I wanted to take the opportunity to remind you all about my Virginia Woolf read-a-long taking place in 2016. I’ve decided to call it a #Woolfalong for the purposes of Twitter and Instagram – hashtags need to be short I think (there were many far better suggestions but they were all a little long).
Starting in January 2016 – the aim is to read 6 books (or indeed more for the real enthusiasts) by or about Virginia Woolf. For each section you simply choose the book or collection that you most want to read. This whole idea was inspired by the Classic club’s Women’s classic literature event. So many people had earmarked Virginia Woolf for future reading.
First and foremost there are no rules – drop in and out as it suits you – if you only want to read the first book – that’s fine. I need to make this workable for me however – so although I won’t be posting lots of complicated discussion posts – I will pledge to post six (one every two months) #Woolfalong ‘how are we doing’/discussion style posts where links to other posts can be shared.
The schedule that I posted in my previous post is pretty much unchanged but I have tweaked it a little – and dropped in a few other ideas.
January/February – Getting started with a famous Woolf novel – To the Lighthouse or Mrs Dalloway
March/April – beginnings and endings – The Voyage Out/ Night and Day (Woolf’s first and second novels – or Between the Acts – Woolf’s final novel
May/June – shorter fiction – any collection of short stories. This list of possibles from Wikipedia:
• Kew Gardens (1919)
• Monday or Tuesday (1921)
• A Haunted House and Other Short Stories (1944)
• Mrs Dalloway’s Party (1973)
• The Complete Shorter Fiction (1985)
• Carlyle’s House and Other Sketches (2003)
Oxford World Classics now produce a collection called The Mark on the Wall and other short Fiction – though I don’t know which stories it contains.
July/August – biographies – either Flush, Orlando or a biography of Virginia Woolf. Hermione Lee’s biography is generally well thought off I believe though long, I once read Nigel Nicolson’s (Vita Sackville West’s son) biography and it is considerably shorter than the Hermione Lee.
September/ October nonfiction –essays or diaries. Any essay collection you fancy – there are a lot to choose from but you might want to consider: A Room of One’s Own, Three Guineas, The Common Reader or Virginia Woolf’s diaries. There seem to be a couple of diary collections, including Vintage books Selected Diaries and Persephone book’s A writer’s Diary (edited by Leonard Woolf).
November/December – another novel – The Years/ Jacobs Room/ The Waves
So time for a giveaway – and first an apology I am sorry I can only offer these books to those of you in the UK and Western Europe – postage costs in the UK have soared.
I must thank the very lovely people at Vintage Books who have donated two Woolf books for you; Mrs Dalloway and The Waves and I (having somehow managed to acquire three copies) have added To the Lighthouse to the giveaway pot.
If you would like to be in with a chance of winning one of these please leave a comment saying how much of the #Woolfalong you are hoping to take part in and which of the three books you would like to win. Winners will be selected randomly on Friday 11th December and notified by email over that weekend.
I’m going to try to join in, Ali! I love Woolf but haven’t read all the ones you mention. I’ll re-read Mrs Dalloway in Jan/Feb (my fave book in the world EVER), and then go from there!
I’d love to win The Waves – Woolf was inspired to write it (and may indeed have started it?) while visiting Manorbier, where I was born. In fact, she stayed in the cottage my family lived in when I was a baby, but she moved quickly because it had no sea view. She wound up taking a room in another house which is now owned by friends of mine. In spite of all that, I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve never read The Waves!
How lovely. Sounds like The Waves would be the perfect book for you 😊
It sounds like a great plan, Ali. I’ll probably drop in and out, but I hope to read/re-read a couple of Woolf’s novels during the year.
As for the giveaway, I would love to be considered for either Mrs Dalloway or To the Lighthouse – those vintage editions are beautiful.
Those covers are fabulous aren’t they. I am very fond of Vintage books editions.
I’ve not read any of Woolf’s books but would like too. I’d definitely want to read Mrs Dalloway so will participate in this month’s read 🙂
Great. Glad to have you with us.
