Carlyle’s House and Other Sketches marks the first publication of one of Virginia Woolf’s very earliest notebooks. Recently unearthed from a collection of private papers, it contains a series of six striking and semi-autobiographical sketches, each transcribed and edited by Dr. David Bradshaw. From the cold formality of London townhouses with their rows of austere portraits, to the dull chaos of the academic’s abode, and the eccentric spinster’s Hampstead home, Virginia Woolf paints a series of portraits of everyday life, capturing character and setting in exquisite detail. Experimental in style, and heralding the later masterpieces Mrs Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, this early notebook is quintessential Woolf.
(Adeline) Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and essayist regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.
During the interwar period, Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Her most famous works include the novels Mrs. Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927), and Orlando (1928), and the book-length essay A Room of One's Own (1929) with its famous dictum, "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction."
The Hesperus Press produce lovely books of less than 100 pages which are editions of works by varying different writers from vastly different times. I have four or five of these lovely small editions on my shelves and they are really lovely volumes.
This one, however, is particularly strange in that it is a triptych to Virginia Woolfness consisting of two side panels of essay and commentary gathered around seven short diary entries or sketches written by the 27 year old Virginia Stephens between February 23rd and November 3rd 1909. The entries are so short that they make up way less than a third of the whole.
The first panel is a lovely essay by Doris Lessing (followed by an introduction from David Bradshaw) in which she reflects upon this immature and partly formed writer as she muses on paper on various subjects. Here we see both Virginia Stephens the snob, the bigot, the sneerer but also catch glimpses of the future Virginia Woolf, the fascinated, the poet, the searcher after truth. The essay looks coldly at the content of these sketches whilst also looking ahead and reflecting on the influence this mature woman would have on the development of literature as a whole and on the place of women in culture in particular.
Then come the sketches themselves. Short and disconnected, descriptive of place, people and culture. There are flashes of beauty and insight and there are moments of awkwardness and discomfort but overall they probably, in themselves add little to all things Woolf unless it be to see those seeds of future growth.
The third part of the triptych is the commentary confidently written by David Bradshaw in which he analyses, dissects and displays the inner thinking or at least his theories on the thought processes that went into these essays. It is fascinating, revealing but, overall, I found it rather uncomfortable.
By that i mean both Lessing and Bradshaw speak of how in her writing she was "trying to make (them)nets to catch what she saw as a subtler truth about life" and that "her writing life was a progression of daring experiments" and it is this which makes me wonder at our delving too deeply into what was never written for publication whether public or indeed private.
These were not the offerings or prepared statements of a formed and conscious writer, moulded and chipped and pared down into acceptable shape but rather they were the private struggles and practising of a snobby blue stocking who was seeking out her voice and place in the literary firmament whilst wading her way through the predjudice, expectations and outlook of her class and upbringing.
Much is made both by Bradshaw and Lessing of her bigoted dismissive and even offensive portrayal of the 'coarsely skinned jewess', Mrs Loeb or of her patronizing smirking at her fairly evidently bonkers if generous patron Lady Ottoline Morrell but would everything I ever thought stand up to close whiter than white scrutiny if, like Woolf, I committed those thoughts to paper. Do not get me wrong, I love Woolf and therefore devour all things 'woolferine' with great gusto but if these sketches are your first experience of Woolf she might be dimissed out of hand and painted into the corner of the house called 'nasty cow'. This would seem tragic if then none of her other works were tasted or more sadder still if her talent was always feted as 'in spite of' her character.
I realize that a writer does not need to be nice or pleasant or amenable in order to be loved and read and enjoyed but this very short taste of Woolf gives only the briefest of sightings. Lessing and Bradshaw are at pains to point this out of course but that does not necessarily prevent the rot setting in for some.
This is a fascinating read because the development of future thoughts and ideas and directions can possibly be seen but it is nowhere near the whole story. Her anti-semitism may well be in evidence here but by the 1930's she was a woman wih a different outlook, she may well appear out of touch or rather cold here but that is not the story that necessarily is encountered as we move through her life.
These sketches were the private jottings, I am pleased to have encountered them but am not sure if they do not do her a disservice if this is the understanding people draw of Woolf the private thinker when in fact it could as easily have been Woolf the woman in a bit of a strop, Woolf the woman who this day happened to be feeling particularly bitchy or cantankerous or superior.
This triptych is a thing of fascination to gaze upon but it only gives a part of the story, to get a fuller sense of the image the triptych needs to be set in its place, in the whole building.
Przyjechałam do rodziców i nie wzięłam nic do czytania, więc nadrabiam, co jest na stanie, a czego jeszcze nie przeczytałam.
OK, pora na prawdziwą recenzję.
