Virginia Woolf – The Common Reader 2

Hogarth Press first edition book jacket designs

The Common Reader (II) - first edition

Virginia Woolf, The Common Reader: Second Series (1932) Cover design by Vanessa Bell

The second collection of essays was published when Woolf’s stature as an author had substantially increased. In this volume Woolf writes about Donne, Dorothy Osborne’s letters, George Gissing, Thomas Hardy, and more. This collection also includes the often quoted essay “How Should One Read a Book?” in which Woolf gives some excellent advice.: “The only advice, indeed, that one person can give another about reading is to take no advice, to follow your own instincts, to use your own reason, to come to your own conclusions”. Bell’s cover also emphasises the reading experience. Woolf urges people to read broadly, to explore with an open miond. The essay concludes with something every book lover can appreciate: “when the Day of Judgement dawns and the great conquerors and lawyers and statesmen come to receive their awards – their crowns, their laurels, their names carved indelibly upon imperishable marble – the Almighty will turn to Peter and will say, not without a certain envy when He sees us coming with our books under our arms, ‘Look, these need no reward. We have nothing to give them here. They have loved reading’.”

Elizabeth Willson Gordon, Woolf’s-head Publishing: The Highlights and New Lights of the Hogarth Press

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2 Responses to “Virginia Woolf – The Common Reader 2”

Ms. Mcguire says:
2 September 2010 at 11:36 pm
Is there a way to purchase copies of the Hogarth press book covers?
mantex says:
3 September 2010 at 11:36 am
There’s a full review of Woolf’s Head Publishing on this site. If you put the ISBN into a search at Amazon.com, you can find it there. I bought my copy directly from the University of Alberta.