Virginia Woolf

Penguin Lives

by Nigel Nicolson

Virginia Woolf's life as part of the avant-garde Bloomsbury Group has captured the imagination of millions. Now Nigel Nicolson threads his personal reminiscences through the narrative of her life. In so doing, he paints an astonishing portrait of one of the most remarkable women in history.
Nicolson recalls childhood times with from her walks around his ancestral home as she planned Orlando to her writing of the modern classics Mrs. Dalloway and A Room of One's Own. Virginia Woolf probes keenly her stance on women's issues and the nature of war and is suffused with personal admiration and affection for this incomparable writer.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Biography Memoir, British Literature, Classics, Mental Health

195 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Jean-Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect biography for those who (like me) find themselves uninterested in/intimidated by 600-page moment-of-birth-to-moment-of-death biographies. There are a handful of authors whose life stories interest me as much as or more than their work, and Virginia Woolf could be said to be one of them. I could say that it all goes back to the report and presentation I did on her in high school (I fabricated the bibliography entirely), but how many students do a report on V.W. without ever thinking about her again? Her life was extraordinary in how ordinary it was, and like all the rest of us she had her flaws--she was a snob, an anti-Semite, a xenophobe, but none of these things are what define her as a remarkable and complex and interesting human being who loved and lost and simply lived. Thank God she had complete control over her work.

The author is the son of Vita Sackville-West, and this only-one-step-removed aspect was reminiscent of John Lehmann's biography of Christopher Isherwood. Some prefer complete objectivity from their biographers.

[nikki karam · Rating 1 out of 5]

(CW: sexual abuse)

I stopped reading this book when Nicolson claimed, on page 13, that the sexual abuse Woolf experienced as a child was no big deal, and that, "Virginia made more of a drama of the affair than the facts justify."

Oh, really? The "facts" he points to are that the Duckworths probably never technically *raped* Woolf, so why all the fuss?, and also that she wrote these two men (her half brothers) letters with affectionate salutations later in life.

Here are some other facts: Nicolson himself doesn't refute the fact that one of the half brothers would enter her bedroom at night, "fling himself onto her bed, and take her in his arms. She later wrote of his 'violent gusts of passion,' and his behavior as 'little more than a brute's.'". He doesn't refute that the other one once "lifted her onto a table [...] and put his hand under her skirt and examined her private parts. [...] To Virginia, [...] this was repulsive."

Is this type of assault not worthy of the "drama" of being accurately described by the person who experienced it? Even before this section, I was pretty disappointed by the writing style of Nicolson. He sounds like a blowhard holding court about a person he knew as a child, with nary an insight to be found. She is a giant compared to him; she is Hercules. He is a feeble-minded speck by comparison who has no business pontificating on the complicated, inimitable genius of Virginia Woolf, of all people. Allow me to close with a big PFFT.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have just read Hermione Lee's biography. Nicolson is a son of Vita Sackville-West, as he never tires of telling us, and milks his moments with Woolf, and his mother's connection, for all they're worth. He spends far more time on Vita than Woolf's husband Leonard or sister Vanessa, which I felt a rather poor choice.

Nicolson provides a good deal of information about her inner life--his time spent editing her letters was well spent. But he clearly disagrees with Woolf's opinions, and spends several pages telling us so every time her pacifism or feminism comes up. His reasons for disagreeing are poorly thought out and not well supported (apparently "women...had little cause for complaint" in Woolf's era, because after all, did not Woolf herself become something of a success? So how bad could the sexism possibly be? Ridonkulous.), but he nevertheless quotes HIS OWN PIECE from 1979 to show how silly Woolf's feminism was. Excuse you, Nicolson, you who have spent your whole life riding on your mother's literary and social successes. He's pretty awful about Woolf's possible childhood sexual assault, as well. Nicolson is in a huff that her half-brothers are accused by modern biographers to have assaulted Woolf, even though Woolf herself has said they did. Here's Nicolson in his own words, "In recollection, Virginia made more of a drama of the affair than the facts justify." For fucks sake!

