annotated source 01/20

Woolf, Virginia. The London Scene: Six Essays on London Life. New York: Harper Collins, 1975. Print.


Virginia Woolf is another of my favorite essayists. She has such a perceptive eye that, more and more, I am finding to be essential in writing essays. The main purpose of this book could probably be summed up as such: a celebration of London, the city that Woolf loved dearly. Francine Prose, who wrote the introduction to this book, said that “Woolf managed to capture something eternal and unchanging about London: its vivid bustle, its energy, its pride in its role as the center of commerce and culture, of government and godliness” (xii). This quote sums up what Woolf accomplishes in these essays. She basically walks through London and talks to the reader on the way, which is completely delightful. Woolf, of course, writes as only she can and her essays about London illustrate her love of the city and the wonderful vibe the city has. As I read her essays, I can (probably very literally) trace her steps down the streets of London. While I will see many changes that have occurred since Woolf wrote the essays, most importantly I will be finding similarities and connections between her London and the London I will be experiencing. When I sit down to write essays inspired by Virginia Woolf, I am excited to see where her walks through London will take me.