What a marvellous idea. I’ll try to join you – maybe not for the bigger novels, as they are still in my mind but certainly later in the year.
As much as I love these new editions – it would be sheer greed to enter the giveaway as I already own all of her books. A lovely giveaway nonetheless.
😊 glad you will be able to join in for some of the #Woolfalong.
I have only read A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf and it really made an impact on me. Its one of my 2015 favourites! So I think I might have to get myself some other Woolf books and join in with the Woolfalong. I’ll join in for the Jan/Feb readalong for sure but after that I might not be able to continue but we shall see 🙂
As for the giveaway.. I love Vintage cover designs! And all of these are so beautiful!! Since I haven’t read these, I’ll be pleased to have any one of these, thank you!
Glad to have you aboard 😊
Amazing I love Woolf’s writing style so much! Definitely going to try and read as many novels as I can of her, I started last year with To the Lighthouse – my favourite so far, and I just recently read Orlando.
For the giveaway I’d like to be considered for either Waves or Ms. Dalloway 🙂 Thanks a lot for doing this!
Great! I read Orlando earlier this year too.
Looking forward to #Woolfalong. No need for giveaway copies for me either, but I shall enjoy joining others in this. For the biographies months you may also be interested in the Frances Spalding, Virginia Woolf:Art, Life,Vision, which accompanied the fairly recent excellent show at the National Portrait Gallery, and Woolf’s biography of Roger Fry. My copies of both are currently in store but hope to spring them in the New Year.
Thank you for those suggestions.
This is a fantastic idea! I Reread A Room of One’s Own recently and bought To the Lighthouse as I am determined to read more Woolf and this event could be the thing to motivate me so I am going to aim to take part in most of it. Could I please enter my name to win a copy of The Waves. Thank you
So glad you’ll be joining us too.
I love the way you’ve set this up. After I re-read To The Lighthouse last year I’ve been longing to read more. Not sure I will be able to join in all six chapters but I’ll be here. Thank you!
PS There’s another shorter biography from a few years ago – just called Virginia Woolf – by Alexandra Harris that I liked very much.
Oh thank you for that recommendation I realised there were a few different biographies . It’s difficult to know which is the best to read.
Nice collection like covers I have all these in various editions may reread one by her in the new year
I would love to hear your thoughts if you do. 😊
I’m really hoping to take this chance to read my first Woolf novel. Looking forward to it!
I really hope you enjoy your first Woolf novel.
Very much looking forward to this, Ali! I may not join in the first month, as I read both of these books fairly recently, but I’m keen to revisit others I don’t know so well and also her essays!
(Meant to say that I wasn’t intending to enter for the giveaway as I have so many Woolf books already!)
Great! Your enthusiasm for Woolf in the past has been infectious 😊
So looking forward to this Ali, I have To The Lighthouse and Mrs Dalloway lined up for Jan and Feb but I can’t wait to read all the posts throughout the year@
Yay!
Forgot to say that I’d like to win The Waves as I don’t own it!
I am so looking forward to this! I’ve read both To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway already, but it’s been years, and I am curious to see how I will like it now. And I just recently found my copy of Jacob’s Room. I’m not sure if I will manage to read more, but I’ll try.
So glad you will be joining us 😊
Just as a point of interest – there’s been a series of short BBC radio 4 programs this week called ‘A Walk of My Own’ with V W experts walking the countryside that appears (somewhat translocated) in her books. The episode I heard most of was about the scenery in To The Lighthouse (by chance the book I hope to read), & I shall have to catch the rest of the progs on iplayer.
Ooh those programmes sound wonderful.
I read one of her books many years ago – my teens maybe – and wasn’t terribly taken but my tastes have changed a huge amount since then. So I think I’ll join in with the first phase and see how I get on and then decide whether to continue. I’d probably only join in with the fiction though – I’m not a great lover of essays. Lovely giveaway – I don’t have a particular preference for any of the books since I don’t know much about them – but I’ll vote for Mrs Dalloway, just because… 🙂
Great a good plan to take it easy and see how you get on. Lovely to have you on board.
