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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 18336


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Thursday 11 February 1932: 'My mind is set running upon A Knock on the Door (whats its name?) owing largely to reading "Wells on Woman" -- how she must be ancillary & decorative in the world of the future, because she has been tried, in 10 years, & has not proved anything.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 Feb 1932 and 11 Feb 1932

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Virginia Woolf

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

25 Jan 1882

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer

Religion:

agnostic

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

H. G. Wells

Title:

The Work, Wealth, and Happiness of Mankind

Genre:

Essays / Criticism, Social Science

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

1932

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

18336

Source:

Print

Author:

Virginia Woolf

Editor:

Anne Olivier Bell

Title:

The Diary of Virginia Woolf

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1982

Vol:

4

Page:

75

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Virginia Woolf, Anne Olivier Bell (ed.), The Diary of Virginia Woolf, (London, 1982), 4, p. 75, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=18336, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Text being reviewed by Woolf's husband Leonard for the New Statesman and Nation. Woolf refers to chapter 11 in it, 'The Role of Women in the World's Work,' which concludes: 'Hitherto the role of women has been decorative and ancillary. And today it seems to be still decorative and ancillary ... Her recent gains in freedom have widened her choice of what she shall adorn or serve, but they have released no new initiative in human affairs....' (quoted by source ed.; see p.75 n.23 in source). 'A Knock on the Door' Woolf's prospective title for contemplated work which would ultimately be published as Three Guineas.

   
   
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