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The Collected Essays of Virginia Woolf
A collection of the finest essays written by one of the greatest essay writers in the English language.
- GenresEssaysNonfictionClassics
298 pages, Paperback
Published February 6, 2013
25 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Woolf
1,838 books28.8k followers(Adeline) Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and essayist regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.
During the interwar period, Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Her most famous works include the novels Mrs. Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927), and Orlando (1928), and the book-length essay A Room of One's Own (1929) with its famous dictum, "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."
During the interwar period, Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Her most famous works include the novels Mrs. Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927), and Orlando (1928), and the book-length essay A Room of One's Own (1929) with its famous dictum, "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 12, 2022
i thought the concepts of the essays were quite interesting and it was nice to see a kind of window into woolfs thoughts! however, personally i also found that they seemed to wander off topic a bit every now and then, but i usually have this kind of feeling with virginia woolfs writing style anyway so,,
December 10, 2023
I have used this book in order to share my thoughts on -
How Should One Read a Book? by Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf sets out plainly that, in fact, there is no specific way to read a book this statement is no spoiler as it opens the the text. Each of us has our own way of reading and, so answering the Title question is only possible for ourselves.
“To admit authorities, however heavily furred and gowned, into our libraries and let them tell us how to read, what to read, what value to place upon what we read, is to destroy the spirit of freedom which is the breath of those sanctuaries.”
Virginia Woolf, How Should One Read A Book?
Yes, she goes on to make a suggestion regarding the criticism of what is being read but still it is for the reader to decide for themselves whether they will or will not adopt a critical style of reading. Of course, at some level, everyone does criticise what they are reading if only to say that such a book is enjoyable (or not), is better (or worse) than another and so on.
“How are we to bring order into this multitudinous chaos and so get the deepest and widest pleasure from what we read?” Virginia Woolf
Nevertheless, Woolf lets the reader (or listener as this essay was originally a paper read to a school in Kent and then published in The Yale Review, 1926) know that whilst they control how they read books a degree of criticism should be given but only when the reader has given the author an open mind regarding their book.
Taking fiction, biography and poetry Woolf demonstrates how that criticism comes about. That the reader should be aware of their criticism in order to express it for school, university, professionally or simply for the benefit of their personal interest.
What a gem of a read this is!
It made me smile and thank Virginia Woolf for so clearly stating what I (and I expect many others) as a book blogger would want to hear. That we read how we prefer and criticise or review in a purely personal manner and then what we have to say on a book if read by someone is criticised in a personal way by them, for themselves.
Yes, if we are reading and reviewing for say a BlogTour we are then providing a review (criticism) for that author/publisher/tour organiser, who has provided us with the book, for that purpose. So, we are more aware of our need to consider and compare in a constructive, positive way when we are sharing our thoughts. If we have read with an open mind to what the author is saying, as Woolf states, then we should be more than able to say what we think in a considered and constructive manner thus fulfilling that purpose.
Isn’t it wonderful that such a short piece can have so much to say and offer to the reader? I have a lot of Woolf’s books (yes, I may have added one or two over the course of NovNov23) and other work on my shelves as she is a writer who has piqued my curiosity regarding her life as well as her works and I intend to read more over the coming months and years. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
Book: Purchased - I read the lovely Renard Press edition based on the text in The Second Common Reader (1932) with some alteration (under: notes on the text) for the modern reader. Annotations kept to a minimum (under: notes). This edition includes a biographical note on Virginia Woolf. (£5)
Renard Press is a great independent publisher of both fiction and nonfiction.
Virginia Woolf works also sold by Renard Press -A Room of One’s Own | In The Orchard | Kew Gardens | Mrs Dalloway | On Being Ill | Three Guineas | To The Lighthouse
Buy: Renard Press – as the publisher sells direct to customers I urge you to purchase from there if you can or from your local bookshop.
How Should One Read a Book? by Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf sets out plainly that, in fact, there is no specific way to read a book this statement is no spoiler as it opens the the text. Each of us has our own way of reading and, so answering the Title question is only possible for ourselves.
“To admit authorities, however heavily furred and gowned, into our libraries and let them tell us how to read, what to read, what value to place upon what we read, is to destroy the spirit of freedom which is the breath of those sanctuaries.”
Virginia Woolf, How Should One Read A Book?
