Virginia Woolf Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Plays

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Virginia Woolf Diaries and Journals Books

Publication Order of Essays

Publication Order of Collected Essays Books

Publication Order of The Letters of Virginia Woolf Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Short Story Anthologies

Publication Order of Edward Gorey Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Virginia Woolf

Known for pioneering a stream of consciousness style, British novelist Virginia Woolf was truly a visionary during her lifetime. Creating a wholly different approach to narrative, she was extremely well regarded for her modernist take on the contemporary novel. Using the free-flowing stream of consciousness as her primary narrative device, she would take the story in a variety of different directions. It was a testament to her success and skill as an author that she’d never lose the reader, despite her experimental use of narrative.

Not only crafting her stories intricately with precision and care, but Woolf would also bring a whole range of different themes and ideas to her writing. Focusing on subjects such as feminism and what it meant to be a woman during her era, her work is still studied to this day. She would also take a progressive stance on a number of other subjects, such as sexuality, whilst evolving her views in other areas. Her views are still contested, as her writing would take on layers of meaning, giving her books an even greater level of depth.

Looking at society, she would comment on different values, moving things forwards in the process, along with developing literature as a whole. Writing both fiction and non-fiction, she really managed to set herself apart from other writers within her field at the time. Adapted for both the stage and screen, she’s gone on to become an iconic figure in her own right, with her name being synonymous with classic literature of the period. With her legacy still living on to this very day, her influence continues to gain respect from readers all around the world, as further readers and writers discover her stories.

Early and Personal Life

It was in 1882, on the 25th of January, that Adeline Virginia Stephen would be born at 22 Hyde Park in London, England. Her parents were the author Leslie Stephen and celebrated Englishwoman and model Julia (née Jackson), as she was raised surrounded by literature. Growing up, Virginia would provide plenty of insight into her upbringing and early years through her writing and many memoirs.

She would later live in Bloomsbury, becoming part of the well-known literary set there, as she would live in Gordon Square. A key figure, she would come to shape Avant-garde fiction for years to come, as they would come to found the Bloomsbury Group there, marrying her husband Leonard Woolf in 1912. Sadly taking her own life on the 28th of March in 1941 after struggling with bipolar disorder, her work continues to live on as a testament to her skills as a writer.

Writing Career

The first novel that Virginia Woolf would write was titled ‘The Voyage Out,’ which would come out in 1915. She would soon follow this up with the book ‘Night and Day’ in 1919 before proceeding to experiment more with form in her 1922 novel ‘Jacob’s Room.’ Over the next twenty years, she would go on to produce some of her best-known works to date, including ‘Mrs. Dalloway,’ ‘Orlando,’ and ‘The Years’ to name just a few.

There would also be a variety of short-story collections of her work too, with some of her work released posthumously. Writing countless essays and critiques too, her non-fiction work was vast and expansive as well, often writing on her own life. Remaining a popular figure in the public imagination, many continue to write about her life and who she was, including many films of her life and work.

Orlando

First published in 1928 on the 11th of October, this would originally be brought out through the ‘Hogarth Press’ publishing label. It would be based on fellow writer Vita Sackville-West, with the character of Orlando essentially being her and the book itself being a love letter to her. For a long time, considered unfilmable due to its experimental nature and post-modern narrative, it would successfully be adapted for the screen in 1992 with Tilda Swinton in the lead role.

Running over three centuries in total, this book looks at the figure of Orlando, seeing him as a nobleman at the beginning waiting for the Queen in Elizabethan England. Experiencing great love, Orlando is in Constantinople as an ambassador and now a woman. Shifting not only in genders but tones and eras, Orlando becomes a conduit through which to gain a perspective on what it means to be a woman during the 18th and 19th centuries. Later a wife and a mother, Orlando looks to the future with hope for women, having witnessed the suffrage of women first-hand and an optimistic new horizon.

This book encompasses so much, with its narrative moving in so many directions, as Woolf keeps it perfectly under control at all times. It’s fairly weighty, but it’s definitely worth the effort, as it really rewards the reader with many ideas and concepts that remain fresh today. Taking a revolutionary look at sexuality for the time, it’s no wonder that this book has gone on to inspire many writers and readers from all far and wide.

Mrs. Dalloway

This would initially be released in 1925 on the 14th of May, as it was published through the ‘Hogarth Press’ publishing imprint as well. A well-known novel that looks at high society and the social conventions of the time, it would really make an impact on its publication. There’s a film of it too, with theater productions as well, along with a book that was inspired by it, using its original working title of ‘The Hours’ and published in 1998.

This story looks at a single day in the life of Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway as she sets about her dealing with her life. Starting out, it sees her planning a party, planning the many last-minute details, and coping with the many pressures of it all. In her head, she is much more than just a party hostess as she prepares the house while remembering times long past. Looking at the many choices that brought her there, she looks ahead to the future, considering her own life and getting older.