this guide) is also sometimes listed as having a pressure-sensitive backing. These are wallpapers that come like giant stickers—you peel off the backing and then apply the wallpaper to the wall. When you press the paper onto the wall, it adheres to the surface.

Removable wallpaper is designed to come off easily without ripping or leaving patches on the wall. Some traditional wallpapers are also relatively easy to remove, even without being labeled “removable,” but you should not assume that all are. Besides the peel-and-stick wallpaper discussed in this guide, you may see references to pre-pasted removable paper (whose adhesive is activated with water or another liquid).

Traditional or unpasted wallpaper comes without adhesive. It can be made from a variety of materials, including paper, fabric, and vinyl. To install it, you typically use a roller or brush to apply glue to a sheet of wallpaper. Then you hang the sheet on the wall and repeat.

You may also encounter these terms related to installing peel-and-stick wallpaper:

Wallpaper is sized and installed in long, vertical pieces (typically around 2 feet wide), rather than in horizontal ones. Panels are cut to a given length to fit a space, also known as a drop, such as 2 feet wide by 10 feet long (for a wall that is 10 feet high). Rolls are longer and will need to be trimmed to length while installing (the lengths vary by brand). Some wallpaper patterns are available only in panels , others only in rolls , and occasionally you will be able to choose based on preference. Somewhat confusingly, panels still ship rolled up in tubes. In this guide, we often use panel as a generic term for a length of sheet you’re installing, regardless of whether the wallpaper is sold in a roll or panel.

Pattern drop or drop match refers to how a pattern is staggered horizontally when it repeats. Some patterns repeat horizontally across, like stripes (a straight match ). For large-scale patterns, big drops can mean that you need to buy more wallpaper, and there will be more excess, if you want to match the pattern seamlessly at each vertical edge. You’ll need to order extra to make sure that you can match the pattern with each panel or sheet you install.

Pattern repeat refers to the vertical distance between the repeated part of a pattern.

Seam refers to the vertical edge between sheets of wallpaper once applied to the wall.

Picking a pattern

“If you’re going to invest in this thing, it means you’re going to want to see it,” said designer Shavonda Gardner. “If you don’t like green, don’t put green wallpaper in your house just because you heard that green is going to make a space feel calm. You’re going to hate it.” Instead, “make it something you love,” whether that’s a color or a motif, she said.

You should definitely follow Gardner’s advice and go for what you love. But after our testing, we have a few additional tips: Consider the pattern’s density and how much “white space” in white, cream, or pastel colors it has, since sparse patterns don’t mask errors (like wrinkles and wall imperfections) as well as dense patterns do. If you know you’ll be annoyed at misalignments, seams, and lines that are meant to be perfectly straight, interior designer Kelly Finley advises that you steer clear of stripes, grids, and anything super high-contrast, geometric , and macro-scaled . Organic and randomized patterns, especially those that are more densely packed, will be better at disguising misalignment.

All of our picks include helpful online calculators or instructions on how to measure your walls and estimate the number of rolls or panels to order. Some of these calculators already factor in additional material. But in case one doesn’t, you should always order extra—especially if your wallpaper has a pattern you’ll have to stagger or it’s a large-scale print—so that you have enough pattern to match. I learned this firsthand when I installed a test in my kitchen: I thought I had more than enough lemon-printed paper for the patch of wall I wanted to cover, but I needed more pattern repeat to avoid a mismatched seam and a disjointed lemon. Don’t assume you can just order more later; many companies print on demand, and there may be slight color variations between orders. Those variations will show up on the wall.

If you have a tighter budget but still want to wallpaper, don’t be afraid of covering a smaller area. “Every space, no matter how big or small, deserves to have a special moment,” said Gardner, who lives in a small house and designs small spaces. Gardner is not afraid of using pattern and color for big impact in forgotten, ancillary spaces like hallways or mudrooms—“particularly because those spaces get neglected.”

Prep work: How good your wallpaper looks on the wall depends on this step. Remove nails and outlet covers. Lightly sand down paint drips that might puncture or cause bubbling in your wallpaper. Finally, wipe down your wall with a damp cloth, and allow it to dry before proceeding. To be extra safe, you can use a 1:1 solution of water and rubbing alcohol to remove spots that look sticky. Some manufacturers, like Livette’s, suggest that applying a coat of primer is the best insurance against paint stripping during wallpaper removal.

Tools: You’ll probably want a reliable stepping stool or step ladder (depending on the height you’re hanging), a craft knife (like an X-Acto or Olfa) for trimming excess on the wall, a screwdriver to remove outlet covers, a straight edge (like a ruler) for trimming against and tracing guides, and a level or combination square (we recommend the Irwin 1794469 ). You may want to consider investing in a ruler with a built-in level to trace guidelines for yourself, especially if you plan to work alone. (Unless the pattern you chose is super freeform, don’t count on simply aligning your wallpaper with corners, ceilings, or molding; few rooms are perfectly square.) Depending on the wallpaper, you may also find that a smoothing tool, like a soft-edged squeegee or rubber bench scraper, will come in handy (some people even suggest using a credit card, if you have nothing else on hand). We found that a clean, dry palm often worked just as well.

Slow and steady: Finley suggests using a pencil to draw guide lines on the wall. “It’s very tedious in some ways,” she said. “Peel it off in [smaller] sections, start slowly, and smooth it out as you go.”

Spend extra time getting the first panel right, since it will act as a guide for the rest of the job. For the remaining panels, try not to peel off the backing completely before hanging, since the paper may stick to itself. Some of our picks’ websites include installation how-tos. We found the sites for Tempaper , Wallshoppe , and Livette’s to be especially helpful. And, again, if you can enlist someone to assist you, we highly recommend it.

Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer to the question of which is the most sustainable wallpaper. The simplest answer is the wallpaper that you’ll keep on your walls the longest.