I would like to win The Waves. Thank you.
😊 good luck.
Oh I definitely will join in despite my large TBR pile that grows almost every day. I have loved Virginia Woolf ever since I first read Mrs. Dalloway when I was 18 and a freshman in college. It remains one of my favorite novels of all time– I think its time to re-read some Woolf and see how she appeals to my middle aged self. I will start with To the Lighthouse in January. I’d love to win the copy of Mrs. Dalloway, what a gorgeous cover. 🙂
Brilliant. It’s great to have so many Woolf enthusiasts joining me. I have far less experience of Virginia Woof and I’m looking forward to gaining from other’s knowledge.
I’m so looking forward to to joining in a few of these reading months with you. I love how you’ve set it up – very manageable and enticing!
I have Night and Day on my summer reading plan, so will probably jump in at that stage.
Needless to say, I will not be added to the giveaway either since I’m on the other side of the world 🙂
Thanks for putting this together Ali.
So glad you’ll be joining me Brona, I had a little word with Santa today about the VW books I don’t have.
Ali…you know I worry about Woolf, so let me start in Jan by Reading To the Lighthouse with you and If I survive that, I will venture further in the unknown waters!
😊that sounds like a good idea.
I would like to start out by re-reading To the Lighthouse, and I’ll see what else appeals during the year. Looking forward to everyone else’s reviews, thanks for the great event.
Great. Glad so many people will join me for To the Lighthouse.
A great idea! Am so looking i’m great forward to #Woolfalong! I have only read To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway. A chance read others and maybe re-read those two.
I am in the US, so don’t enter me in the give-away…or do and if I win you can donate to an elder care facility. Either way. Thank you for your marvelous blog, btw!!!
That’s very kind. Glad you will be reading Virginia Woolf with us 😊
I’ve read some of Woolf’s books and would like to join in – reading at least some of her short stories/essays and The Voyage Out and re-reading Mrs Dalloway. I’d love to win a copy of The Waves.
Great, really hope you enjoy The Voyage Out as much as I did earlier this year.
This is looking wonderful. I won’t be there at the start, because I’m planning on reading the novels in order, but I should be with you for Night and Day, and maybe essays and biographies too.
So glad you’ll be joining us for some of it Jane.
HI Ali, believe it or not I have never read a Virginia Woolf book, so this is the ideal opportunity to do something about that! I hope to join in with everything, or at least as much as I can, and I’d like to win a copy of Mrs Dalloway.
Great! I hope you find you like Virginia Woolf. Great to have you with us.
Just my cup of tea! I love the idea of spending reading time with VW and her readers. I hope to participate in all the 2-monthly sessions,but I’ll have to see how that goes. (I don’t need another copy of any of your three giveaways, so please pass me by on that one!)
It will be lovely to have your company 😊
Sounds wonderful. I have so many of these books and haven’t gotten around to them. I even bought two biographies this year, the Lee and the Bell. Will you keep us up to date or should I copy all this down on my calendar?
I will try to update people. But I shall probably create a separate page on my blog with this schedule displayed so that people can find it easily.
Yay! I plan on reading To the Lighthouse, Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando, and The Waves. I might try to fit in Lee’s biography, too. We’ll see about that.
That’s great. I’m so looking forward to this now so pleased so many people are joining in.
I’m in – I’m hoping to read something from each category, and will start off with a re-read of To the Lighthouse, last read soooo long ago! I must read “The Common Reader” when it comes to essay time, too.
And no entry in the prize draw, as I have all of those, but thank you for gathering those together to share with people!
Excellent. I may even read To the Lighthouse and Mrs Dall Dalloway at the beginning. We’ll see.
