Virginia Woolf

As a former teacher of college English and lifetime student of English literature, I eagerly anticipated reading Hermione Lee’s biography of Woolf. Although I’d read Woolf’s novels, letter, and diaries as well as Quentin Bell’s bio and many other critical works about her and Leonard, Lee’s new book immediately impressed me. It’s beautifully written and provides deep background information beyond the normal facts of a life. I’m certain that when I am able to read the book, it will merit five stars. Unfortunately, however, I have not been able to read beyond the fourth chapter. The book is just too big for arthritic hands, and the print is too tiny for old eyes. This is a book that needs to be available in electronic form! Notes to Lee through her web site and to her publishers begging them to authorize a Kindle version got no reply.

Years ago in the late 1970's I read Quentin Bell's biography of Virginia Woolf, which I loved. I am a great admirer of its subject and have read all of her novels at least twice. I also wrote a paper on her"feminism" when I was in graduate school in the 70's and in doing so, read the editions of her Letters and her Diary, which were coming out then. At that time, A Room of One's Own was my "Bible;" and looking back I see that it has had an enormous impact on my life. This wonderfully-written, highly-reflective, and thoroughly-researched book is for someone like me, who already loves Virginia Woolf and wants to know more and more -- and more -- about her. For someone who is just getting to know her, however, I recommend Quentin Bell's biography instead.

This is at first heft a tome, very weighty physically, but even meatier in the depth and breadth of knowledge and historical data of the life and times of Virginia Woolf. I must say that I have heard her name mentioned so often and in so many tantalizingly vague, but scandalous and semi-scandalous contexts, that I thought I knew more than I really did, which was just a lot of superficial cultural mumbo-jumbo, but in reading this book and a couple others beforehand, have opened my eyes to so much more...that Virginia Woolf was not only a writer of great talent and discernment, and not only intermittently unbalanced emotionally and mentally, and ultimately fatally, but that she was far ahead of her time, not only as an independent woman thinker and reluctant feminist, but as an experimental writer of literary forms, a liberal and freethinker socially, culturally, politically, sexually, economically, and religiously. She was a 'common reader' as she named some of her published works, but only because she considered herself incompletely and home/self educated, since she never received a formal college or university education. This was a bone of contention from which she never fully recovered or would ever be able to fully forgive either her father or the patronizing and limiting patriarchal society into which she was born and reared, and which she resented her entire life, spilling over into resentment for those male members of her social class who she felt were favored with special and exclusive membership into the upper echelon of 'Oxbridge' intellectual life. She managed to excel through sheer strength of mind as well as of her will, and to flourish professionally, as well as become one of the most productive and respected writers of her time, in some instances far exceeding the initial promise and ultimate output of more promising literary luminaries and purported talents. A tour de force of an extraordinary woman's personal journey to 'becoming and being', with a well-deserved place in twentieth century literature and an enduring legacy.

I’ve read every Woolf book and waited until the end to read her biography.An overly detailed bio, especially her early life; every little nitty-gritty fact about everybody. Nevertheless, as the years progressed, Lee seems to “see” the more holistic pattern if VW’s life and makes her more “human.”Print way to small; notes at end most encompassing. I like how Lee uses VW diaries and letters and coheres them in a narrative.Took quite a while to finish, but ultimately worth it.

This is a biography of great depth and detail, which left me feeling that I understood Virginia Woolf far more than I had before I started it. However, Lee questions how exactly should she write Virginia Woolf’s biography? As a victim, through her family history, class, as part of the Bloomsbury group? For she can be seen in many ways, through many different aspects of her personality or life. Where I think Lee succeeds, is to look at Virginia Woolf objectively, but sympathetically – putting her firmly centre stage of her story and examining her literary work alongside her life.I must admit that I knew very little about Woolf before reading this. Of course, there are things that many people will mention in relation to her – from the Hogarth Press, feminism, her relationship with her husband, Leonard, with her sister, Vanessa, and, of course, madness. The author does not shy away from any of these difficult subjects. She takes us through her childhood, her breakdowns, her depression, her relationships, friendships and marriage. Yet, she also brings her alive, with her human frailties; her love of gossip, her insecurities and jealousies.There is a great deal in this biography about her writing, which, for me, at least, gave me a greater understanding of her novels and essays. I feel that I would now like to read more by her and that I would have gained more from having read this. An excellent, well researched and objective look at her life, which is impressive in detail, but wonderfully readable.

I would not recommend this book to the newcomer unfamiliar with the writer's life and works who is just desiring to know something general about her: the author assumes that the reader has already done their homework in that direction. But for Virginia Woolf addicts I think this is an excellent analytic account. The author explores VW's close relationships with family and friends explaining how many of these influential people provided the core material for the characters in her novels.I found the book clear, well researched and objective, though perhaps a little over long; [ do we really need to know so many details regarding Vita Sackville West and Ethel Smyth ]? But a good read for Virginia Woolf fans and students alike.

I haven't read even half of this mighty tome yet, but so far it is providing a compelling and fascinating insight into the life of Virginia Woolf. It is beautifully written, and structured quite differently from most biographies, ie it is not just a chronological account of the events and influences that made Virginia Woolf one of the most significant English women writers of the early 20th century, if not all time.

Excellent biography. Well researched, illuminating, fascinating.

not many biographies this long could keep my interest to the end. By quoting amply from diaries and correspondence Lee aloud the subject to present herself. It is a success as it has sent me back to the subject's books.