But if you want to change the look of your walls and have the lowest environmental impact, paint them, said Teresa McGrath, a toxicologist and chief research officer at Healthy Building Network (an EPA-recognized research organization that shares information on the environmental and human health impact of building materials).

Compared with even the thinnest wallpaper, a coat of paint takes up less volume. Although paint will end up in a landfill when a building is eventually demolished (and though used paint and paint cans may or may not be reclaimable and recyclable, depending on your municipal system), it will still produce less lifecycle waste than wallpaper will.

No matter its composition, peel-and-stick wallpaper is likely to end up in a landfill and eventually contribute to plastic pollution, since two common wallpaper materials—vinyl and woven polyester fabrics—are both plastic. And you can’t recycle paper wallpapers, either, because it’s difficult or costly to separate natural fibers from adhesives, inks, and other chemicals.

Is vinyl (PVC) wallpaper the least sustainable kind? This is also not so easy to answer. There are significant concerns about the upstream environmental impact of making PVC, even with recent shifts in the industry away from mercury- and asbestos-based technologies.

We didn’t test any wallpaper that didn’t comply with NSF/ANSI 342 standards for wallcoverings (NSF International and American National Standard, which develop and certify public health  manufacturing standards in the interest of public health, globally and in the United States, respectively).

Without full manufacturing transparency, it’s hard to say what the environmental impact of non-woven vinyl is compared with a polyester woven textile.

Since peel-and-stick wallpaper does not require a wet adhesive (unlike traditional and some removable wallpapers), health concerns are mostly due to long-term exposure to ortho-phthalates (used to make PVC material flexible and pliable) and volatile organic compounds (or VOCs, usually from inks).

When you search for wallpaper, you may encounter claims about phthalates and VOCs, sometimes as Greenguard and Oeko-Tex product certifications. Greenguard is a product certification system that, in the case of wallpaper, certifies its inks meet third-party emissions standards for VOCs.

Oeko-Tex is a product certification system for harmful chemicals in textiles, so it would apply only to textile-based wallpapers. A green label does not necessarily mean that a product is safer than a non-certified one—just that the company with the certification was able to invest resources into obtaining that certification and thought it was worthwhile.

We considered testing wallpaper only from brands that claim to use low- or no-VOC inks and to have zero phthalates or phthalate content within allowable levels. Unfortunately, it is difficult to verify these claims. “Any third-party certification [like Health Product Declaration or Declare ] should be preferred over just a manufacturer claim,” McGrath said.

Vinyl requires the use of plasticizers, additives that make it pliable and flexible. For years, phthalates—specifically ortho-phthalates—were the plasticizer of choice. The CDC believes that phthalate exposure is “widespread” in the United States, although it states that not all exposure translates to a negative health impact. Some research has raised concerns that phthalates in building-interior materials (such as vinyl wall coverings and vinyl flooring) may be linked to asthma in adults and children .

A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health recommends that phthalates should be eliminated from “products that may lead to exposure” of pregnant people or those who may wish to become pregnant, children, and infants, due to the evidence of their impact on cognitive development and the reproductive system.

According to a 2015 report from the Healthy Building Network (PDF) , the vinyl industry has begun to move away from ortho-phthalates to other options that have been deemed less hazardous.

Nsilo Berry, a researcher with the Healthy Building Network, advises a “pie chart perspective” when thinking about a product’s chemical content. “Think about not just the wallpaper in your home, but what other things in your home can contribute to negative health impacts,” he said. “There are other things in your home that can contribute to [VOC emissions, for example], like paint, flooring, drywall, and other categories” that can affect health over years and generations. Berry noted that these cumulative effects have contributed to health disparities in low-income communities and communities of color.

Carter + Main wallpaper is printed on a non-vinyl woven fabric material, and it has a slight sheen. It’s thicker and more structured than Chasing Paper and Livette’s , but it’s thinner than Walls Need Love and Wallshoppe papers. Both of our testers reported that during installation, Carter + Main wallpaper seemed to develop more wrinkles and bubbles that had to be smoothed out, compared with other papers we tested. There is not a huge selection to choose from (just over 100 patterns), and the patterns tend to be bright, large in scale, and have a lot of white space (which can sometimes be less forgiving of imperfect applications).We also found Carter + Main’s packing tubes to be oddly frustrating. Both cardboard tubes we received had been secured at both ends with heavy-duty staples, which we had to remove with pliers before opening, to prevent scratching the wallpaper.

NuWallpaper (from Wall Pops!), a vinyl peel-and-stick wallpaper with a subtle sheen, is available in more than 200 patterns. At about $1.63 per square foot, it’s one of the two least-expensive brands we tested (the other being Astek Home ). But its texture and appearance reminded us of thin contact paper, and its slightly stretchy material tended to easily reveal imperfections. Also, we found it was prone to wrinkling and bubbling during installation. We noticed a strong plasticky smell out of the package that did not fully dissipate after the first week, although it went away eventually. Our tester said the smell gave them a headache when they first opened it. The sample we received was sloppily cut, so we’re not confident that every shopper will receive a consistently sized sample. But for some projects, this may be a decent and affordable option. The company also sells designs by brands like Scott Living that are widely available at brick-and-mortar retailers.

Of the peel-and-stick wallpaper brands that we initially sampled, the only one we did not call in for further testing was from Spoonflower . Spoonflower operates as a marketplace for individual artists who can sell designs printed on demand on wallpaper, as well as textiles and other home decor. Unfortunately, the print quality of the pattern we ordered was extremely blurry. Although we suspect that print quality may vary depending on the resolution of the individual artist’s source file, this disappointing result did not inspire confidence in visual reliability. Even more problematic, the sample we received failed our initial performance test, lifting at the corners and bubbling out at some edges after less than 24 hours. So we eliminated it from the running.

We considered but ultimately did not test AllModern, Anthropologie, Magnolia Home, Opalhouse at Target, or Society6, because at the time, they did not offer samples, one of our testing requirements. We also considered The Black Home but did not move forward with testing due to the limited number of patterns available at the time.

