Dear classics readers,

I am delighted to announce our June read-along! We’ll read Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, her most beloved novel, which was first published 100 years ago on 14 May 1925. It is set over the course of a single day – a Wednesday in the middle of June.

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What is it?

Mrs Dalloway takes place over the course of a single day in June and is told through shifting streams of consciousness, punctuated by the leaden chimes of Big Ben. The narrative is shared primarily by the middle-aged Clarissa Dalloway, preparing for a party, Septimus Smith, a First World War veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress, and Peter Walsh, Clarissa’s former flame, all of whose memories return to haunt them over the course of the day. Woolf’s working title was The Hours, which Michael Cunningham borrowed for his 1998 novel about the creation and afterlife of Mrs Dalloway.

Why are we reading it now?

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Mrs Dalloway. The book is set over a single day in June, so I suggest we read the novel next month, over a single day, in real-time.

How will we read it?

Mrs Dalloway is 190 pages long in my Vintage Classics edition (see below). There are no chapter headings, but the text is divided into twelve sections of different lengths.

I suggest we read the novel in real-time, over a single day, Wednesday 18 June:

• We’ll start just before 10am and read the first section. (‘Mrs Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself . . .’ to ‘. . . as if those motor cars, those tyres of motor cars, were all her fault.’ – pp. 3-13 in my Vintage Classics edition.)

• At 10.30 we’ll read the second section. (‘The violent explosion . . .’ to ‘. . . out from behind poured white smoke looping, writing a T, an O, an F.’ – pp. 13-28.)

• At 11am we’ll read the third section. (‘What are they looking at? . . .’ to ‘. . . as Peter Walsh shut the door.’ – pp. 28-47.)

• At 11.30 we’ll attempt to read the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth sections. (‘Remember my party . . .’ to ‘. . . said Dr Holmes, looking not quite so kind.’ – pp. 47-93.) This is quite a tall order! 46 pages in half an hour. A lot happens in Regent’s Park . . . Don’t worry if you run out of time here – there’ll be a chance to catch up later.

• At 12pm we’ll read the first part of the ninth section. (‘It was precisely twelve o’clock . . .’ to ‘. . . she did not like that man.’ – pp. 93-101.)

• Then we’ll have a break for lunch. (And we can catch up on the Regent’s Park section if necessary.)

• At 1.30 we’ll read the second part of the ninth section. (‘Shredding and slicing . . .’ to ‘. . . “Ah, the news from India!” she cried.’ – pp. 101-109.)

• At 2.30 we’ll read the third part of the ninth section. (‘And then, as they stood in the hall . . .’ to ‘. . . Lunch parties waste the entire afternoon, he thought, approaching his door.’ – pp. 110-116.)

• At 3pm we’ll read the fourth part of the ninth section. (‘The sound of Big Ben flooded Clarissa’s drawing-room . . .’ to ‘. . . Elizabeth walking to the Army and Navy Stores.’ – pp. 116-125.)

• At 3.30 we’ll read the fifth part of the ninth section. (‘Big Ben struck the half-hour. . . .’ to ‘. . . Elizabeth Dalloway mounted the Westminster omnibus.’ – pp. 126-138.)

• Then we’ll have a break for tea.

• At 5.45 we’ll read the sixth part of the ninth section. (‘Going and coming, beckoning, signalling . . .’ to ‘. . . So that was Dr Holmes.’ – pp. 138-149.)

• At 6.30 we’ll read the first part of the tenth section. (‘One of the triumphs of civilisation . . .’ to ‘. . . he was about to have an experience. But what?’ – pp. 149-161.)

• At 8pm we’ll read the second part of the tenth section and the first part of the eleventh section. (‘Beauty anyhow . . .’ to ‘. . . She was for the party!’ – pp. 161-172.)

• At 9.45 we’ll read the second part of the eleventh section and the twelfth section. (‘There was her old friend Sir Harry . . .’ to ‘. . . For there she was.’ – pp. 172-191.)

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How will we stay in touch?

During the day I’ll be posting on Substack chat and I’d love to hear how you’re getting on as we read together. Please join me for the chat!

Join chat

(You can access Substack chat either through the Substack app or on the web.)

Then on Friday 20 June I’ll post a report on the day, where you will be able to post comments as usual.

All of our Mrs Dalloway posts will be collected here.

Which edition should I read?

There are lots of excellent editions of Mrs Dalloway available.

The edition I’ll be reading on the day is this beautiful, pocket-sized Vintage Classics edition with a floral flapped cover, which they published in 2016.

Buy the Vintage Classics edition (UK)

The Vintage Classics edition doesn’t have any notes, however. The edition I’ve read in the past – and which I’m also using to prepare for this read-along – is the Penguin Classics edition with notes by Elaine Showalter.

Buy the Penguin Classics edition (UK)

The Penguin Classics edition is also available in the US, as is an NYRB Classics edition.

Buy the NYRB Classics edition (US)

I look forward to reading with you on Wednesday 18th June!

What if I don’t want to read it?

If you don’t want to read Mrs Dalloway, you can opt out of our read-along emails and conversation. Just follow this link to your settings and under Notifications slide the toggle next to ‘Mrs Dalloway’. A grey toggle means you will not receive emails relating to this title.

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