Downhill All The Way: An Autobiography Of The Years 1919 To 1939

Autobiography of Leonard Woolf #4

by Leonard Woolf

Leonard Woolf's recollections of his life with Virginia Woolf during the years when she wrote her major novels; also an account of the growth of the Hogarth Press, as well as portraits of Sigmund Freud, T. S. Eliot, and others. "There is a lucid probity in Leonard Woolf's writing" (Leon Edel, Saturday Review). Index; photographs.

Genres: Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Leonard Sidney Woolf was a noted British political theorist, author, publisher (The Hogarth Press), and civil servant, but perhaps best-known as husband to author Virginia Woolf.

Reviews

[Padraic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty years of living with madness, brilliance, anti-Semitism, and odd-man-out'ism. Surely Leonard amassed sufficient points with the literary gods to spring Ted Hughes?

If he hadn't parked himself alongside Virginia's pyrotechnics, his personal brilliance would have seemed much brighter.

[Salvatore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leonard Woolf has a life too! This is the period where his wife writes most of her novels (minus The Voyage Out and Between the Acts. And during this period Leonard becomes a publisher (we have so much in common!), a translator from the Russian (learning Russian in this time first), a political candidate (unsuccessful), a political advisor (the obvious next step), and meets Nehru and Gandhi (the obvious next next step). He's also so affected by the coming of the Second World War. I guess the world would be. However, he took it one step further and as a Jew travelled into Germany as Nazi power grew, figuring that an Englishman should be able to travel wherever the hell he wants to in Europe. What saved him: his marmoset Mitz. Instead of getting attacked during a rally, he was ignored due to his pet, which the Nazi's gave the 'Hitler salute'.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best volume of Woolf's autobiography that I've read--not just for the incidents, which include the glory years of the Hogarth Press, Virginia Woolf's best period of writing, and the "downhill all the way" slide from the end of World War I to the beginning of World War II. This is the best because of how angry this logical, precise, and intellectual writer and politician gets at the weaknesses of the politicians of his day who let World War II happen and who ignore sound advice about the end of colonialism. It all rings true for this time as well. Try not to think of Trump when Woolf calls Hitler's speeches: "the savage and insane ravings of a vindictive underdog who suddenly saw himself to be all-powerful." And take heed:

...nothing is more important than that people should realize that the inveterate political conservatism of human beings--and pre-eminently of the ruling castes and classes--has produced an unending series of unnecessary historical horrors and disasters....

The echoes of today's political scene make this more than relevant and interesting; equally interesting are the pathos of Virginia's periods of depression (and Leonard's attempts to protect and accommodate her), and the story of how the Woolfs survived a trip across 1935 Germany due to their marmoset named Mitz. I am not even making that up.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I want to say that I would have liked to give this book a rating of 4.5 stars, closer to 5, in fact. Anyhoo.. as with the three preceding volumes of Leonard Woolf’s autobiography, this is another gem of an instalment. I adore the way Leonard writes. He is so relatable as a person and as a spiritual soul. He makes me want to read and read and read. This volume covers the years between the two world wars and is indeed quite the insight. Particularly his description of the pace of life during those years, the desperate feeling of an impending and unwanted war, the work, the loss, the psychological workings in his marital home. It’s just all fascinating, and I really look forward to the next and final volume of Leonard’s autobiography. What a geezer.

[Paulo Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another volume of Leonard Woolf's extremely interesting autobiography. This time, dealing with the inter-wars years. It includes the most productive years of Virginia Woolf's writing, the development of the Hogarth Press, the politics in Britain between the two world wars. Leonard Woolf was a keen observer of the political situation, and his leftist stands seem to me today still the most reasonable attitudes, namely regarding imperialism and colonialism.

[Holli · Rating 3 out of 5]

thanks again Leo some helpful stuff here though you should know people only read this to hear about your wife so you could cut the 200 pages out about you xx

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

My least favourite of the 5 biographies only because much of it is devoted to his involvement with various political groups.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this installment of Leonard Woolf's autobiography. Once again, he provides deeper insights into his wife, Virginia Woolf, and their life together. A substantial portion of the book is concerned with Virginia, as it covers the years of during which she produced her finest work. In addition, Mr. Woolf gives a very interesting and informative account of his own writing and his work in various capacities in British politics. I particularly enjoyed these accounts of his political work, much of which occurred from the end of WWI through WWII. Mr. Woolf offers valuable insights into those years. As with the previous volumes of his autobiography, I find the fact that Mr. Woolf is writing this book in the 1960's rather amazing. His ability to relate not only the historical details but also capture the tenor of the times gives the reader a deeper understanding of what it was like to live during this period, 1919 through 1939. Mr. Woolf's powers of recollection are rather incredible. This is a remarkable book.

[Marylouise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up a first edition of this memoir. I've read lots of Virginia Woolf but never any Leonard. What a revelation. I am sure scholars of the Woolf's have written about Leonard Woolf's autobiographies.
To begin~ just the title reveals so much. It has that certain British stiff upper lip in the face of hardship. A glance at the years this book covers- 1919-1939 will tell you all you need to know. Virginia will drown herself in 1941. The previous years are wrought with her suffering and the horrors of World War I. Woolf never criticizes or blames Virginia. His writing is suffused with patience and stoic love. It may have been his ability to compartmentalize that allowed him to go on. Their Hogarth Press published much in these years. In 1922 T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland. Woolf also founded and edited The Political Quarterly. And he and Virginia moved several times. This account is so readable and intimate. I finished with great admiration for Woolf's character, humor and sublime way with a sentence.

[Roanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume, of course, describes more of Leonard and Virginia's life together, as their years together (unknowingly) wound to a close. Intriguing descriptions of the development of the Hogarth Press into a true publishing entity, after starting it as a "hobby" in 1918. Leonard becomes even more of a political animal in the years between the first and second World Wars. They buy Tavistock Square house, where they will stay until it is bombed in WW2. Descriptions of the society they moved in, their work ethic, the efforts to keep Virginia's fragile mental health in good order ... off of that, along with the accounts of the evil that was reigning across Europe, waiting for it to break free and ensnare them all. And again, the war came, and it brings chaos and despair, and the seed from which Virginia's finally madness will germinate.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt that this book was not as well written as "Sowing," his first volume of autobiography, but I still enjoyed this one. There are some quite political sections that were difficult for me to understand, but rewarding if you took the time to go slow and possibly read up a little bit on Labour politics during the 20s and 30s.

The bits about art, literature, the Hogarth Press, and Virginia especially were always insightful and interesting. I loved the mundane details about their finances during the time, and anything about the press itself was great.

This is a good read for anybody who loves Virginia Woolf or the period itself, but it can be detailed and dull for the casual reader.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was as engaged by this volume compared to the others (with the very definite exception of the traveling through Nazi rallies with his marmoset scenes). The glimpse of their lives with their friends, the powerful despair of heading into WWII and printing adventures are fascinating. Some of the discussions of political work and being named to various committees got a little old.

[Lisa Davis-craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again Woolf presents his life sometimes with the most minute details and with that same air of detachment as in the earlier volumes of his autobiography. Despite his seeming transparency, I had the sense of him holding back as much as he was giving.

[Rachel Ann West · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book as it was the journey between the wars of Virginia Woolfs husband.

[Richard B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leonard's recollections of the inter-war years. It still amazes me how much he accomplished and the numerous influential lives, his intersected with.