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Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group in the Literary 1920s
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Expected 19 Mar 26Throughout her adult life, English novelist Virginia Woolf was surrounded by a tight group of friends and relatives. Known collectively as the Bloomsbury Group, they lived near each other in townhouses in the Bloomsbury section of London and in country homes in Sussex.
Because of their strong influence on British literature, art and culture, much has been written about these creative people who lived in squares and loved in triangles, particularly in their early years. But by the 1920s, the Bloomsbury Group had come of age and were becoming more successful and well-known.
Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group in the Literary 1920s looks at the personal and professional lives of Virginia and her husband, Leonard Woolf, who founded the Hogarth Press in their London home; Virginia’s sister, painter Vanessa Bell, her husband, art critic Clive Bell, and her partner in art and life, painter Duncan Grant; essayist Lytton Strachey who, after publication of his radical biography Eminent Victorians, awoke to find himself famous; art critic and founder of the Omega Workshops, Roger Fry; international economist John Maynard Keynes; E. M. Forster who published his last major novel, A Passage to India, in 1923; and American ex-patriate author of the epic 1922 poem, The Waste Land, T. S. Eliot.
These characters hung out in drawing rooms, art studios and country homes, gossiping, bickering, loving and hating each other. Come back to the fabulous decade of the 1920s and follow these writers and artists as they re-invent literature and art.
Because of their strong influence on British literature, art and culture, much has been written about these creative people who lived in squares and loved in triangles, particularly in their early years. But by the 1920s, the Bloomsbury Group had come of age and were becoming more successful and well-known.
Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group in the Literary 1920s looks at the personal and professional lives of Virginia and her husband, Leonard Woolf, who founded the Hogarth Press in their London home; Virginia’s sister, painter Vanessa Bell, her husband, art critic Clive Bell, and her partner in art and life, painter Duncan Grant; essayist Lytton Strachey who, after publication of his radical biography Eminent Victorians, awoke to find himself famous; art critic and founder of the Omega Workshops, Roger Fry; international economist John Maynard Keynes; E. M. Forster who published his last major novel, A Passage to India, in 1923; and American ex-patriate author of the epic 1922 poem, The Waste Land, T. S. Eliot.
These characters hung out in drawing rooms, art studios and country homes, gossiping, bickering, loving and hating each other. Come back to the fabulous decade of the 1920s and follow these writers and artists as they re-invent literature and art.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
224 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 19, 2026
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 27, 2025
This was not just a biography of Virginia Woolf, but of the Bloomsbury group, who "lived in squares, and loved in triangles." As such, I preferred it. The first chapter is an overview of the 1910's, but the main book focuses on the 1920's with each chapter being a year. It concentrates on Virginia Woolf, Vanessa and Clive Bell, Duncan Grant, E.M. Forster, Maynard Keynes John, Lytton Strachey, and T.S. Eliot but many others within the circle also come in to it.
I found it very easy to get on with unlike (I confess) some of Virginia Woolf's novels; this does make me want to tackle some more of them. I had previosly often confused David Grant and David Garnett; I now have the two clear in my head. Also, Dora Carrington and Leonora Carrington; ditto. I also hadn't realised that one of my favourite books, The Rector's Daughter was first published by The Hogarth Press.
All in all, I found it very readable, with plenty of new (to me) information, and it has inspired me to get to more of their works. I wish I had been able to read it before the exhibition of Vanessa Bell's earlier this year, as I would have liked to have gone to that. I will keep my eye out for more by them after reading this.
*Many thanks to Netgally and Pen and Sword for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*
I found it very easy to get on with unlike (I confess) some of Virginia Woolf's novels; this does make me want to tackle some more of them. I had previosly often confused David Grant and David Garnett; I now have the two clear in my head. Also, Dora Carrington and Leonora Carrington; ditto. I also hadn't realised that one of my favourite books, The Rector's Daughter was first published by The Hogarth Press.
All in all, I found it very readable, with plenty of new (to me) information, and it has inspired me to get to more of their works. I wish I had been able to read it before the exhibition of Vanessa Bell's earlier this year, as I would have liked to have gone to that. I will keep my eye out for more by them after reading this.
*Many thanks to Netgally and Pen and Sword for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group in the Literary 1920s, by Kathleen Dixon Donnelly, is a nice look at these influential writers during the years that saw both deaths and increased notoriety spread the group out more.
Much of what is written about these writers and thinkers fall into two broad categories: their early, more physically close years (from about 1912) or about their influence, which tends toward looking beyond the group to what came after. This volume looks at the period where they were not in nearly as much contact as a whole but still communicating with and influencing each other while also influencing others.
Taking a chronological approach gives the reader the opportunity to see how events played out and to more accurately understand the internal debates within the context of historical events. Much of what is here might be in other accounts but usually as a side note or reflection in a work with a different focus. Here, our focus is on these people in relation to each other, so the events, both personal and public, become the side notes. Albeit vital side notes for understanding why they did what they did.
To the extent this is a biographical work it is of the group, not any one of them. If you're hoping it might focus exclusively on one of them, such as Virginia Woolf since she is mentioned in the title, you will be a little surprised that it doesn't. But even her large role is just a part of the biography of the Bloomsbury group as an entity, and this book is about the group.
Recommended for readers who enjoy biographical books that aren't about a single person, as well as readers who want a better grasp of how this particular group influenced their society and culture and thus influenced our own.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Much of what is written about these writers and thinkers fall into two broad categories: their early, more physically close years (from about 1912) or about their influence, which tends toward looking beyond the group to what came after. This volume looks at the period where they were not in nearly as much contact as a whole but still communicating with and influencing each other while also influencing others.
Taking a chronological approach gives the reader the opportunity to see how events played out and to more accurately understand the internal debates within the context of historical events. Much of what is here might be in other accounts but usually as a side note or reflection in a work with a different focus. Here, our focus is on these people in relation to each other, so the events, both personal and public, become the side notes. Albeit vital side notes for understanding why they did what they did.
To the extent this is a biographical work it is of the group, not any one of them. If you're hoping it might focus exclusively on one of them, such as Virginia Woolf since she is mentioned in the title, you will be a little surprised that it doesn't. But even her large role is just a part of the biography of the Bloomsbury group as an entity, and this book is about the group.
Recommended for readers who enjoy biographical books that aren't about a single person, as well as readers who want a better grasp of how this particular group influenced their society and culture and thus influenced our own.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5 stars
This is an incredibly informative, organized, and useful read that I am certain will enhance my teaching of some of the subjects here as much as it has evolved my interest in them. Because this book has such a specific purpose, it's not one I'll be recommending freely to friends, family, students, and those looking for a generally great next read, but that's purely because of the KIND of book this is, not its quality.
The title is apt. Donnelly centers the entire text on Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group, and the novel is organized into chapters that reflect chronological years of the focal decade. Within each chapter, Donnelly incorporates subheadings as well as first chapters from central Woolf texts (among other snippets) to highlight exactly what stands out for the Group at a certain marker in the period. In addition to full scale nerds (throws a hand to the sky with the enthusiasm of Tracy Flick), there will be a strong audience for this text among students looking to supplement their knowledge of these folks as well as their research papers. Donnelly has made this as readable as possible, and that won't go unnoticed by the masses who are simultaneously wading through academic jargon in other sources.
I knew a decent amount about this Group (and A LOT about some of these folks) on the way in, but I learned a lot of new information through this read and found it compelling from cover to cover. Again, this isn't a casual, chill read for the beach, but for the target audience, this is a real banger.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This is an incredibly informative, organized, and useful read that I am certain will enhance my teaching of some of the subjects here as much as it has evolved my interest in them. Because this book has such a specific purpose, it's not one I'll be recommending freely to friends, family, students, and those looking for a generally great next read, but that's purely because of the KIND of book this is, not its quality.
The title is apt. Donnelly centers the entire text on Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group, and the novel is organized into chapters that reflect chronological years of the focal decade. Within each chapter, Donnelly incorporates subheadings as well as first chapters from central Woolf texts (among other snippets) to highlight exactly what stands out for the Group at a certain marker in the period. In addition to full scale nerds (throws a hand to the sky with the enthusiasm of Tracy Flick), there will be a strong audience for this text among students looking to supplement their knowledge of these folks as well as their research papers. Donnelly has made this as readable as possible, and that won't go unnoticed by the masses who are simultaneously wading through academic jargon in other sources.
I knew a decent amount about this Group (and A LOT about some of these folks) on the way in, but I learned a lot of new information through this read and found it compelling from cover to cover. Again, this isn't a casual, chill read for the beach, but for the target audience, this is a real banger.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Pen & Sword History for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a brilliantly written look at Virginia Woolf and the friends she surrounded herself with during the 1920's. And with those friends often being highly successful in their own rights, it's a fascinating insight into some of the most talented people still remembered to this day. Their lives read like soap operas at times, so there's never a dull moment throughout this whole book!
Obviously centred around Virginia and her life and struggles, the book also features those in her inner circle from TS Eliot, E.M.Forster, Duncan Grant and more so there's a great insight too into their personalities, their careers and the history of the time with what was going on in the world which gives you a better understanding of the times they were living in.
Their lives were never dull - they partied, they worked hard, they bickered, they struggled with illnesses and mental health - and I really loved the flow of how their stories were told over the years from when they met at University to the end of the 1920's. It chops and changes brilliantly between each name as they found themselves facing successes or challenging times and it's given me a better understanding of each of them as a person and you can see why they were drawn to each other. It's also bought new names to me to go and read more about as I'm now interested in their work! Highly recommended!
Obviously centred around Virginia and her life and struggles, the book also features those in her inner circle from TS Eliot, E.M.Forster, Duncan Grant and more so there's a great insight too into their personalities, their careers and the history of the time with what was going on in the world which gives you a better understanding of the times they were living in.
Their lives were never dull - they partied, they worked hard, they bickered, they struggled with illnesses and mental health - and I really loved the flow of how their stories were told over the years from when they met at University to the end of the 1920's. It chops and changes brilliantly between each name as they found themselves facing successes or challenging times and it's given me a better understanding of each of them as a person and you can see why they were drawn to each other. It's also bought new names to me to go and read more about as I'm now interested in their work! Highly recommended!
November 21, 2025
Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group in the Literary 1920s by Kathleen Dixon Donnelly is a great non-fiction novel for anyone in the literary world! There is so much to love about this novel and how it was written.
The structure was perfect for non-fiction; it was incredibly easy to navigate the story being told. The author had small sections in the beginning to explain who each member of the Bloomsbury Group was. From there on out, it was sectioned out by year. I loved this structure because I could feel the story and facts unravelling smoothly.
The author clearly did her research. A lot of the information was new to me, and the author gave it in a digestible, academic way. I loved every second of it.
If you have even the slightest interest in Virginia Woolf, the Bloomsbury Group, literature, history, or the literature scene in the 1920s, I highly recommend this non-fiction novel! I picked it up because I am a fan of Virginia Woolf and 1920s literature, and I was not disappointed.
Thank you NetGalley, Pen and Sword History, & Kathleen Dixon Donnelly for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group in the Literary 1920s is released on March 30, 2026!
The structure was perfect for non-fiction; it was incredibly easy to navigate the story being told. The author had small sections in the beginning to explain who each member of the Bloomsbury Group was. From there on out, it was sectioned out by year. I loved this structure because I could feel the story and facts unravelling smoothly.
The author clearly did her research. A lot of the information was new to me, and the author gave it in a digestible, academic way. I loved every second of it.
If you have even the slightest interest in Virginia Woolf, the Bloomsbury Group, literature, history, or the literature scene in the 1920s, I highly recommend this non-fiction novel! I picked it up because I am a fan of Virginia Woolf and 1920s literature, and I was not disappointed.
Thank you NetGalley, Pen and Sword History, & Kathleen Dixon Donnelly for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group in the Literary 1920s is released on March 30, 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Great historical research. I enjoyed this and liked the context setting of what else was going on in the world and particularly the Uk in each year. Thank you to the author for the research and a very readable book. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
November 30, 2025
A complete delight, full of intimate details and “stories behind the stories.” Can’t wait to read it again.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
really informative but sometimes confusing. Definitely learned a lot about the Bloomsbury group from this book. it also made me want to read more about them.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews