“Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself”: So reads one of the great opening lines in British literature, the first sentence of Virginia Woolf’s classic 1925 novel, “Mrs. Dalloway.”

The book tracks one day in the life of an English woman, Clarissa Dalloway, living in post-World War I London, as she prepares for, and then hosts, a party. That’s pretty much it, as far as the plot goes. But within that single day, whole worlds unfold, as Woolf captures the expansiveness of human experience through Clarissa’s roving thoughts. On this week’s episode, Book Club host MJ Franklin discusses it with his colleagues Joumana Khatib and Laura Thompson.

Other books mentioned in this episode:

“The Passion According to G.H.,” by Clarice Lispector

“A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing,” by Eimear McBride

“The Lesser Bohemians,” by Eimear McBride

“To the Lighthouse,” by Virginia Woolf

“Orlando,” by Virginia Woolf

“A Room of One’s Own,” by Virginia Woolf

“The Hours,” by Michael Cunningham

“Headshot,” by Rita Bullwinkel

“Tilt,” by Emma Pattee

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.