Blogging Woolf

Among those who plow through Virginia Woolf’s diaries and letters, it is common knowledge that she used her pen to wittily criticize  members of her set as well as other writers of her time.

She was not alone in this practice. And now a new book, edited by Gary Dexter and just out this month, documents what she and other famous writers said about each other’s work.

Poison Pens, Literary Invective from Amis to Zola  is the book, and it is garnering positive reviews.

Woolf’s words about D.H.  Lawrence are one of the featured criticisms. In the book, the following remark about Lawrence is featured: “English has one million words: Why confine yourself to six?”

Dexter is the writer of a long-running column for the Sunday Telegraph.