Thursday, May 05, 2005

Goodbye Virginia


VWbyVB
Originally uploaded by sarah4855.

A new book has just been published entitled Afterwords:Letters on the Death of Virginia Woolf. It contains letters of condolence written to Leonard Woolf and Virgina's sister, Vanessa Bell, after Woolf's suicide in 1941. There are notes from people such as T.S. Eliot, E.M. Forster, and H.G. Wells, though I find the line written by her lover, Vita Sackville-West, to be the most touching: "a loss that can never diminish."

What I'm also pleased to post, is that this book is a project that originated at my university. It is edited by Sybil Oldfield, a Research Reader in English at the University of Sussex, where there is a large collection of Woolf's manuscripts and letters.

Here is the university's press release about the book - and the above portrait of Woolf is one of my favourites from the National Portrait Gallery, painted by her sister. A print of the portrait sits above my desk.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

of course. vita would know that...

studying at sussex now you really should/could see:
Monks House (Rodmell)
The former home of Leonard and Virginia Woolf, some of their personal possessions are on display.
or (I think this one is a must!)
http://www.charleston.org.uk/
Charleston (near Firle)
This quirkily decorated farmhouse was home to ‘Bloomsbury’ couple Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. Charleston is famous for its extravagant murals and unique cottage-style garden.
or
Berwick Church (the church they painted together!)
The brightly decorated wall panels were painted by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell of the Bloomsbury set.
http://www.villagenet.co.uk/sevensisters/villages/berwick.php

you owe this to yourself...soak it up!