Yes, she goes on to make a suggestion regarding the criticism of what is being read but still it is for the reader to decide for themselves whether they will or will not adopt a critical style of reading. Of course, at some level, everyone does criticise what they are reading if only to say that such a book is enjoyable (or not), is better (or worse) than another and so on.
“How are we to bring order into this multitudinous chaos and so get the deepest and widest pleasure from what we read?” Virginia Woolf
Nevertheless, Woolf lets the reader (or listener as this essay was originally a paper read to a school in Kent and then published in The Yale Review, 1926) know that whilst they control how they read books a degree of criticism should be given but only when the reader has given the author an open mind regarding their book.
Taking fiction, biography and poetry Woolf demonstrates how that criticism comes about. That the reader should be aware of their criticism in order to express it for school, university, professionally or simply for the benefit of their personal interest.
What a gem of a read this is!
It made me smile and thank Virginia Woolf for so clearly stating what I (and I expect many others) as a book blogger would want to hear. That we read how we prefer and criticise or review in a purely personal manner and then what we have to say on a book if read by someone is criticised in a personal way by them, for themselves.
Yes, if we are reading and reviewing for say a BlogTour we are then providing a review (criticism) for that author/publisher/tour organiser, who has provided us with the book, for that purpose. So, we are more aware of our need to consider and compare in a constructive, positive way when we are sharing our thoughts. If we have read with an open mind to what the author is saying, as Woolf states, then we should be more than able to say what we think in a considered and constructive manner thus fulfilling that purpose.
Isn’t it wonderful that such a short piece can have so much to say and offer to the reader? I have a lot of Woolf’s books (yes, I may have added one or two over the course of NovNov23) and other work on my shelves as she is a writer who has piqued my curiosity regarding her life as well as her works and I intend to read more over the coming months and years. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
Book: Purchased - I read the lovely Renard Press edition based on the text in The Second Common Reader (1932) with some alteration (under: notes on the text) for the modern reader. Annotations kept to a minimum (under: notes). This edition includes a biographical note on Virginia Woolf. (£5)
Renard Press is a great independent publisher of both fiction and nonfiction.
Virginia Woolf works also sold by Renard Press -A Room of One’s Own | In The Orchard | Kew Gardens | Mrs Dalloway | On Being Ill | Three Guineas | To The Lighthouse
Buy: Renard Press – as the publisher sells direct to customers I urge you to purchase from there if you can or from your local bookshop.
April 29, 2020
I like this book as it looks into the mind of Woolf in her day to day thinking when approaching literature. She has various takes on different writers and ideas on the craft of writing in general. The best (I found) from this collection ‘middlebrow’ was full of her subtle wit whilst also revealing interesting and valid points. It is an argument returned to by many writers and artists, each with various outspoken opinions about it. I would say the points made are true yet perhaps more appropriate if viewed at the time of writing. In today’s world, art and literature has changed and developed and the debate is often mixed up with that of class divide. I could return and re read some of these essays again another time.
January 20, 2025
Pretty tremendous. Virginia Woolf always writes beautifully but I was primarily struck by how modern her concerns seemed to be. I felt constantly that she was illuminating something about our contemporary, shared world, even as she wrote a century prior. That's pretty special.
I will note too, though, that reading Virginia Woolf's (wonderful) prose repeatedly like this, in a stream of essays, dilutes the power and even makes it slightly tedious when there is no narrative unity. Beautiful things want to be connected; when they are adjacent but discontinuous, they appear artificial.
I will note too, though, that reading Virginia Woolf's (wonderful) prose repeatedly like this, in a stream of essays, dilutes the power and even makes it slightly tedious when there is no narrative unity. Beautiful things want to be connected; when they are adjacent but discontinuous, they appear artificial.
January 18, 2024
The way Virginia Woolf writes is so poetic and thoughtful regardless of the topic she's writing on. I will always aspire to have the same level of worldly observation and consideration for both the author and reader and worldly implications that Woolf has when she writes on an author or subject.
July 17, 2022
had to skim most of it
December 30, 2022
Oana asta e contu meu
November 26, 2025
Vybrané eseje z ciest Virginie po Francúzsky, vo francúzštine. Hlavnou témou boli otázky o duši, poznávaní seba samej a o užívaní života. Veľmi príjemný read!
January 21, 2017
Her essay on the problems of biography writing is very good, and lucid. However I found the other pieces somewhat 'hit and miss'. I do find this about Woolf anyway though.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews