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Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel
The first book in the ‘Biography of a novel’ series offers a compelling account of Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece.
The fourth and best-known of Virginia Woolf’s novels, Mrs Dalloway is a modernist masterpiece that has remained popular since its publication in 1925. Its dual narratives follow a day in the life of wealthy housewife Clarissa Dalloway and shell-shocked war veteran Septimus Warren Smith, capturing their inner worlds with a vividness that has rarely been equalled.
Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a novel offers new readers a lively introduction to this enduring classic, while providing Woolf lovers with a wealth of information about the novel’s writing, publication and reception. It follows Woolf’s process from the first stirrings in her diary through her struggles to create what was quickly recognised as a major advance in prose fiction. It then traces the novel’s remarkable legacy to the present day.
Woolf wrote in her diary that she wanted her novel ‘to give life & death, sanity & insanity… to criticise the social system, & to show it at work, at its most intense.’ Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a novel reveals how she achieved this ambition, creating a book that will be read by generations to come.
The fourth and best-known of Virginia Woolf’s novels, Mrs Dalloway is a modernist masterpiece that has remained popular since its publication in 1925. Its dual narratives follow a day in the life of wealthy housewife Clarissa Dalloway and shell-shocked war veteran Septimus Warren Smith, capturing their inner worlds with a vividness that has rarely been equalled.
Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a novel offers new readers a lively introduction to this enduring classic, while providing Woolf lovers with a wealth of information about the novel’s writing, publication and reception. It follows Woolf’s process from the first stirrings in her diary through her struggles to create what was quickly recognised as a major advance in prose fiction. It then traces the novel’s remarkable legacy to the present day.
Woolf wrote in her diary that she wanted her novel ‘to give life & death, sanity & insanity… to criticise the social system, & to show it at work, at its most intense.’ Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a novel reveals how she achieved this ambition, creating a book that will be read by generations to come.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
232 pages, Hardcover
Published May 13, 2025
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120 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 13, 2025
"Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.”
Virginia Woolf
I read To the Lighthouse at university. It was a rather tortured experience and I had resigned myself to the fact that Virginia and I were not going to get on. 2 years ago I picked up Mrs Dalloway and from those opening lines I fell in love and Woolf’s writing fell into place…
Mrs Dalloway was published 100 years ago on May 14th 1925. “Mrs Dalloway. Biography of a Novel’ is the perfect book for Mrs Dalloway fans who want to mark this special anniversary and delve further into the story behind the story. This is a book though not just for fans of Mrs Dalloway and Woolf, but those interested in the art of writing and of reading. In his preface the author sets out the scope of his book, his focus on the ‘how’ of the novel’s persistence and on the novel from inception, through publication, reception and reimagination. It is fascinating, intimate and engaging. The book includes photos of old editions, an exploration of the influence of Mrs D on other novels, films, and on 21st Century culture.
The author sets the tone in his opening chapter by introducing us to Virginia as a ‘messy writer,’ painting a scene of her writing rooms and methods. Mrs Dalloway was written in 3 places.The conception and writing of Mrs Dalloway is set in the context of Woolf’s life, history, society as well as literary discussions of the day. The book explores the inspiration for the main characters: Mrs Dalloway, Peter and Septimus. I was particularly interested in the discussion around the latter which looked at the role of war poets such as Brooke and Sassoon and the understanding of post traumatic stress and of course viewed in the context of Woolf’s own mental health.
I particularly loved reading about the influence of the Bloomsbury set, writers such as Katherine Mansfield and TS Eliot and the chapter about Publishing which discusses the different, proofs and revisions and in particular a friend, Jacques, who read Mrs Dalloway as he was dying..
Of course I now have to pick up Mrs Dalloway again…
Virginia Woolf
I read To the Lighthouse at university. It was a rather tortured experience and I had resigned myself to the fact that Virginia and I were not going to get on. 2 years ago I picked up Mrs Dalloway and from those opening lines I fell in love and Woolf’s writing fell into place…
Mrs Dalloway was published 100 years ago on May 14th 1925. “Mrs Dalloway. Biography of a Novel’ is the perfect book for Mrs Dalloway fans who want to mark this special anniversary and delve further into the story behind the story. This is a book though not just for fans of Mrs Dalloway and Woolf, but those interested in the art of writing and of reading. In his preface the author sets out the scope of his book, his focus on the ‘how’ of the novel’s persistence and on the novel from inception, through publication, reception and reimagination. It is fascinating, intimate and engaging. The book includes photos of old editions, an exploration of the influence of Mrs D on other novels, films, and on 21st Century culture.
The author sets the tone in his opening chapter by introducing us to Virginia as a ‘messy writer,’ painting a scene of her writing rooms and methods. Mrs Dalloway was written in 3 places.The conception and writing of Mrs Dalloway is set in the context of Woolf’s life, history, society as well as literary discussions of the day. The book explores the inspiration for the main characters: Mrs Dalloway, Peter and Septimus. I was particularly interested in the discussion around the latter which looked at the role of war poets such as Brooke and Sassoon and the understanding of post traumatic stress and of course viewed in the context of Woolf’s own mental health.
I particularly loved reading about the influence of the Bloomsbury set, writers such as Katherine Mansfield and TS Eliot and the chapter about Publishing which discusses the different, proofs and revisions and in particular a friend, Jacques, who read Mrs Dalloway as he was dying..
Of course I now have to pick up Mrs Dalloway again…
August 9, 2025
This is a book for the readers who want more. Hussey assumes familiarity with the plot, so it’s certainly recommended to have read Mrs Dalloway before getting on with its biography. The book offers the obvious information a common reader might look for in such a biography: diary excerpts telling the story of how Woolf drafted and then wrote the book, variations of Mrs Dalloway starting with the early days of The Voyage Out, potential alternative endings Woolf had in mind, critical receptions of the contemporary readers. But beyond the information he presents in the book, what Hussey achieves particularly well is summoning the feeling of an exceptional author and human being writing a book which for her meant to put into practice an entire philosophy of fiction and creation of character.
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May 21, 2025
This review examines "Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel," a meticulously researched study commemorating the centennial of Virginia Woolf's modernist masterpiece, published on May 14th, 1925. The monograph offers a comprehensive investigation of Mrs Dalloway's conception, composition, publication, reception, and enduring cultural influence. Through rigorous textual analysis and historical contextualization, the author illuminates Woolf's creative process, situating the novel within both its immediate socio-historical milieu and its extended literary afterlife. This review interrogates the text's methodological approach to genetic criticism, evaluates its contribution to Woolfian scholarship, and considers its significance within the broader academic discourse surrounding literary historiography and the evolution of modernist aesthetics.
Critical Analysis
The centenary of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway provides an apt occasion for scholarly reflection on this seminal work's genesis and persistent cultural resonance. "Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel" represents a significant contribution to genetic criticism and reception studies, methodically charting the novel's development from inception through its contemporary reinterpretations and adaptations across multiple media forms.
The author's approach is fundamentally interdisciplinary, drawing from manuscript studies, literary biography, historical contextualization, and cultural theory. The work opens with an astute characterization of Woolf as a "messy writer," a designation substantiated through detailed examination of her composition spaces and writing practices across the three locations where Mrs Dalloway was conceived and written. This attention to the material conditions of literary production aligns with recent scholarly emphasis on the physicality of creative processes and the spatial dimensions of authorship.
Particularly noteworthy is the author's situating of Mrs Dalloway within its complex web of literary and historical contexts. The analysis of Septimus Warren Smith's character through the lens of war poetry (specifically Siegfried Sassoon and Rupert Brooke) and emergent understandings of psychological trauma offers a sophisticated reading that extends beyond previous criticism. The author adeptly bridges the gap between historical understandings of shell shock and contemporary conceptualizations of post-traumatic stress disorder, while thoughtfully connecting these clinical frameworks to Woolf's own documented psychiatric experiences. This interdisciplinary approach represents an important methodological advancement in understanding how Woolf's personal circumstances and broader cultural discourses intersect within her fiction.
The chapter dedicated to the influence of the Bloomsbury Group provides valuable insights into the intellectual networks that shaped Woolf's aesthetic vision. By examining her dialogues with contemporaries such as T.S. Eliot and Katherine Mansfield, the author illuminates the collaborative nature of modernist literary innovation. The detailed analysis of textual variations across different proofs and revisions is particularly valuable for scholars of textual criticism, demonstrating how Woolf's revisions reveal evolving conceptual frameworks and stylistic preoccupations.
The inclusion of visual material—photographs of various editions and relevant historical documents—enhances the scholarly value of this work. These artifacts function not merely as illustrations but as primary sources worthy of critical engagement in their own right. The author's methodical analysis of these materials demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the book as both literary text and material object.
Perhaps most compelling is the account of Jacques, a friend who read Mrs Dalloway while dying. This poignant anecdote serves as a microcosm for the book's larger project: examining how texts live beyond their creators, assuming new meanings in dialogue with readers across time and circumstance. This episode effectively bridges textual criticism and reader response theory, suggesting how reception history can be conceptualized not only at the macro level of cultural trends but also through intimate, individual encounters with literary works.
The author's examination of Mrs Dalloway's influence on contemporary culture represents a valuable contribution to adaptation studies. By tracing the novel's afterlives in subsequent literary works, cinematic adaptations, and broader cultural discourses, the study demonstrates the dynamic interplay between canonical modernist texts and contemporary creative production.
Several minor limitations warrant acknowledgment. The analysis occasionally privileges biographical interpretation without fully engaging with potential counterarguments from formalist or poststructuralist perspectives. Additionally, while the interdisciplinary approach is generally productive, certain theoretical frameworks—particularly those from cognitive literary studies and digital humanities—might have provided additional analytical purchase on Woolf's narrative experimentation.
Conclusion
"Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel" stands as an exemplary work of literary scholarship that skillfully integrates textual analysis, historical contextualization, and reception studies. Its methodological rigor and interpretive sophistication make it an essential resource for Woolf scholars, while its accessibility ensures its value to students of modernist literature more broadly. As we mark the centennial of Mrs Dalloway, this study reminds us that literary works are not static artifacts but dynamic cultural processes that continue to unfold through ongoing acts of reading, interpretation, and reimagination. The detailed examination of Woolf's compositional practices and the novel's subsequent cultural iterations offers valuable insights not only into this particular text but also into the complex relationships between authors, texts, and readers that constitute literary history.
Critical Analysis
The centenary of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway provides an apt occasion for scholarly reflection on this seminal work's genesis and persistent cultural resonance. "Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel" represents a significant contribution to genetic criticism and reception studies, methodically charting the novel's development from inception through its contemporary reinterpretations and adaptations across multiple media forms.
The author's approach is fundamentally interdisciplinary, drawing from manuscript studies, literary biography, historical contextualization, and cultural theory. The work opens with an astute characterization of Woolf as a "messy writer," a designation substantiated through detailed examination of her composition spaces and writing practices across the three locations where Mrs Dalloway was conceived and written. This attention to the material conditions of literary production aligns with recent scholarly emphasis on the physicality of creative processes and the spatial dimensions of authorship.
Particularly noteworthy is the author's situating of Mrs Dalloway within its complex web of literary and historical contexts. The analysis of Septimus Warren Smith's character through the lens of war poetry (specifically Siegfried Sassoon and Rupert Brooke) and emergent understandings of psychological trauma offers a sophisticated reading that extends beyond previous criticism. The author adeptly bridges the gap between historical understandings of shell shock and contemporary conceptualizations of post-traumatic stress disorder, while thoughtfully connecting these clinical frameworks to Woolf's own documented psychiatric experiences. This interdisciplinary approach represents an important methodological advancement in understanding how Woolf's personal circumstances and broader cultural discourses intersect within her fiction.
The chapter dedicated to the influence of the Bloomsbury Group provides valuable insights into the intellectual networks that shaped Woolf's aesthetic vision. By examining her dialogues with contemporaries such as T.S. Eliot and Katherine Mansfield, the author illuminates the collaborative nature of modernist literary innovation. The detailed analysis of textual variations across different proofs and revisions is particularly valuable for scholars of textual criticism, demonstrating how Woolf's revisions reveal evolving conceptual frameworks and stylistic preoccupations.