My rage at Nicolson's constant inclusion of Sackville-West and his own uncertain claims aside, I did enjoy this book for its descriptions of the Bloomsbury group and for the tidbits of Woolf's writing. She was a true genius.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mar 31, 1145am ~~ Review asap.

230pm ~~ This year one of my reading goals is to finish up the books left over from my Virginia Woolf project of 2021. I only had a few that I couldn't find time for, and this little biography was one of them.

I had found while reading her fiction that the introductions generally gave away too many plot details that I prefer to discover for myself, so I learned to read them afterwards. That is why I saved this bio until almost the end of the project. Biographies, like introductions, always talk about the various books and what the author was feeling at the time the book was being written. I think that can be important to learn, but for me, after the book itself.

The nice thing about reading a biography after the author's own work is that when a title is mentioned you remember all about it and appreciate whatever little details appear through the bio. And, of course there are always other authors mentioned that you might have heard of but had not
read yourself. So instead of decreasing all those lists of Want To Read These Someday, you add to them. But I digress. lol

This book is not meant to be an exhaustive study of VW's life, but the reader certainly gets an idea of the woman, her beliefs, her work, and her demons. I cannot imagine how such a tortured soul was able to produce as much as she did. I cannot say I agree with some of her attitudes, but I have immense respect and admiration for her work and for the effort she made throughout her life to BE.

Some reviewers did not appreciate the author's points of view, feeling that he inserted himself too often into the pages of the book. But he was the son of Vita Sackville-West, how could he help putting in a few personal opinions and memories? If you want an in-depth scholarly analysis of Virginia Woolf, this might not be the book for you. But if you just want to learn more about her as a person, this will do just fine. At least it did for me.

[Lyudmila Spasova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Препоръчвам тази биография на Вирджиния Улф от Найджъл Никълсън, син на Вита Саквил-Уест, дългогодишна приятелка и за известно време любовница на писателката. Освен чрез личния си контакт с нея,той се докосва до интимния и свят, докато редактира писмата и в шест тома. Никълсън често съпоставя писмата и, коментиращи определени събития и личности с откъси от дневниците и, писани в същия ден или скоро след въпросните писма. Запознава ни с гледните точки на роднините и приятелите и, а също на съпруга и Ленард. Този подход ни дава възможност да видим събитията и реакциите на Вирджиния Улф така както различни хора от нейното обкръжение са ги виждали и тълкували. Много ценно качество на книгата е според мен представата, която дава за взаимоотношенията между представителите на интелктуалния и творчески кръг "Блумсбъри", в който Вирджиния Улф е централна фигура. Аз лично научих много интересни факти за образи и събития от романите и, които имат подчертано автобиографичен характер. Чрез цитати на пиперливи коментари от писмата и тя доби повече плът за мен. Видях я и как часове наред подрежда и прережда буквите на ръчната им преса, с която се поставя началото на "Хогарт Прес". Видях я като дейна и преуморена жена, принудена да пише много и за да оцелее. Животът им с Ленард не е бил осигурен. Бил е динамичен и труден. Вирджиния е избягвала самосъжаления и сантименталност, имала е огромна нужда от окуражаване, но и е помагала на приятелите и роднините си в беда.

Двамата и доведени братя Джордж и особено Джералд си позволяват сексуални посегателства върху нея, докато е била още дете и това може би обяснява сложните и отношения с мъжете и себе си.

Найджъл Никълсън пише за Вирджиния Улф с любов и разбиране, но си позволява и критичност към някои нейни възгледи, нагласи и реакции. Биографията е кратка, но много информативна. Написана е увлекателно, с чудесен ритъм.
Единственото, за което ми се струва, че е много пестелив, е отношението на Ленард Улф към съпругата му.

Ще завърша с кратък цитат за девойката Вирджиния. "Тя започва да възпитава у себе си изострена наблюдателност, като се интересува не толкова от причудливото, колкото от загадъчността на обикновеното. Едва ли и е било нужно редовно обучение. Тя сама си е водач през дебрите на историята и литературата. И продължава да учи цял живот."

[Maria Yankulova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Малко сухо представяне на живота на Вирджиния Улф, но пък изключително образователна книга за мен.

[sevdah]

Найджъл Никълсън, син на Вита Саквил-Уест, е познавал лично Вирджиния Улф и един куп велики хора. Да отраснеш в такава среда и да станеш каквото и да е, по-ниско от гениален, може да е ужасен удар по егото. Той решава, че в тази биография от едва 200 страници, ще изрази няколко крайни мнения - един вид да защити територията си на мислител, пък и даже на един от малкото истински мислители върху живота на Улф. Още в началото започва с фойерверк - твърди, че щом няма доказателства братята й да са я изнасилвали, а знаем единствено, че насилствено са я "опипвали", значи Улф драматизира силно и излишно тази травма от ранното си детство. Нататък се прехвърля върху работата й - казва, че Вирджиния няма право да пише "Собствена стая", предвид че тя самата не пише в собствена стая, а в ъгъла на печатницата. После пък продължава, че Улф не може да се оплаква, че жените не са имали равни права с мъжете, защото самата тя е доста успешна, пък и какво, нима забравяме сестрите Бронте, Джордж Елиът и Джейн Остин? (Буквално единствените световно известни авторки от Европа преди Вирджиния Улф.) Няколко страници по-късно той казва, че тя е успяла в "този мъжки свят", сякаш сам е изпуснал, че съвсем неотдавна е твърдял как светът е равнопоставено мъжки и женски. И прочее, и прочее.

Улф е имала много биографии и ще има още доста. Тази е ценна с това, че авторът е познавал обекта си, и често поръсва историята с лични случки. Улавя успешно хумора на Улф и често говори за хапливостта й. Не я е поставил на пиедестал със забрана да я критикува - което е ценно. В българското издание, преводът на Иглика Василева - както обичайно - е удоволствие да се чете.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Very interesting, but I think the author of this was definitely biased on certain things.

[Steffi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kurze leichte Biographie über Woolf vom Sohn Vita Sackville-West’s, die zeitweise Woolfs Geliebte war. Beschrieben werden Familie und Bloomsbury-Kreis, der Entstehungsprozess mancher Werke, insbesondere Orlando. Dabei ist das Bild, das Nicolson zeichnet nicht immer positiv, wenn auch verständnisvoll: Virginia hatte Vorurteile gegen Ausländer und Juden, ihre feministisch-pazifistischen Ansichten entbehren manchmal jeder Grundlage und für Politik hat sie sich nie interessiert. Dennoch ein Buch, dass mir Virginia Woolf näher brachte, gerade weil der Autor sie nicht auf einen Podest hebt.

[Sintija Kapteine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read; whilst short in it's length, the biography contains a lot of lesser-known facts and well-done research. That being said, I felt that the author was biased on many aspects of Woolf's life, just as in "Portrait of a Marriage", he inflicts his thoughts too much, creating a feeling of his misunderstanding and, at times, even judgement towards Woolf and other people mentioned in this work. Nevertheless, once I overcame the urge to nag about Nicholson's writing, I was able to enjoy the book. The book also contained pictures, but some of them I thought were too random and could've been replaced with more meaningful ones.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is well written, an easy read, and informative. It's not as scholarly, footnoted, or even-handed as I would have liked. It seems like Nicolson has some axes to grind in his portrait of Woolf.

[luscious · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remarkable woman.
Nicolson's account has got me interested in the Bloomsbury group.
Also, it's about time I finally dust off my copy of Orlando.

[Susan Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this Penguin Lives series; concise looks at the lives of influential individuals.

[Catullus2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good short biography by an author who knew her personally.

[Isabel DiMambro · Rating 4 out of 5]

good writing. funny, detailed. i want to go to bloomsbury.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d read and mostly enjoyed A House Full of Daughters: A Memoir of Seven Generations recently; I’ve also been reading the massive diaries of Chips Channon (Henry Channon), a biography of Lady Diana Cooper and That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. Nigel Nicolson was Juliet’s father; he’s also the son of Vita Sackville-West, the onetime lover of Virginia Woolf, so I guess I’ve completed some sort of circle here. I’ve never read anything by Virginia Woolf (I was afraid of her), but I had read other Bloomsbury authors.E.M. Forster (of course), and Vita herself (The Edwardians, and Portrait of a Marriage: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson. I think I read Queen Victoria by G Lytton Strachey at some point as well. But never read any Virginia Woolf. I knew she killed herself by drowning (she rates a mention in Channon’s diary). I knew I didn’t like The Hours. That was about it. This book was a good start. It’s definitely more a “short life” rather than a biography, and full of really delightful reminiscences by Nicolson, who knew her as a child and young adult. It was also really sad; I knew how she was going to die, but it was still abrupt and shocking and painful. All the Bloomsbury artists and writers were fascinating. Massively talented, creative beyond measure, sexually adventurous. Nicolson’s book left me wanting to know more about Virginia and all the rest.

[Lea]

my second biography this year, and definitely not the last. i´ve read three of Virginias books, night and day being one of my favorites of all time, at least of last year, and the only thing I knew about her was that she wrote fucking well, and was somewhat feminist. I really, really enjoyed this book, even though I really DIDNT like how the author sometimes steps in and makes some remarks which made me want to step through the pages and give him a little slap. (TW SA:) right at the beginning of the book he mentions that her half-brothers were behaving rather ungentleman-ly towards her, one incident being one feeling her up, the other thing being the other brother getting into bed with her and, judging from her diary entry, "behaving like a brute", which for me indicates something a little more than just being fucking creepy. however, the author then goes on to say that even though other scholars think that these incidents had a huge influence on Virginia and on her sexual life, he completely dismisses it and literally writes "Virginia made more of a drama of the affair than the facts justify." He backs this up by saying that someone who still writes to their abuser in such an affectionate way and still converses with him cannot possibly have suffered the fate that she "claims" to have suffered. oh, and that the man was so good, and so conventional, that rape couldn´t ever have been in his repertoire. OH! I´m sorry mister, it seems to me there´s some major misogyny leaking out of you. He's also very critical of her feminist/political work. Partly I agree, especially since she mostly seemed to care about her own class, wasn't very intersectional, if at all, and was "the most unpolitical person since Aristoteles invented the word" (ha) - BUT! she makes some great points. In "Three Guineas" (which I haven´t read), her entire tone becomes quite aggressive, criticizing men for war and implying that women would never do such a thing. Listen, there might be some errors here in her train of thought, but I agree, okay? What Nicolson does is argue on the basis of two, TWO, historical figures, Margareth Thatcher and Helen of Troy, that women were just as war-driven as men. Ohhhh, okay. Right. So yeah, even though it was interesting to read a biography that is interwoven with personal encounters with Virginia, I didn't really like these comments, but of course a biography should include critical commentary.

[Julia Puig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ha sido muy interesante este primer vistazo a la vida de Virginia, pero no he podido sobreponerme a este autor. Tremendamente machista, con un tono paternalista que me exaspera. Es hijo de Vita Sackville-West y se cree que forma parte de la historia. No comprende que en una biografía el papel del biógrafo no es dar su opinión; y la da, no sólo sobre la vida de Virginia, dudando de su palabra o su interpretación de los hechos para dar la suya propia (que nadie le ha pedido), negando el abuso sexual que sufrió Virginia por parte de sus hermanastros, sino que hasta se permite el lujo de presentar sus propios argumentos para intentar desmontar los argumentos feministas de Virginia en “Una habitación propia”, (afirmando que ella decía estupideces y que las mujeres siempre han tenido, en la literatura y en la vida, las mismas oportunidades que los hombres), o en “Tres Guineas”, donde ella hablaba desde una postura pacifista de la guerra y del papel del hombre y la mujer en ella. Buscaré otra biografía mejor planteada en la que poder bucear más en la vida de Virginia sin toparme constantemente con las ideas y opiniones de un hombrecillo que intenta llamar la atención sobre sí mismo aprovechando que de pequeño conoció a Virginia Woolf y se cree alguien por ello.

[Amy Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An easy but shallow read. It feels like although the writer knew her (he was Vita Sackville-West’s son,) he didn’t understand her or her work in any significant way. And a much inferior intellect standing (often) in judgement of a superior one is a shame. Also his ideas are very out-dated; he thinks the sexual abuse of her half brothers ‘didn’t affect her at all’ and that her assertion that all wars were started by men were ‘misguided’ (he cites Helen of Troy as an example of the opposite point.) In all it seems like it was written by a daft old toff, cashing in on his mother’s connections and legacy.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nigel Nicolson was the younger son of Vita Sackville West who was Virginia Woolf’s long-time friend and lover. During his childhood Virginia Woolf was a frequent visitor to the Nicolson family home, and it is Nigel Nicolson’s reminiscences of these childhood encounters that make this such a little gem. This edition also includes some wonderful photographs.

Full review: https://heavenali.wordpress.com/2016/...

[Emma Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

No cohesive thread; more often is Nicoloson debating Virginia’s opinions rather than providing any new or cohesive insight into her life. Also god, men love to pick up a pen, consider the Duckworth’s and then write the worst opinion I’ve ever seen.

[Carin Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy, quick read. Nice to hear about his personal interactions with Woolf, especially as a child. His opinions about some of her work were not well-argued and seemed defensive and emotional and those short sections added no value to the book. Otherwise, it was worthwhile.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 160 page biography of Virginia Woolf is bias in the criticism of Virginia’s political views. This is unsurprising as the author was a Conservative Member of Parliament. He also did not like Virginia’s pacifism and criticism of her stepbrother’s sexual abuse of her. His writing about it comes across as misogynistic. To quote him “she uses the term incest without qualification. The allegation is far-fetched.” He justifies this claim in how Virginia addressed him in a couple of letters and that Vanessa went on a trip with one of the brothers to Paris.

Nigel Nicholson seems to be critical of Virginia because she was a pacifist, loved his mother Vita Sackville-West and his insecurities over her forthrightness on subjects. He does recognize her genius but also keeps her breakdowns as insanity and madness. The book does have some excellent photos and interpretations of the Bloomsbury group. However, the bias of Nicholson is evident throughout the text.

[rhiannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nigel is an idiot and a misogynist lol but VW is obviously a star

[Erika Hunter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was excited to read a biography of Woolf written by Vita Sackville-West's son, but I feel like he literally only wrote this to brag that he knew her

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't like his attitude towards towards her sexual assault by her step brother. Typical for that time period.

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

An endlessly fascinating life

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kåserande sammanfattning av Virginia Woolfs liv, passar det korta formatet. Författaren träffade själv Virginia Woolf som ung, och är son till en av Woolfs nära vänner/kärlekar, och är väl beläst i hennes dagböcker och brev (en brevsamling han själv var redaktör för), så totalt sett ger boken en känsla för tiden, främst 1900-1930, med många kända namn som rör sig över boksidorna (Bloomsbury-gruppen m fl).

Dock var Nicolson en gammal man när denna bok utgavs, i 80-årsåldern, och har en manlig blind fläck vad gäller kvinnors underordning i samhället, vilket gör att han plötsligt går i klinch med Virginias egna åsikter kring kvinnors situation. Det känns onödigt, som att slå in öppna dörrar, när han pekar på enskildheter, i stället för att se till helheten. Kvinnors ställning vändes inte magiskt från aviga till räta, bara för att allmän rösträtt började införas från 1918 (då brittiska kvinnor som fyllt 30 år fick rösträtt; först 1928 sänktes åldern till 21 år).

[Kasey Jueds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Penguin Lives book; I love this series. Interesting to read a shorter biography of V.W., whose life has been, in some ways, so well-documented. Interesting to see what Nicholson emphasizes and de-emphasizes. Also interesting to read a biography by someone who knew her, as he did, when he was a child. There's a lovely blend of intimacy and distance in this book, a good balance... plus it's readable and fascinating and often moving, with plenty of quirky wonderful details--though it doesn't get bogged down in those details, which is a relief.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty interesting, but I really don't like this writer. Any time he mentioned VW's feminist writings, he was really dismissive. Incidentally, he is Vita Sackville-West's son, and actually knew Virginia Woolf, so he has a lot of anecdotes to tell from the point of view of an adolescent.