This article was edited by Daniela Gorny and Christine Ryan.

Teresa McGrath, toxicologist and chief research officer at Healthy Building Network , phone interview , May 20, 2021

Nsilo Berry, health impact researcher, Healthy Building Network , phone interview , May 20, 2021

Stephanie M. Engel et al., Neurotoxicity of Ortho-Phthalates: Recommendations for Policy Reforms to Protect Brain Development in Children , American Journal of Public Health, April 2021

Pam Factor-Litvak et al., Persistent Associations Between Maternal Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates on Child IQ at Age 7 Years , PLOS ONE , December 10, 2014

Regina Montero-Montoya, Rocío López-Vargas, and Omar Arellano-Aguilar, Volatile Organic Compounds in Air: Sources, Distribution, Exposure, and Associated Illnesses in Children , Annals of Global Health , July 27, 2018

Jouni J K Jaakkola, Antonia Ieromnimon, and Maritta S Jaakkola, Interior surface materials and asthma in adults: a population-based incident case-control study , American Journal of Epidemiology , October 15, 2006

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Biomonitoring Program: Phthalates Factsheet

Kelly Finley, owner and principal designer at Joy Street Design , phone interview , June 24, 2021

Shavonda Gardner, designer and founder at SG Style , phone interview , June 24, 2021

Meet your guide

Katie Okamoto

Katie Okamoto is an editor on the discovery team and leads Wirecutter’s sustainability coverage. She has been covering products—from food to furniture—and their intersections with environmental impact and environmental health for more than a decade. Previously, Katie was an editor at Metropolis Magazine.

Further reading

The Best Bathroom Rugs and Bath Mats

by Alex Arpaia

A good bath mat can keep you from slipping and add some pizzazz to your bathroom. These three durable and comfortable options will work for a variety of styles.

The Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker

by Brent Butterworth

The UE Wonderboom 4 is the all-around best portable Bluetooth speaker because it sounds good and looks cool, and it’s the most rugged model we’ve tested.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

by Katie Okamoto

Everyone benefits from breathing better air inside. Here’s how to cut pollutants at the source and filter out bad air trapped in your home.

The Best Space Heaters

by Thom Dunn

Warm up a room and boost your home’s heating system with space heaters we’ve tested firsthand.

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Friday, Mar 29

17 book review examples to help you write the perfect review.

It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?

As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites , in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever — which means that there are a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!

In this post, we compiled 17 prototypical book review examples in multiple genres to help you figure out how to write the perfect review . If you want to jump straight to the examples, you can skip the next section. Otherwise, let’s first check out what makes up a good review.

Are you interested in becoming a book reviewer? We recommend you check out Reedsy Discovery , where you can earn money for writing reviews — and are guaranteed people will read your reviews! To register as a book reviewer, sign up here.

Pro-tip : But wait! How are you sure if you should become a book reviewer in the first place? If you're on the fence, or curious about your match with a book reviewing career, take our quick quiz:

Should you become a book reviewer?

Find out the answer. Takes 30 seconds!

What must a book review contain?

Like all works of art, no two book reviews will be identical. But fear not: there are a few guidelines for any aspiring book reviewer to follow. Most book reviews, for instance, are less than 1,500 words long, with the sweet spot hitting somewhere around the 1,000-word mark. (However, this may vary depending on the platform on which you’re writing, as we’ll see later.)

In addition, all reviews share some universal elements, as shown in our book review templates . These include:

• A review will offer a concise plot summary of the book. 
• A book review will offer an evaluation of the work. 
• A book review will offer a recommendation for the audience. 

If these are the basic ingredients that make up a book review, it’s the tone and style with which the book reviewer writes that brings the extra panache. This will differ from platform to platform, of course. A book review on Goodreads, for instance, will be much more informal and personal than a book review on Kirkus Reviews, as it is catering to a different audience. However, at the end of the day, the goal of all book reviews is to give the audience the tools to determine whether or not they’d like to read the book themselves.

Keeping that in mind, let’s proceed to some book review examples to put all of this in action.

How much of a book nerd are you, really?

Find out here, once and for all. Takes 30 seconds!

Book review examples for fiction books

Since story is king in the world of fiction, it probably won’t come as any surprise to learn that a book review for a novel will concentrate on how well the story was told .

That said, book reviews in all genres follow the same basic formula that we discussed earlier. In these examples, you’ll be able to see how book reviewers on different platforms expertly intertwine the plot summary and their personal opinions of the book to produce a clear, informative, and concise review.

Note: Some of the book review examples run very long. If a book review is truncated in this post, we’ve indicated by including a […] at the end, but you can always read the entire review if you click on the link provided.

Examples of literary fiction book reviews

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man :

An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.

His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.

This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.

Lyndsey reviews George Orwell’s 1984 on Goodreads:

YOU. ARE. THE. DEAD. Oh my God. I got the chills so many times toward the end of this book. It completely blew my mind. It managed to surpass my high expectations AND be nothing at all like I expected. Or in Newspeak "Double Plus Good." Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate at times in this review, I can't help it. My mind is completely fried.

This book is like the dystopian Lord of the Rings, with its richly developed culture and economics, not to mention a fully developed language called Newspeak, or rather more of the anti-language, whose purpose is to limit speech and understanding instead of to enhance and expand it. The world-building is so fully fleshed out and spine-tinglingly terrifying that it's almost as if George travelled to such a place, escaped from it, and then just wrote it all down.

I read Fahrenheit 451 over ten years ago in my early teens. At the time, I remember really wanting to read 1984, although I never managed to get my hands on it. I'm almost glad I didn't. Though I would not have admitted it at the time, it would have gone over my head. Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate it fully. […]

The New York Times reviews Lisa Halliday’s Asymmetry :

Three-quarters of the way through Lisa Halliday’s debut novel, “Asymmetry,” a British foreign correspondent named Alistair is spending Christmas on a compound outside of Baghdad. His fellow revelers include cameramen, defense contractors, United Nations employees and aid workers. Someone’s mother has FedExed a HoneyBaked ham from Maine; people are smoking by the swimming pool. It is 2003, just days after Saddam Hussein’s capture, and though the mood is optimistic, Alistair is worrying aloud about the ethics of his chosen profession, wondering if reporting on violence doesn’t indirectly abet violence and questioning why he’d rather be in a combat zone than reading a picture book to his son. But every time he returns to London, he begins to “spin out.” He can’t go home. “You observe what people do with their freedom — what they don’t do — and it’s impossible not to judge them for it,” he says.

The line, embedded unceremoniously in the middle of a page-long paragraph, doubles, like so many others in “Asymmetry,” as literary criticism. Halliday’s novel is so strange and startlingly smart that its mere existence seems like commentary on the state of fiction. One finishes “Asymmetry” for the first or second (or like this reader, third) time and is left wondering what other writers are not doing with their freedom — and, like Alistair, judging them for it.

Despite its title, “Asymmetry” comprises two seemingly unrelated sections of equal length, appended by a slim and quietly shocking coda. Halliday’s prose is clean and lean, almost reportorial in the style of W. G. Sebald, and like the murmurings of a shy person at a cocktail party, often comic only in single clauses. It’s a first novel that reads like the work of an author who has published many books over many years. […]

Emily W. Thompson reviews Michael Doane's The Crossing on Reedsy Discovery :

In Doane’s debut novel, a young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery with surprising results.

An unnamed protagonist (The Narrator) is dealing with heartbreak. His love, determined to see the world, sets out for Portland, Oregon. But he’s a small-town boy who hasn’t traveled much. So, the Narrator mourns her loss and hides from life, throwing himself into rehabbing an old motorcycle. Until one day, he takes a leap; he packs his bike and a few belongings and heads out to find the Girl.

Following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac and William Least Heat-Moon, Doane offers a coming of age story about a man finding himself on the backroads of America. Doane’s a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations, using The Narrator’s personal interactions to illuminate the diversity of the United States.

The Narrator initially sticks to the highways, trying to make it to the West Coast as quickly as possible. But a hitchhiker named Duke convinces him to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride. “There’s not a place that’s like any other,” [39] Dukes contends, and The Narrator realizes he’s right. Suddenly, the trip is about the journey, not just the destination. The Narrator ditches his truck and traverses the deserts and mountains on his bike. He destroys his phone, cutting off ties with his past and living only in the moment.

As he crosses the country, The Narrator connects with several unique personalities whose experiences and views deeply impact his own. Duke, the complicated cowboy and drifter, who opens The Narrator’s eyes to a larger world. Zooey, the waitress in Colorado who opens his heart and reminds him that love can be found in this big world. And Rosie, The Narrator’s sweet landlady in Portland, who helps piece him back together both physically and emotionally.

This supporting cast of characters is excellent. Duke, in particular, is wonderfully nuanced and complicated. He’s a throwback to another time, a man without a cell phone who reads Sartre and sleeps under the stars. Yet he’s also a grifter with a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude that harms those around him. It’s fascinating to watch The Narrator wrestle with Duke’s behavior, trying to determine which to model and which to discard.

Doane creates a relatable protagonist in The Narrator, whose personal growth doesn’t erase his faults. His willingness to hit the road with few resources is admirable, and he’s prescient enough to recognize the jealousy of those who cannot or will not take the leap. His encounters with new foods, places, and people broaden his horizons. Yet his immaturity and selfishness persist. He tells Rosie she’s been a good mother to him but chooses to ignore the continuing concern from his own parents as he effectively disappears from his old life.

Despite his flaws, it’s a pleasure to accompany The Narrator on his physical and emotional journey. The unexpected ending is a fitting denouement to an epic and memorable road trip.

The Book Smugglers review Anissa Gray’s The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls :

I am still dipping my toes into the literally fiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray are definitely my cup of tea.

Althea and Proctor Cochran had been pillars of their economically disadvantaged community for years – with their local restaurant/small market and their charity drives. Until they are found guilty of fraud for stealing and keeping most of the money they raised and sent to jail. Now disgraced, their entire family is suffering the consequences, specially their twin teenage daughters Baby Vi and Kim.  To complicate matters even more: Kim was actually the one to call the police on her parents after yet another fight with her mother. […]

Examples of children’s and YA fiction book reviews

The Book Hookup reviews Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give :

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 5 stars! I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to tackle the voice of a movement like Black Lives Matter, but I do know that Thomas did it with a finesse only a talented author like herself possibly could. With an unapologetically realistic delivery packed with emotion, The Hate U Give is a crucially important portrayal of the difficulties minorities face in our country every single day. I have no doubt that this book will be met with resistance by some (possibly many) and slapped with a “controversial” label, but if you’ve ever wondered what it was like to walk in a POC’s shoes, then I feel like this is an unflinchingly honest place to start.

In Angie Thomas’s debut novel, Starr Carter bursts on to the YA scene with both heart-wrecking and heartwarming sincerity. This author is definitely one to watch.

♥ Review: The hype around this book has been unquestionable and, admittedly, that made me both eager to get my hands on it and terrified to read it. I mean, what if I was to be the one person that didn’t love it as much as others? (That seems silly now because of how truly mesmerizing THUG was in the most heartbreakingly realistic way.) However, with the relevancy of its summary in regards to the unjust predicaments POC currently face in the US, I knew this one was a must-read, so I was ready to set my fears aside and dive in. That said, I had an altogether more personal, ulterior motive for wanting to read this book. […]

The New York Times reviews Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood :

Alice Crewe (a last name she’s chosen for herself) is a fairy tale legacy: the granddaughter of Althea Proserpine, author of a collection of dark-as-night fairy tales called “Tales From the Hinterland.” The book has a cult following, and though Alice has never met her grandmother, she’s learned a little about her through internet research. She hasn’t read the stories, because her mother, Ella Proserpine, forbids it.

Alice and Ella have moved from place to place in an attempt to avoid the “bad luck” that seems to follow them. Weird things have happened. As a child, Alice was kidnapped by a man who took her on a road trip to find her grandmother; he was stopped by the police before they did so. When at 17 she sees that man again, unchanged despite the years, Alice panics. Then Ella goes missing, and Alice turns to Ellery Finch, a schoolmate who’s an Althea Proserpine superfan, for help in tracking down her mother. Not only has Finch read every fairy tale in the collection, but handily, he remembers them, sharing them with Alice as they journey to the mysterious Hazel Wood, the estate of her now-dead grandmother, where they hope to find Ella.

“The Hazel Wood” starts out strange and gets stranger, in the best way possible. (The fairy stories Finch relays, which Albert includes as their own chapters, are as creepy and evocative as you’d hope.) Albert seamlessly combines contemporary realism with fantasy, blurring the edges in a way that highlights that place where stories and real life convene, where magic contains truth and the world as it appears is false, where just about anything can happen, particularly in the pages of a very good book. It’s a captivating debut. […]

James reviews Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight, Moon on Goodreads:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August 2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!

This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate (hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too. This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.

The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her illustrators.

Publishers Weekly reviews Elizabeth Lilly’s Geraldine :

This funny, thoroughly accomplished debut opens with two words: “I’m moving.” They’re spoken by the title character while she swoons across her family’s ottoman, and because Geraldine is a giraffe, her full-on melancholy mode is quite a spectacle. But while Geraldine may be a drama queen (even her mother says so), it won’t take readers long to warm up to her. The move takes Geraldine from Giraffe City, where everyone is like her, to a new school, where everyone else is human. Suddenly, the former extrovert becomes “That Giraffe Girl,” and all she wants to do is hide, which is pretty much impossible. “Even my voice tries to hide,” she says, in the book’s most poignant moment. “It’s gotten quiet and whispery.” Then she meets Cassie, who, though human, is also an outlier (“I’m that girl who wears glasses and likes MATH and always organizes her food”), and things begin to look up.

Lilly’s watercolor-and-ink drawings are as vividly comic and emotionally astute as her writing; just when readers think there are no more ways for Geraldine to contort her long neck, this highly promising talent comes up with something new.

Examples of genre fiction book reviews

Karlyn P reviews Nora Roberts’ Dark Witch , a paranormal romance novel , on Goodreads:

4 stars. Great world-building, weak romance, but still worth the read.

I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the more important parts of this book.

The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lackluster stuff.

I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the secondary characters. However, If you read Nora Roberts strictly for the romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it as much as I did.

I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.

Emily May reviews R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy Wars , an epic fantasy novel , on Goodreads:

“But I warn you, little warrior. The price of power is pain.”

Holy hell, what did I just read??

➽ A fantasy military school

➽ A rich world based on modern Chinese history

➽ Shamans and gods

➽ Detailed characterization leading to unforgettable characters

➽ Adorable, opium-smoking mentors

That's a basic list, but this book is all of that and SO MUCH MORE. I know 100% that The Poppy War will be one of my best reads of 2018.

Isn't it just so great when you find one of those books that completely drags you in, makes you fall in love with the characters, and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting moment of it? This is one of those books for me. And I must issue a serious content warning: this book explores some very dark themes. Proceed with caution (or not at all) if you are particularly sensitive to scenes of war, drug use and addiction, genocide, racism, sexism, ableism, self-harm, torture, and rape (off-page but extremely horrific).

Because, despite the fairly innocuous first 200 pages, the title speaks the truth: this is a book about war. All of its horrors and atrocities. It is not sugar-coated, and it is often graphic. The "poppy" aspect refers to opium, which is a big part of this book. It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking.

Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry’s Freefall , a crime novel:

In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it’s a more subtle process, and that’s OK too. So where does Freefall fit into the sliding scale?

In truth, it’s not clear. This is a novel with a thrilling concept at its core. A woman survives plane crash, then runs for her life. However, it is the subtleties at play that will draw you in like a spider beckoning to an unwitting fly.

Like the heroine in Sharon Bolton’s Dead Woman Walking, Allison is lucky to be alive. She was the only passenger in a private plane, belonging to her fiancé, Ben, who was piloting the expensive aircraft, when it came down in woodlands in the Colorado Rockies. Ally is also the only survivor, but rather than sitting back and waiting for rescue, she is soon pulling together items that may help her survive a little longer – first aid kit, energy bars, warm clothes, trainers – before fleeing the scene. If you’re hearing the faint sound of alarm bells ringing, get used to it. There’s much, much more to learn about Ally before this tale is over.

Kirkus Reviews reviews Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One , a science-fiction novel :

Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world; screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles.

The real world, in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old, orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City, while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.

Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is straightforward but loaded with exposition. It takes a while to reach a scene that crackles with excitement: the meeting between Parzival (now world famous as the lead contender) and Sorrento, the head of IOI. The latter tries to recruit Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home. Too bad this is the dramatic high point. Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood.

Too much puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.

Book review examples for non-fiction books

Nonfiction books are generally written to inform readers about a certain topic. As such, the focus of a nonfiction book review will be on the clarity and effectiveness of this communication . In carrying this out, a book review may analyze the author’s source materials and assess the thesis in order to determine whether or not the book meets expectations.

Again, we’ve included abbreviated versions of long reviews here, so feel free to click on the link to read the entire piece!

The Washington Post reviews David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon :

The arc of David Grann’s career reminds one of a software whiz-kid or a latest-thing talk-show host — certainly not an investigative reporter, even if he is one of the best in the business. The newly released movie of his first book, “The Lost City of Z,” is generating all kinds of Oscar talk, and now comes the release of his second book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” the film rights to which have already been sold for $5 million in what one industry journal called the “biggest and wildest book rights auction in memory.”

