From Powells.com
Our favorite books of 2020-2021.
Staff Pick
For anyone who knows me, it should come as no surprise that this is my top choice — I've read Mrs Dalloway every summer (or thereabouts) for over 20 years. And this new annotated edition is like reading it again for the first time. Editor Merve Emre's meticulously researched notes, her critical analysis of Woolf's writing, and all of the photos and illustrations throughout are bound to add something new and fascinating to your reading of this classic novel, no matter if this is the first time or the fiftieth. Recommended By Gary L., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
"Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself." So begins Virginia Woolf's much-beloved fourth novel. First published in 1925, Mrs. Dalloway has long been considered Woolf's masterpiece. A pivotal work of literary modernism, its simple plot — centered on an upper-class Londoner preparing to give a party — is complicated by Woolf's satire of the English social system.
For decades, Woolf's rapturous style and vision of individual consciousness have challenged and inspired readers, novelists, and scholars alike. In this annotated volume based on the original British edition, acclaimed essayist and Oxford don Merve Emre mines Woolf's diaries and notes on writing to take us into the making of Mrs. Dalloway, revealing the novel's artistry and astonishing originality. Alongside her generous commentary, Emre offers hundreds of illustrations and little-known photographs from Woolf's life. The result is not only an essential volume for students and Woolf devotees, but an incomparable gift to all lovers of literature.
Review
"I spent many happy hours lost in The Annotated Mrs. Dalloway. The meticulously researched comments and range of illustrations enrich our understanding of Woolf's masterpiece and of Clarissa Dalloway's vanished world, and Merve Emre's brilliant Introduction connects elements of the author's life with her vision and her art in new and profoundly insightful ways. A gorgeous book and an all-round cause for celebration." Sigrid Nunez
Review
"What a treasure is Merve Emre's The Annotated Mrs. Dalloway! In this gorgeously illustrated volume, for which she provides a perceptive and enriching introduction, Emre proves an erudite and sensitive companion, leading the reader by the hand on an illuminating journey through the historical streetscapes and the interior landscapes of Virginia Woolf's masterpiece." Rebecca Mead
Review
"Merve Emre brilliantly shows how Woolf's understanding of Clarissa Dalloway and other characters, and her mastery of novelistic design, evolved almost day by day. This beautiful book is a treasure trove of information and a demonstration of how much this approach to a classic modern novel can add to the reading experience for both experts and enthusiasts." Elaine Showalter
Review
"Possibly the ultimate tribute anyone can pay to a great novel is to excavate it from its time and circumstances — to dig around it with the care of an archeologist; to follow its roots to their beginnings while respecting the magic and mystery of the object itself. Merve Emre's The Annotated Mrs. Dalloway is a remarkable act of excavation. By illuminating the otherwise invisible points at which Virginia Woolf's life and mind crossed wires with the writing of the novel, Emre serves to deepen our wonder at Mrs. Dalloway, and at the phenomenon of genius itself." Michael Cunningham
Review
"I am tempted to say 'at last, the Mrs. Dalloway we deserve' — but let's face it, this Mrs. Dalloway is way better than we deserve. Merve Emre's wide-ranging, rigorous, illuminating, and affecting annotations, alongside the generous and brilliantly curated illustrations, shine new light on Woolf's London, Mrs. Dalloway's consciousness, and the tragedy of Septimus Smith." Elif Batuman
About the Author
Merve Emre is an associate professor of English at the University of Oxford and the author of several books, including
The Personality Brokers.
Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) was the world-renowned author of Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and The Waves, among other works.