Peter J Fullagar
Freelance ELT Writer & Editor
Virginia Woolf in Richmond (author)
Published 2018, Aurora Metro Books
“I ought to be grateful to Richmond & Hogarth, and indeed, whether it’s my invincible optimism or not, I am grateful.” − Virginia Woolf
Although more commonly associated with Bloomsbury, Virginia and her husband Leonard Woolf lived in Richmond-upon-Thames for ten years from the time of the First World War (1914-1924). Refuting the common misconception that she disliked the town, this book explores her daily habits as well as her intimate thoughts while living at the pretty house she came to love – Hogarth House. Drawing on information from her many letters and diaries, the editor reveals how Richmond’s relaxed way of life came to influence the writer, from her experimentation as a novelist to her work with her husband and the Hogarth Press, from her relationships with her servants to her many famous visitors.
REVIEWS
“Lively, diverse and readable, this book captures beautifully Virginia Woolf’s time in leafy Richmond, her mixed emotions over this exile from central London, and its influence on her life and work. This illuminating book is a valuable addition to literary history, and a must-read for every Virginia Woolf enthusiast…” Emma Woolf, writer, journalist, presenter and Virginia Woolf’s great niece
“Virginia Woolf in Richmond features an intriguing collection of Virginia Woolf’s thoughts and musings on daily life, work, and rest, revealed in evocative excerpts from Virginia’s diaries and letters, written between 1914 and 1924. These are complemented by Fullagar’s narrative commentary, which is crisp and informative.” The Modernist Review
“Fullagar’s book reveals what life was like during the First World War for the Woolfs… [it’s] an unusual addition to the Woolf library, however, published in association with the campaign to erect a life-sized sculpture of Woolf on the riverside. Book and statue together should help maintain awareness of the valuable literary legacy that Woolf left behind.” TLS
“If Fullagar’s book is light on analysis, it’s because it is really a vehicle for extended, contextualised snippets from her diaries and letters of this time, which show Woolf at her coruscating best, trying out techniques she would later adopt in her fiction, analysing herself and those around her, and charting the minutiae of everyday life with a sharp and curious eye. He concludes that “life in Richmond gave Virginia freedom in her writing, freedom to grow as a person and the freedom to think for herself again”: a worthy basis on which to call for a statue.” Prospect Magazine
“Virginia Woolf in Richmond is a great book for Woolf scholars and for laypersons with a general interest in her life and work. Fullagar shows how the time she spent in Richmond – and the events that took place in both her own life and the wider world during that time – influenced Woolf’s development as a writer and her personality in a more general sense. It is clear that Woolf’s life and work (and hence the books that so many of us love) would have been very different if she had not lived there.” Joseph Ludlow for NB Magazine
“Richmond allowed for social interaction but without the rush and bustle of a fast-paced London. It was a tranquil life. Fullagar presents a well-written case for Woolf’s love of Richmond. Although Woolf is permanently linked with Bloomsbury, she does have deep roots in Richmond.” Goodreads review
“It’s a well-written and well-researched book about the time she lived in Richmond. It’s a must-read for any person who likes Virginia Woolf. Highly recommended.” Goodreads review
“I ought to be grateful to Richmond & Hogarth, and indeed, whether it’s my invincible optimism or not, I am grateful.” − Virginia Woolf
Although more commonly associated with Bloomsbury, Virginia and her husband Leonard Woolf lived in Richmond-upon-Thames for ten years from the time of the First World War (1914-1924). Refuting the common misconception that she disliked the town, this book explores her daily habits as well as her intimate thoughts while living at the pretty house she came to love – Hogarth House. Drawing on information from her many letters and diaries, the editor reveals how Richmond’s relaxed way of life came to influence the writer, from her experimentation as a novelist to her work with her husband and the Hogarth Press, from her relationships with her servants to her many famous visitors.
REVIEWS
“Lively, diverse and readable, this book captures beautifully Virginia Woolf’s time in leafy Richmond, her mixed emotions over this exile from central London, and its influence on her life and work. This illuminating book is a valuable addition to literary history, and a must-read for every Virginia Woolf enthusiast…” Emma Woolf, writer, journalist, presenter and Virginia Woolf’s great niece
“Virginia Woolf in Richmond features an intriguing collection of Virginia Woolf’s thoughts and musings on daily life, work, and rest, revealed in evocative excerpts from Virginia’s diaries and letters, written between 1914 and 1924. These are complemented by Fullagar’s narrative commentary, which is crisp and informative.” The Modernist Review
“Fullagar’s book reveals what life was like during the First World War for the Woolfs… [it’s] an unusual addition to the Woolf library, however, published in association with the campaign to erect a life-sized sculpture of Woolf on the riverside. Book and statue together should help maintain awareness of the valuable literary legacy that Woolf left behind.” TLS
“If Fullagar’s book is light on analysis, it’s because it is really a vehicle for extended, contextualised snippets from her diaries and letters of this time, which show Woolf at her coruscating best, trying out techniques she would later adopt in her fiction, analysing herself and those around her, and charting the minutiae of everyday life with a sharp and curious eye. He concludes that “life in Richmond gave Virginia freedom in her writing, freedom to grow as a person and the freedom to think for herself again”: a worthy basis on which to call for a statue.” Prospect Magazine
“Virginia Woolf in Richmond is a great book for Woolf scholars and for laypersons with a general interest in her life and work. Fullagar shows how the time she spent in Richmond – and the events that took place in both her own life and the wider world during that time – influenced Woolf’s development as a writer and her personality in a more general sense. It is clear that Woolf’s life and work (and hence the books that so many of us love) would have been very different if she had not lived there.” Joseph Ludlow for NB Magazine
“Richmond allowed for social interaction but without the rush and bustle of a fast-paced London. It was a tranquil life. Fullagar presents a well-written case for Woolf’s love of Richmond. Although Woolf is permanently linked with Bloomsbury, she does have deep roots in Richmond.” Goodreads review
“It’s a well-written and well-researched book about the time she lived in Richmond. It’s a must-read for any person who likes Virginia Woolf. Highly recommended.” Goodreads review
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