Record Number: 18615

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Belchamber (1904) by Howard ("Howdie") Overing Sturgis (1855-1920), a prosperous American expatriate, has for its principal character "Sainty" -- the Marquis and Earl of Belchamber. V[rginia] W[oolf] read the "World's Classics" edition of 1935, with an introduction by Gerard Hopkins which draws a portrait of the author.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 May 1935 and 6 May 1935

Country:

?Holland

Time

n/a

Place:

city: ?Zutphen

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

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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:

?Holland

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Howard Overing Sturgis

Title:

Belchamber

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

In World's Classics edition, 1935

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

18615

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:

310 n.15

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Virginia Woolf, Anne Olivier Bell (ed.), The Diary of Virginia Woolf, (London, 1982), 4, p. 310 n.15, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=18615, accessed: 09 May 2025

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Additional Comments:

Source ed.'s note accompanies Woolf's remarks on text made in diary entry of 6 May, written (from Zutphen) when she and her husband had been travelling in Holland for five days. Woolf's remarks on the text include the verdict that it was 'A moving, in its way, completed story. But shallow. A superficial book,' and the comments: 'I cant care what happens: yet I like the design [...] A sensitive sincere mind -- Howdie, doing his embroidery, & making his acute observations' (see pp.309-311).