when taken one day at a time
A centenary of note: Mrs. Dalloway was published on 14th May 1925! Perhaps the most beloved of Virginia Woolf’s works; this finely wrought ‘one day in the life of’ has not aged a bit, rather lived each day through the last century and beyond into this. Still, today, it radiates lightness and warmth, as that June day in 1922 itself, and at the same time teases with things darker; the aftermath of war, the damaged souls, betrayals of oneself and others. The past is omnipresent and the future unsure – for surely there will be new fights to be had … but that’s for another day; today we wander the streets of London, buy flowers, observe, reminisce, and be the perfect hostess.
JSTOR Daily has an interesting piece to celebrate Mrs Dalloway, that includes access to other material. And a companion piece, with suggested readings on Bloomsbury.