New Books in Literary Studies

Virginia Woolf, "The Life of Violet: Three Early Stories" (Princeton UP, 2025)

Oct 7, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Urmila Seshagiri, a distinguished humanities professor and Virginia Woolf expert, reveals her exciting discovery of a revised typescript for Woolf's early stories about a giantess named Violet. They explore how these whimsical tales blend fantasy and satire while defying social norms and marriage plots. Urmila highlights the significant friendship between Woolf and Violet Dickinson, showcasing how this bond influenced Woolf's literary journey. The topics spark insights into women's creativity and social dynamics, shedding new light on Woolf’s groundbreaking themes.
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INSIGHT

Drafts Vs. Final Typescript

  • The New York Public Library held an earlier, rough-draft typescript of three 1907 Woolf stories known as Friendship's Gallery.
  • Those drafts were transcribed in 1979 but never included in major Woolf fiction collections until this discovery.
ANECDOTE

Manor Discovery Moment

  • Urmila Seshagiri recounts discovering a revised Virginia Woolf typescript at Longleat House after tracing a lead from Sussex research.
  • She describes the thrill of reading a polished, familiar yet new version of Friendship's Gallery in a saffron-bound book.
ANECDOTE

Stories Sent As A Private Tribute

  • Urmila explains that Woolf wrote the three stories in 1907 for Violet Dickinson and originally sent them to her.
  • She highlights that scholars assumed Woolf only produced a draft, not a revised, finalized typescript.
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