The Book Club Review

Mrs Dalloway, with Charles Pignal • #123


Listen Later

Dull account of one woman’s day or rich and resonant masterpiece? Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf has divided readers since it was published and continues to spark debate today.

In London, one day in June, 1923, society hostess Clarissa Dalloway sets out to buy flowers for a party she is giving that evening. Returning home later she is visited by an old friend, Peter Walsh, who rekindles memories and feelings from her youth. Meanwhile making his own path through London traumatised soldier, Septimus Smith, is finding everyday life a torment and his young Italian wife cannot help him. Although they never meet, the two stories interweave as Woolf captures her characters and London on the page.

Join Kate and special guest, prolific reader and Instagram book reviewer  Charles Pignal as they dive into Dalloway and debate the results. Could Woolf have used a few less semi-colons? Can Kate talk about the book without weeping? If you haven’t read it, should you read it? Listen in for the answers to all these questions plus some great follow-on recommendations from Charles and from Kate and Laura picking up on the London theme. Whether you’re wondering what to read next for book club or just want some good additions to your own reading pile we have the book for you.

Book list

The Annotated Mrs Dalloway, with notes by Merve Emre

In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust

Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellman

The Waves by Virginia Woolf

Young Eliot and Eliot After the Waste Land by Robert Crawford

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

White Teeth and Intimations by Zadie Smith

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

On Golden Hill and Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street and 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

A Week in December by Sebastian Faulks

Queenie by Candice Carty Williams.

Notes

For more from Charles including reviews, his weekly books quiz, and author interviews find him on Instagram @charleslangip

Have thoughts on this episode, or a book to recommend? Go to the episode page on our website where you'll find full show notes for all the books discussed, a transcript and a comments forum. Comments go straight to our inboxes so get in touch, we love to hear from you.

You can also keep in touch between episodes on Instagram @BookClubReview podcast, or Twitter @bookclubrvwpod or drop us a line at [email protected].

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Book Club ReviewBy The Book Club Review

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

115 ratings


More shows like The Book Club Review

View all
The Book Review by The New York Times

The Book Review

3,862 Listeners

World Book Club by BBC World Service

World Book Club

360 Listeners

Books and Authors by BBC Radio 4

Books and Authors

380 Listeners

The Bookshelf by ABC listen

The Bookshelf

36 Listeners

Bookclub by BBC Radio 4

Bookclub

232 Listeners

Book Riot - The Podcast by Book Riot

Book Riot - The Podcast

947 Listeners

Well-Read by Ann Cox and Halle Eisenman

Well-Read

208 Listeners

Backlisted by Backlisted

Backlisted

564 Listeners

The Book Show by ABC listen

The Book Show

13 Listeners

The Waterstones Podcast by Waterstones

The Waterstones Podcast

35 Listeners

Sarah's Bookshelves Live by Sarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves

Sarah's Bookshelves Live

756 Listeners

Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize Podcast by Women’s Prize Podcast/ Bird Lime Media

Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize Podcast

42 Listeners

Literally Reading by Literally Reading

Literally Reading

231 Listeners

Book Talk, etc. by Tina @tbretc and Hannah @hanpickedbooks

Book Talk, etc.

573 Listeners

Sara & Cariad's Weirdos Book Club by Plosive

Sara & Cariad's Weirdos Book Club

45 Listeners