Grann deserves the attention. He’s canny about the stories he chases, he’s willing to go anywhere to chase them, and he’s a maestro in his ability to parcel out information at just the right clip: a hint here, a shading of meaning there, a smartly paced buildup of multiple possibilities followed by an inevitable reversal of readerly expectations or, in some cases, by a thrilling and dislocating pull of the entire narrative rug.

All of these strengths are on display in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Around the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered underneath Osage lands in the Oklahoma Territory, lands that were soon to become part of the state of Oklahoma. Through foresight and legal maneuvering, the Osage found a way to permanently attach that oil to themselves and shield it from the prying hands of white interlopers; this mechanism was known as “headrights,” which forbade the outright sale of oil rights and granted each full member of the tribe — and, supposedly, no one else — a share in the proceeds from any lease arrangement. For a while, the fail-safes did their job, and the Osage got rich — diamond-ring and chauffeured-car and imported-French-fashion rich — following which quite a large group of white men started to work like devils to separate the Osage from their money. And soon enough, and predictably enough, this work involved murder. Here in Jazz Age America’s most isolated of locales, dozens or even hundreds of Osage in possession of great fortunes — and of the potential for even greater fortunes in the future — were dispatched by poison, by gunshot and by dynamite. […]

Stacked Books reviews Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers :

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Malcolm Gladwell’s writing. Friends and co-workers tell me that his subjects are interesting and his writing style is easy to follow without talking down to the reader. I wasn’t disappointed with Outliers. In it, Gladwell tackles the subject of success – how people obtain it and what contributes to extraordinary success as opposed to everyday success.

The thesis – that our success depends much more on circumstances out of our control than any effort we put forth – isn’t exactly revolutionary. Most of us know it to be true. However, I don’t think I’m lying when I say that most of us also believe that we if we just try that much harder and develop our talent that much further, it will be enough to become wildly successful, despite bad or just mediocre beginnings. Not so, says Gladwell.

Most of the evidence Gladwell gives us is anecdotal, which is my favorite kind to read. I can’t really speak to how scientifically valid it is, but it sure makes for engrossing listening. For example, did you know that successful hockey players are almost all born in January, February, or March? Kids born during these months are older than the others kids when they start playing in the youth leagues, which means they’re already better at the game (because they’re bigger). Thus, they get more play time, which means their skill increases at a faster rate, and it compounds as time goes by. Within a few years, they’re much, much better than the kids born just a few months later in the year. Basically, these kids’ birthdates are a huge factor in their success as adults – and it’s nothing they can do anything about. If anyone could make hockey interesting to a Texan who only grudgingly admits the sport even exists, it’s Gladwell. […]

Quill and Quire reviews Rick Prashaw’s Soar, Adam, Soar :

Ten years ago, I read a book called Almost Perfect. The young-adult novel by Brian Katcher won some awards and was held up as a powerful, nuanced portrayal of a young trans person. But the reality did not live up to the book’s billing. Instead, it turned out to be a one-dimensional and highly fetishized portrait of a trans person’s life, one that was nevertheless repeatedly dubbed “realistic” and “affecting” by non-transgender readers possessing only a vague, mass-market understanding of trans experiences.

In the intervening decade, trans narratives have emerged further into the literary spotlight, but those authored by trans people ourselves – and by trans men in particular – have seemed to fall under the shadow of cisgender sensationalized imaginings. Two current Canadian releases – Soar, Adam, Soar and This One Looks Like a Boy – provide a pointed object lesson into why trans-authored work about transgender experiences remains critical.

To be fair, Soar, Adam, Soar isn’t just a story about a trans man. It’s also a story about epilepsy, the medical establishment, and coming of age as seen through a grieving father’s eyes. Adam, Prashaw’s trans son, died unexpectedly at age 22. Woven through the elder Prashaw’s narrative are excerpts from Adam’s social media posts, giving us glimpses into the young man’s interior life as he traverses his late teens and early 20s. […]

Book Geeks reviews Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love :

WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5

SUBJECT: 4/5

CANDIDNESS: 4.5/5

RELEVANCE: 3.5/5

ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3.5/5

“Eat Pray Love” is so popular that it is almost impossible to not read it. Having felt ashamed many times on my not having read this book, I quietly ordered the book (before I saw the movie) from amazon.in and sat down to read it. I don’t remember what I expected it to be – maybe more like a chick lit thing but it turned out quite different. The book is a real story and is a short journal from the time when its writer went travelling to three different countries in pursuit of three different things – Italy (Pleasure), India (Spirituality), Bali (Balance) and this is what corresponds to the book’s name – EAT (in Italy), PRAY (in India) and LOVE (in Bali, Indonesia). These are also the three Is – ITALY, INDIA, INDONESIA.

Though she had everything a middle-aged American woman can aspire for – MONEY, CAREER, FRIENDS, HUSBAND; Elizabeth was not happy in her life, she wasn’t happy in her marriage. Having suffered a terrible divorce and terrible breakup soon after, Elizabeth was shattered. She didn’t know where to go and what to do – all she knew was that she wanted to run away. So she set out on a weird adventure – she will go to three countries in a year and see if she can find out what she was looking for in life. This book is about that life changing journey that she takes for one whole year. […]

Emily May reviews Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:

Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I might cry at movies where someone dies. I've just never really understood why people get all choked up over happy, inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons.

This is not really a book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it. It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown into an amazing and terrifying position.

I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in this world.

And yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and opportunities.

She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working class family in Chicago.

I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading this book.

Hopefully, this post has given you a better idea of how to write a book review. You might be wondering how to put all of this knowledge into action now! Many book reviewers start out by setting up a book blog. If you don’t have time to research the intricacies of HTML, check out Reedsy Discovery — where you can read indie books for free and review them without going through the hassle of creating a blog. To register as a book reviewer , go here .

And if you’d like to see even more book review examples, simply go to this directory of book review blogs and click on any one of them to see a wealth of good book reviews. Beyond that, it's up to you to pick up a book and pen — and start reviewing!