The inclusion of visual material—photographs of various editions and relevant historical documents—enhances the scholarly value of this work. These artifacts function not merely as illustrations but as primary sources worthy of critical engagement in their own right. The author's methodical analysis of these materials demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the book as both literary text and material object.
Perhaps most compelling is the account of Jacques, a friend who read Mrs Dalloway while dying. This poignant anecdote serves as a microcosm for the book's larger project: examining how texts live beyond their creators, assuming new meanings in dialogue with readers across time and circumstance. This episode effectively bridges textual criticism and reader response theory, suggesting how reception history can be conceptualized not only at the macro level of cultural trends but also through intimate, individual encounters with literary works.
The author's examination of Mrs Dalloway's influence on contemporary culture represents a valuable contribution to adaptation studies. By tracing the novel's afterlives in subsequent literary works, cinematic adaptations, and broader cultural discourses, the study demonstrates the dynamic interplay between canonical modernist texts and contemporary creative production.
Several minor limitations warrant acknowledgment. The analysis occasionally privileges biographical interpretation without fully engaging with potential counterarguments from formalist or poststructuralist perspectives. Additionally, while the interdisciplinary approach is generally productive, certain theoretical frameworks—particularly those from cognitive literary studies and digital humanities—might have provided additional analytical purchase on Woolf's narrative experimentation.
Conclusion
"Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel" stands as an exemplary work of literary scholarship that skillfully integrates textual analysis, historical contextualization, and reception studies. Its methodological rigor and interpretive sophistication make it an essential resource for Woolf scholars, while its accessibility ensures its value to students of modernist literature more broadly. As we mark the centennial of Mrs Dalloway, this study reminds us that literary works are not static artifacts but dynamic cultural processes that continue to unfold through ongoing acts of reading, interpretation, and reimagination. The detailed examination of Woolf's compositional practices and the novel's subsequent cultural iterations offers valuable insights not only into this particular text but also into the complex relationships between authors, texts, and readers that constitute literary history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2025
This year (2025) is the 100th anniversary of Mrs Dalloway and having enjoyed a summer re-read of the novel, I turned to this, apparently the first in a series. Sadly, there was no information on which novel would be receiving the biographical treatment next, which was a bit of a marketing mistake I felt - personally I love books about books and would have liked to know more. Having said that, this was a very enjoyable companion to Mrs Dalloway.
It is split into four main parts: Drafting Mrs Dalloway, Content and Influences, Publishing Mrs Dalloway and Mrs Dalloway Out in the World. So it follows Virginia Woolf through her writing of the novel, her notes, characters and design of the book. It looks at influences, from Proust, through her struggles with Joyce. Then onto her first readers and reviews, how WWI and trauma shaped much of the novel and, finally, other works inspired by the novel.
Well-structured, extremely readable and an excellent companion to the novel. If you are just starting out on exploring Virginia Woolf's writing and may want to read this novel, but feel unsure, perhaps give this a try first. She is an author often derided as snobbish or irrelevant. She is extremely relevant and utterly wonderful and this may help you understand her world a little more.
It is split into four main parts: Drafting Mrs Dalloway, Content and Influences, Publishing Mrs Dalloway and Mrs Dalloway Out in the World. So it follows Virginia Woolf through her writing of the novel, her notes, characters and design of the book. It looks at influences, from Proust, through her struggles with Joyce. Then onto her first readers and reviews, how WWI and trauma shaped much of the novel and, finally, other works inspired by the novel.
Well-structured, extremely readable and an excellent companion to the novel. If you are just starting out on exploring Virginia Woolf's writing and may want to read this novel, but feel unsure, perhaps give this a try first. She is an author often derided as snobbish or irrelevant. She is extremely relevant and utterly wonderful and this may help you understand her world a little more.
July 31, 2025
Absolutely loved this brilliant book. Hussey is a true gift to Woolf and Bloomsbury scholarship!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews