Genre = Writing
Elaborate Description
This book is a collection of various parts of Virginia Woolf’s diary which pertain to writing. Not a complete diary, as that would take volumes. There are many lessons that writers and readers can learn such as to apply the appropriate feelings and their weights to the text. Woolf questions the meaning in emotions in books as they are a product of the generation so are seen differently per generation. Writings is always difficult but it gets more difficult the further into the book one gets as the author tries to maintain consistency and the shape of writing. Determination not to give up is necessary for writing. Holding to ideas while beautify them with language. Depending on what is being written, some qualities need to be sacrificed in order to bring about others.
Containing many short book reviews or rather, what she thought of the book’s writing. Very critical and understanding of the content of the book. Even though it is edited to include mostly the parts on writing, many criticisms of others remain as they form appropriate expression of ideas. She expresses anxieties around reviews of her books as well. Anxieties such as not being able to sell many books or opinions of a particularly bad review of her book. Woolf tired not to be bothered by praise or blame but they did interrupt the flow of writing as she wanted to investigate the claims. There were times where she specified how many copies were sold.
As this is a diary, there are many sporadic and unrelated musings. The seemingly random musings cannot really be used against the author as this is a diary. Musings are ubiquitous and do show many of life’s moments. Many meetings with members of the Bloomsbury Group such as John Maynard Keynes. Tea, illness, passage of time, and remorse on who died are all part of the musings. Later in the book there are statements of life during the WWII and its prelude.
What can be said of Virginia Woolf is that she did not appreciate people who were insincere and dishonest as she was very critical of those aspects of politics.
Book Details
Pages to read: 353
Publication: 2003
1st Edition: 1953
Format: eBook
Ratings out of 5:
Readability 3
Content 2
Overall 2