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

25 Best Psychology Books to Read in 2024

In this post, we’ve put together a list of the 25 best psychology books you’ll want to read to understand the workings of the human mind. Whether you’re a beginner with a newfound interest in psychology or a seasoned psychology expert looking to branch out, we’ve got you cover...

Kindle Unlimited: Is It Worth the Subscription?

If you’ve ever heard the term “Netflix for books,” you’re already familiar with the book subscription model. Book subscription services allow readers to “borrow” books from vast reserves of reading material — sort of like a virtual library. And if yo...

50 Fantasy Subgenres and Their Must-Reads

Fantasy is one of the most popular genres in speculative fiction — so it's no surprise that its niches range far and wide. And while you may already have a sense of what kind of fantas...

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

Want to be a book reviewer?

Review new books and start building your portfolio.

Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

Book Review: Wallpaper* City Guide Vancouver

Read more articles by Sean Ruthen

August 10, 2021 August 12, 2021

Text by Hadani Ditmars (Phaidon Press, 2019)

A tightly edited, discreetly packaged selection of city highlights for the design-conscious visitor. Each Wallpaper City Guide unearths the most happening restaurants and nightlife, the buzziest hotels, the most influential art galleries and enticing retail, the very best in local design, and the historical styles and contemporary architecture that define a destination. Local writers have delved deep into the urban psyche to enable you to come away from your trip, however brief, with a real flavour of the creative scene and the satisfaction you’ve seen all that you should.

• From Phaidon’s website

Now in its fourth edition since 2008, local writer and regular Wallpaper contributor Hadani Ditmars proves to be on the scene having now provided the text for all four editions, and in this latest edition brings the series up to speed for both the local and tourist alike. In its near two decades of running, the popular city guide series has now expanded to include over 100 cities, each offering up the must-see alongside the lesser-known attractions, whether one is staying for 48 hours or a week.

I purchased my first Wallpaper * book for a trip to Barcelona in 2010, and along with a few other travel guides I took along with me at the time, it confirmed needing to see such obvious landmarks as the Sagrada Familia and La Pedrera , but also provided info on popular markets and tapas bars. The book’s format is the same for all the cities featured in the series, with tabs providing for popular landmarks, hotels, shops, and escapes.

Maps at the back of the book provide an overview of each city with an aerial photograph of the city provided in the opening pages. Each book starts with a smorgasbord of essential info, including phone numbers of travel bureaus and emergency services, as well as post office locations, followed by a map showing the city’s location in the world, its land size, and population, currency and annual temperatures.

But you would be mistaken to think these slim, backpack fitting books are only travel guides for out-of-towners, as each one provides commentary on the local arts, food, and fashion scenes, as well as providing a 24 hour section with each respective city’s absolute must-see items – a small set of the best landmarks, architecture, galleries, restaurants, and hotels. For this new edition, the Polygon Gallery and the south steps of the downtown library have made their first appearance in the series, and rightly so. Unchanged in the 24 hour series includes the late Peter Cardew’s Belkin Gallery , along with Erickson’s Museum of Anthropology.

For the most part, the structure of the book has remained the same, with each edition making subtle updates along the way, such that landmarks like Canada Place remain consistent while giving the opportunity to feature recent additions to the skyline. With a new introduction in each edition , Hadani has remarked through the series on Vancouver’s shift from pre-Olympic notions of eco-density , to Douglas Coupland’s City of Glass and Larry Beasley’s Vancouverism , bringing us up to the minute with the impact of the recent foreign buyer’s tax on local real estate.

Included among the new landmarks in the book is Vancouver House , with Arthur Erickson’s former Macmillan Bloedel building moved into this section of the book to be featured (as it rightly should be) as a landmark side-by-side with Bjarke Ingels Group ’s new addition to the Vancouver skyline. The Wallpaper take on the Vancouver high-rise also continues to include One Wall Centre and Harbour Centre , both of which have had their photographs updated for this latest edition.

One notable change in the fourth edition is the absence of the Sports and Spas section, now replaced by an Arts/Design tab, allowing the author and editors to include such previous notable absences as the Contemporary Art Gallery —with a call out to architects Noel Best and Martin Lewis. And reappearing in this edition at the end of the book is the Escapes section, now including the Audain Art Museum and revamped Empress hotel along with the Mission Hill Winery and Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre .

The latest edition’s Architour section features among other notable projects Erickson and Massey’s SFU campus, along with the Electra and Marine building, with new entries including the recently completed Exchange Tower and Emily Carr University of Art and Design .

The amount of refinement necessary to update all the entries in the book, whether new or old, is no small feat, with one example being the Museum of Anthropology, which has in this latest edition had its text updated since 2014 to note that the building is built on unceded Musqueam territory. And the next edition will have to explain that the great hall is closed for the next few years as it undergoes seismic upgrades.

Ditmars deserves credit for her ongoing contribution to the series, as each city must have its own local correspondent offering boots-on-the-ground, up-to-the-minute commentary. It is a thankless task, to say the least, to have to provide 200 words on each piece of a city’s zeitgeist, and Ditmars has done an admirable job to include current commentary here on such issues as truth and reconciliation alongside climate change and money laundering.

Hadani Ditmars has been a correspondent for   Wallpaper* Magazine   since 2000, when founding editor Tyler Brulé sent her to write about   Bauhaus buildings in Baghdad . In addition to being the author of   all four   of   the Wallpaper* City Guide Vancouver   editions , she wrote the critically acclaimed   Dancing in the No-Fly Zone that chronicled pre and post invasion Iraqi culture and is   currently at work   on a travelogue of   ancient sites   in   Iraq .

Future editions of Wallpaper * City Guide Vancouver will also need to provide updates on new upcoming landmarks such as Kengo Kuma’s Alberni as well as Ole Scheeren’s Fifteen Fifteen , along with the latest on the Senakw development. In the meantime, this fourth edition is a fitting guidebook for our current state of armchair traveling, as we look forward to welcoming the world back to this city by the sea, and when we ourselves can use these guidebooks again in the first person.

For more information on Wallpaper* City Guide Vancouver go here .

Sean Ruthen is a Metro Vancouver-based architect and the current RAIC regional director for BC and Yukon.

Recommended for You

S101S – Understanding Shadow Studies: Why They Matter

Shadow studies often get lost amid the seemingly more pressing issues related to current urban planning and design. However, the relevance of shadow...

City of Glassholes

City of GlassholesWorld Classholes dog eat downward dogcity of narrow shoulderscity of broad stereotypescity that ever sleepslong legs running off at the...

Sign up to receive the best (4 stars and up) offers organized by style!

• Coquette Aesthetic
• Cottagecore
• Pastel Aesthetic
• Granola Girl Aesthetic
• Hipster Aesthetic
• Indie Aesthetic
• Harry Potter Aesthetic
• Fairy Aesthetic
• Witchy Aesthetic
• Mermaid Aesthetic
• Brown Aesthetic

Dark Academia

Light academia.

• Ravenclaw Aesthetic
• Baddie Aesthetic
• Gold Aesthetic
• Luxurious Aesthetic
• Preppy Aesthetic
• Sage Green Aesthetic
• Minimal Aesthetic
• Aesthetic Gifts explore
• Wallpapers aesthetic
• Mood Guides ☾ Aesthetic Buying Guides
• Shoes & Accessories
• Decor & Bedding
• Kitchen & Tabletop
• Skin & Fragrance
• Hair & Nails
• Adventure Gifts
• Girly Gifts
• Luxurious Gifts
• Minimal Chic Gifts
• Mystic Gifts
• Slow Living Gifts

Book Aesthetic Wallpapers to Get that Cozy Bookworm Feels Every Time you Look at Your Phone

Lately, I’ve been in love and obsessed with books and reading. It has helped me a lot to discover new parts of myself. I had been away from this incredible universe of books for a while, and now that I am back at it, I felt inspired to make a post about book aesthetic wallpapers to decorate the iPhone screens of book lovers like me.

The Mood Guide is a slightly different blog/magazine. Here I start from the premise that people are different, so I organize the posts by mood. This one, for example, is a post in the Sage Mood classification , for the little owls out there who like information, wisdom and intelligence.

Aesthetics of the sage mood and book aesthetic lovers:

Dark Academia: A Complete Aesthetic & Lifestyle Guide

The Ultimate Guide for Light Academia Aesthetic (Outfits, Room Ideas, Architecture, Moods)

10 Academia Aesthetics Beyond Light And Dark to Discover

Book Aesthetics To Enlight Your Bookworm Self

Book aesthetic Wallpapers

Any book lover who uses Instagram knows that the number of beautiful book photographs available on the social network and created by super-talented people is huge, so it was hard to pick a few for this post. I decided to organize it by season and book genre, and of course, put the credit to the amazing people who create these photo settings and illustrations, which I truthfully encourage you to follow, especially if you decide to use one of their book aesthetic wallpapers. If you own one of these images and don’t want it promoted here, please get in touch.

Book pages aesthetic wallpapers

Open book pages displayed in different positions or with all types of decorations are in every aesthetic bookstagram. I selected a few that would give nice wallpapers.

Tiny bows over a page are an option for book lovers who love the Balletcore or the Coquette aesthetics .

Fall aesthetic book wallpapers

If you love that fall mood that evokes a cozy place for bookworms on Instagram, the book wallpapers with a fall and winter aesthetic below are for you. You may also like the Fall Aesthetic: The Ultimate Guide From Cute To Spooky And How To Make The Most Out Of Autumn and Comfy Aesthetic: The Ultimate Guide for a Cozy Lifestyle

Winter aesthetic book wallpapers

Winter is a cozy comfy season and there is also a magic wonderland aspect to it. ACOTAR series is very popular and very associated with winter in aesthetic Instagrams.

Little Women is another with a strong winter aesthetic that looks nice on a phone background.

Spring and summer aesthetic book wallpapers

Flowers and books for an aesthetic and romantic phone wallpaper.

I have a post filled with gorgeous dark academia wallpapers , but for this one I selected few focused on books.

Just like with Dark Academia, I have already made a post filled with beautiful light academia wallpapers , and below are some images filtered with books only.

Jane Austen Classics and light academia are the perfect match.

Library aesthetic wallpapers

We can’t think about books without considering stunning libraries around the world. Libraries that just by looking we feel like transporting to an antique era. You can have one of those as a phone wallpaper as a motivational reminder of a place you dream about visiting.

Cute book Illustrations

Beautiful digital artworks made by book lovers are a nice option for book aesthetic wallpapers.

And to finish, just this very aesthetic and cool book stair in Lebanon and some magical AI-generated art for book and Disney lovers.

Graphic Designer, curator, creator and dreamer. My expertise in visual and Jungian symbology and myths gives me background and purpose to help you romanticize your life with meaning. A believer that women should respect their moods and cycles to be who and what she wants.

Posts by Lara

You Might Also Like

Free Thanksgiving Wallpapers for iPhone

Aesthetic Halloween Wallpaper Ideas for iPhone

Wallpapers of Cats for Every Kitten Fan (From Marie to Halloween-Themed Backgrounds)

70+ Cute & Kawaii Aesthetic Wallpapers For Lovely iPhone Screens

The Most Magic Moon Wallpapers For iPhone (Aesthetic & Witchy Backgrounds)

100+ Exclusive Fall Wallpapers for iPhone (Free, Aesthetic, Pumpkin, Cozy & Spooky Autumn Backgrounds.)

Subscribe so you don’t miss a post, sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

Cute Throw Blankets To Bring Comfort To Your Home & Soul

The Sweetest Peachy Aesthetic Wallpapers to Get Your Phone Screen in the 2024 Official Color Mood

What do you think cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

No Comments Yet.

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.