"Siedem szkiców" nie przypomina dziennika Virginii Woolf. To raczej krótkie wprawki literacko-biograficzne, literackie obrazki z niezbyt przyjemnego okresu w jej życiu. I można tu spotkać Virginię, jakiej nie znamy: epatującą klasowymi uprzedzeniami, małostkową, szybko osądzającą ludzi. Niezbyt przyjemny wizerunek. Pod tym wszystkim kryje się młoda, nieszczęśliwa, zagubiona kobieta z narastającą depresją, nieakceptowana przez środowisko artystyczne, jeszcze nie znana pisarka, która nawet nie ma co marzyć o literackim sukcesie. Czy to usprawiedliwia sposób, w jaki wypowiada się o ludziach w "Siedmiu szkicach"? Nie, ale go wyjaśnia.
Wydanie wzbogacone jest o ciekawy wstęp Doris Lessing, gdzie pisarka domaga się uczłowieczenia wizerunku Woolf i pokazuje, jak "Siedem szkiców" można potraktować jak narzędzie w tym procesie. Generalnie ta pozycja to ciekawy kontrapunkt, którego nie można ignorować przy rozmowach o Woolf jako postaci i o jej dorobku.
A nice little addition to my Woolf collection. A journal from 1909 sent for typing by Leonard months before he died from whence it languished in a drawer forgotten until its 2002 publication. An interesting little time capsule of early Woolf...well, Stephen, actually.
And here is a quote from her 1903 journal which perfectly sums up this one:
'...I wish for the sake of this book that I had anything more brightly coloured & picturesque to write here; it seems to me that all my events have been of the same temperate rather cold hued description; I haven't had to use many superlatives. I have sketched faint outlines with a pencil. But the only use of this book is that it shall serve for a sketch book; as an artist fills his pages with scraps and fragments, studies of drapery--legs, arms & noses--useful to him no doubt, but of no meaning to anyone else--so I...take up my pen and trace here whatever shapes I happen to have in my head...
It is an exercise--training for eye & hand--roughness if it results from an honest desire to put down the truth with whatever materials one has to hand, is not disagreeable--though often I am afraid decidedly uncouth.'
These "discovered" sketches among her 1909 notebooks were never meant for publication, and I wish they hadn't been. Woolf herself comments that her notebooks are: "...an exercise -- training for eye & hand -- roughness if it results from an honest desire to put down the truth with whatever materials one has to hand, is not disagreeable -- though often I am afraid decidedly uncouth." and ... "I shall try to be an honest servant, gathering such mater as may serve a more skilled hand later -- or suggest finished pictures to the eye."
Enough said; these were not meant to be shared. I hesitated to read it. I was given the book in 2003 by a friend who knew my love of the author, but I only recently got around to reading it. I wish I hadn't.
In the introduction Doris Lessing finds the young Virginia is a "such a wasp, such a snob -- and all the rest of it, but love has to be warts and all."
The seven sketches run several pages a piece; it's hard to believe they could raise such a furor. It is "Jews" that raises the most fuss. In it she recounts a dinner with a Mrs. Loeb, who she passionately dislikes. I take it as just that: not liking someone. Except perhaps for this phrase -- "Her food, of course, swam in oil and was nasty." -- which does seem to imply ALL food served in Jewish homes is thus. Then again, it may have been a specific condemnation of this particular woman... and the fact that she was Jewish is incidental. Whatever the case, I come away no wiser and more entrenched in my belief that when we strive to understand authors we must place them in their time and place & not judge them by present day mores and strictures.
Do *not* read this slim book unless you're already familiar with Woolf -- her work, her life, and her family. This is a collection of several previously unpublished and unknown diary sketches Woolf wrote when she was 27. The introduction and accompanying notes are fascinating and valuable, but they *don't* serve as a good introduction to a notoriously difficult writer.
Also, don't expect much actual Woolf from this volume. Specifically, expect 16 pages out of about 70.
The reason it still gets four stars is that the supplementary material is brilliant and beautiful (Doris Lessing's introduction) or expert and adept (all those footnotes and other explanations).
If you're fascinated by Woolf's development as a writer and you've already read her fiction and essays and at least one biography, read this. I know that sounds snooty, but this is a pricy little book and you'll be bored out of your mind if you pick it up just for the heck of it.
A young Virginia Stephen provides us a reliable record of the places she visits and the people she encounters amongst the London society of 1909. I really appreciated the footnotes and commentary on each of the sketches. They do not negate the rancorous characterizations written by Ms. Stephen, however they are germane to her life in that time.
I'm always interested in all her works, as well as her connections to other literary figures. "She lacks mystery; and the charm people have who withdraw, and don't care to coin their views." What a strike against Amber Reeves Blanco White the eponymous Ann Veronica (1909) — A wonderfully ferocious Woolf.
A lovely introduction by Doris Lessing. I would not read this book of essays and analysis without reading a few Virginia Woolf books first. It does give an insight into her thinking in 1909 and fears of staying unmarried.
