Yes, of course, Virginia Woof is on the list of literary heroes.
I like her essays. And more than any one essay, I like her notion that, collectively, we common readers — those of us who read for pleasure — have a say in the literature. What we like and argue for counts in some small way. Scholars will keep Shakespeare alive to generations of new students. But there are also common readers who will read lesser-known writers, will love them, and keep their books in print.
If you are looking for a place to start: The Common Reader, published in two series, collects many of her essays on literature. Of her fiction, I like To the Lighthouse.
She was born Jan. 25, 1882, in London.
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