French Literature Reviews - 2026
V. Woolf, The Art of the Novel
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics
Virginia Woolf, The Art of the Novel
Preface by Agnès Desarthe
Paris: Éditions du Seuil / Points, coll. "Points Signatures", 05/02/2009
- ISBN: 978-2-7578-1205-1
- 9.50€
Publisher's overview:
Far from imposing any rigid judgment, Virginia Woolf candidly shares her profound insight into and unwavering love for literature.
She admires Proust and Austen, wonders whether Tolstoy can truly be understood without speaking Russian, and reflects on the future of women writers in order to better envision the novel of tomorrow.
Virginia Woolf (1882–1941), one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century, revolutionized literature through masterworks such as Mrs Dalloway and her immense talent as an editor and critic.
A true literary legend, her eventful life was immortalized in Michael Cunningham's novel The Hours, adapted for the screen by Stephen Daldry.
This collection gathers critical reflections on literature and narrative craft by one of the defining figures of twentieth-century modernism. As an accomplished editor and novelist, Virginia Woolf engaged deeply with the aesthetic developments of her era, examining the works of contemporaries and precursors alike. Her essays and prefaces frequently addressed the evolving techniques of fiction, the challenges facing women writers, and the broader transmission of literary tradition across languages and cultures. Readers interested in the history of modernist criticism and the development of narrative theory may find this volume a relevant point of reference.
Virginia Woolf maintained that the practice of criticism was intimately bound up with the creative act itself. This French edition, featuring introductory material by Agnès Desarthe, makes these reflections accessible to readers seeking to engage with the critical mindset behind masterworks such as Mrs Dalloway.