Ce court recueil de textes reprend un carnet d'"esquisse" rédigé par Virginia Woolf en 1909, sans intention de publication, et retrouvé après sa mort. L'écrivaine croque alors lieux et personnages rencontrés avec le verbe acéré qu'on lui connaît, et même une grande amertume (quelle punchlineuse !)
Ces "esquisses" sont à replacer dans leur contexte : à l'époque elle n'a encore publié aucun roman, elle n'est pas mariée et elle subit déjà "les démons noirs et velus" de la dépression. À replacer également dans le contexte de la bourgeoisie anglaise de 1909, pour aborder notamment le texte "les juifs" très largement teinté d'antisémitisme, qu'elle critiquera bien plus tard dans son œuvre. On peut s'interroger sur l'intérêt d'analyser un journal personnel rédigé comme un carnet de brouillon sans intention de publication.
Un court livre à feuilleter, pas indispensable pour saisir son œuvre mais intéressant pour découvrir la Virginia Woolf des débuts.
so short as to not be worthwhile — notes and intros were like triple actual text seems like a cheat for this to complete my reading challenge but ill take it
This is a short volume from the Hesperus Press collection that contains informal writings originally recorded in a notebook or journal by Virginia. They are a mixture of topics and observations with additional material provided by the editor David Bradshaw. Bradshaw's added notes and description are well done and are beneficial if you are interested in British artists, patrons, socialites, and intellectuals of the time (Thomas Carlyle, Amber Reeves, H.G. Wells, George Darwin, and Woolf's own close connections). Of particular note, it includes a controversial piece by Virginia expressing bigoted remarks toward Jewish people. This book short and very interesting and can lend something to those approaching the study of Woolf and her life.
I was browsing the Strand in NYC last Saturday, looking for a quick read. I was delighted to come across this little book. It is one of an already extensive series from Hesperus Press of obscure works under 100 pages by not-so-obscure authors (Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Kafka's Metamorphosis make for dubious entries, but the rest listed on the inside cover fit the bill). I love the idea of this series! I plan to welcome family and friends to buy me other titles at random. They're all a perfect length for a domestic flight, and very attractive little pocketbooks. And this one cost me a buck fifty. No joke.
So this particular one consists simply of about 7 entries from Woolf's personal journal from 1909. When she was 27 years old, not yet published, not yet married. Two years into her first novel, with six yet to go. They are just little character sketches (five finger exercises as Doris Lessing calls them in the introduction). But they show ample evidence of the author's descriptive genius. It is also revealing of the author's prejudices (the introduction goes to some length trying to contextualize one particular anti-semitic entry). But if one approaches it as a glance at the author quite early in a career that would be spent coming to terms with the many prejudices of the British aristocracy in the early twentieth century (including anti-semtism), it's fascinating. Reading the whole book at one go (which is hard not to do) is like tasting seven wines.
In which Woolf takes the role of psychologist and judge. Within these sketches, our narrator analyses individuals through their nuances in activity and personality, drawing connections with their status, dwellings and possessions. Academic context is gratefully provided in the form of introductions and commentaries, which do well to provide some warmth to the icy astuteness herein. A short, biting collection with a bitter edge.
It was a small glimpse inside Woolf's mind. How she views the world - the people surrounding her. I would wanna have a cup of tea with her... or smoke weed and talk philosophical crap.
Although very short (a mere 18 pages), Woolf’s sketches are exemplary; writers can only hope to achieve in their entire work what Woolf did in 18 pages. My favorite sketch is “Divorce Court.” I will continue to reach for and reread these sketches in hopes of improving my own characters and description of place.
Esse livro possui ensaios/anotações do diário de Woolf em 1909. Aparentemente, não foi uma época boa para a escritora (no sentido pessoal) e embora o conteúdo de seu diário contenha muito do potencial de escrita de Woolf, há uns pequenos tons pejorativos utilizados pela autora que não me agradaram muito..
Fragmented sketches that allow a better understanding of Woolf's technique and writing process, Her quintessential style flows through the rough ideas, Although it is evident that these sketches were never meant for publication. *I would recommend read this only if you are well acquainted with Woolf's writing
A series of short sketches or impressions of places and people from the notebooks of Virginia Woolf. Shows through the author's gift for description, as well as her prickly, often waspish, character, and occasionally, her prejudices. Gave me a few things to think about.
More curiosity than anything else, Woolf's early 'sketches' are here displayed and analysed as a part of her biography. The language is beautiful, but there's so little substance that they're more fleeting than striking. And let's not talk about 'Jews'. Enough has been said, I think.
introduction was super boring, but it was super interesting to read her little stories and compare the writing style to Orlando. enjoyed the notes at the end
Um livro muito completo, que traz, junto aos contos, notas e explicações pra construir perfeitamente o cenário em que se passavam as histórias de Wolf. Quero conhecer mais sobre a biografia dela.
Even though the sketches were really short. I actually think they were really cool to read. They definitely seem more academic though so if your looking for more of a 'story' then yeah this probably isn't the one for you. But it's still nice to have and interesting to read.