So glad I’ve found this… I start on Orlando after Christmas for my Uni studies and from what I’ve heard about it I think I’m really going to click with Woolf’s writing. This is such a good idea, count me in 🙂
So counted😊
[…] I’m looking forward to my first encounter with Virginia Woolf as I take part in Heaven Ali’s Woolfalong in January. As I said, Reading Ireland will return in March and it wouldn’t be summer without my […]
I’m going to be bold, and say I will really try to do this. VW is my favorite writer. Is the idea that we come here and ‘talk’ about what we have read or do we blog about it? Thank you for offering.
You can do either or both. I will love seeing other people’s posts. But welcome people popping by with their thoughts too.
What a relief to find there are no complicated rules. My brain can’t cope with them. It also means I can join the Readalong up to end of April and then rejoin in September without buying any new books.
😊hooray! Yes not a fan of complicated rules.
[…] ‘projects’ that have taken my fancy are the Virgina Woolf readalong hosted by HeavenAli. I have quite a few Woolf titles on my TBR (they’re also on my Classics […]
I’m in. Need to stimulate my brain!
Elaine
That’s great glad to have you join us.
I am so happy you have set this up. I will join in! It has been a long time since I have read any of her work and for some reason your Woolfalong really piqued my interest in reading her again.
Oh brilliant. Very glad to have you with us too.
[…] 3. A classic by a woman author – To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (for #Woolfalong) […]
Ooh I like the sound of this. I have had Orlando on my to-read list for a while. Will try and join in with at least a few.. would love to win either Mrs Dalloway or To The Lighthouse to start my year off. x
Sorry the giveaway closed last weekend. Love to have you join us though.
Oh silly me! Will still try and read along though! Thanks. x
[…] #Woolfalong hosted by Heavenali (Virginia Woolf, no sign up restrictions) […]
Great challenge, I’m in. Here is my list: http://achaemenids.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/2016-reading-challenges.html
Brilliant. Thanks for adding details to your blog as well. Good luck with all your challenges.
I’m so late to the party, but I’m doing this. Thanks for hosting!
Excellent, it’s never too late to join. Glad you will be joining us.
Another one just in time- I’m going to start with To the Lighthouse. Thanks for hosting.
Great! Really hope you enjoy it.
I have a lot of Virginia Woolf’s books on my shelves that I really should read, so I’m glad you are hosting this.
Glad you will be joining us. It seems as if you will have plenty of company.
I am intrigued, and I’m going to join the “challenge.” Ever since I read Mrs. Dalloway a long time ago, I’ve been a “fan” of Ms. Woolf, so this “challenge” is a perfect supplement to my new blogging efforts. I’ll be posting a notice of my participation in a sidebar on my site.
r/ Charles @ http://invitationtotheclassics.blogspot.com/
Great 😊
[…] Blogger Heavenali pledges to post six #Woolfalong discussion-style entries, one every two months, where links to other posts can be shared. Meanwhile, a Woolf discussion has already begun. […]
Thanks for linking – I shall be starting To the Lighthouse later. The first discussion post will be at the end of the first period – the end of February.
I will try to join in for the year
Excellent 😊
I only blog social media wise is that OK? Have just finished reading The Diary of a Writer, The Years and have just posted reviews, also have almost finished V W a Portrait by V. Forrester
Of course that’s fine 😊 I don’t think I have heard about the V Forrester book.
[…] to try to keep up with Heavenali’s Woolfalong. Haven’t read her in decades and never did read the biggies. I was going to go in order […]
This sounds fantastic! I’d love to join in a little later this year, especially in the fall for A Room of One’s Own and Three Guineas.
So glad you will be joining us. If you’re on Twitter use the # to see what other people have been reading and find some great reviews.
Thanks. I’ll check it out.
[…] event? Sharing may inspire someone to offer. I hope to join heavenali’s #Woolfalong (see details here) to reread A Room of One’s Own and Three […]
[…] taking part in #Woolfalong this year and was determined to fit some reads into the last section, Woolfalong Phase 6, in which we are asked to read any or all of “Jacob’s Room”, “The […]
[…] is holding a Virginia Woolf read-a-long taking place in […]