A very short book, with an essay written by Virginia Woolf, and afterword written engagingly by Sheila Heti.

Easy and quick to read, yet very thought-provoking - how should you read a book? What should you bring to it? How should you absorb and internalise it? Should you take other people's opinions of the book into account - in fact, should you take the author's opinion and intentions to meaning into account, or can you surmise and decide your own?.

Reading this short book will make you pay more attention to what you are reading. Everyone who considers themselves a reader would do well to give this a read.

Considered, insightful and endlessly empathetic to both reader and writer this essay pulls off the same trick that Woolf does so well in her writing - opening up the world to us all with a careful focus on the myriad lives and stories that move through it. Just wonderful.

A delightful little read all about the brilliance of books. Woolf's essay will inspire both readers and writers alike, offering a wealth of insights on how to approach an author's work.

This was so lovely to read and actually helped with my publishing dissertation!

Heti's afterword really brought the whole thing together and reflected on the text really well. I look forward to buying myself a physical copy of the book to keep!

Confession: I’ve only ever read one other work by Virginia Woolf, but that alone was enough to assure me I MUST read more.

How Should One Read A Book was first delivered as a lecture, which explains why this essay is very short - I wanted more of it! Beautifully written and with such eloquence and authority, Woolf discusses the reader-writer relationship whilst highlighting our approaches to literature depending on genre. She seamlessly moves from her ideas on reading novels to biographies to poetry, interweaving it all with the main theme about the joy of reading. English graduates may recognise this as a mini crash course in critical theory, but with a bit more passion and fun!

The introduction and afterword by Sheila Heiti is equally as exquisite and gave me another way of thinking about my own journey with books and writing.

This is a wonderfully thoughtful read for all book lovers! Thank you for this ARC.

A lovely essay by Virginia Woolf, sandwiched between intro and epilogue by Sheila Heti. Woolf discusses the importance of readers who read to love and discover, over critics who read for different motivations entirely. I like the idea of a book returning to the reader later as a “shadow-shape” and that its shape is determined not only by the author’s intention but also by the contours of the reader’s life at the time.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I enjoyed reading this book, it gave me some interesting ideas. Read it to help me prepare for my masters in literature. Highly recommend!

A short essay by Virginia Wolf, dedicated to all book lovers, or those who would like to be.

Un breve saggio di Virginia Wolf, dedicato a tutti gli amanti dei libri, o a chi vorrebbe esserlo.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

I struggle with Virginia Woolf's language a bit, but I appreciated the sentiment of this short essay. I particularly enjoyed the preface and postscript that explored how writers and readers interact with each other over a book or any kind of piece of writing.

This essay was such a treat. If I had a paper copy, I would have already started highlighting and taking notes on the margins. It is, of course, a fascinating look into VIrginia Woolf's perspective regarding the role of the reader. Furthermore, it got me thinking about our role—my role—as a reader in today's world. How do we choose what we read, and how is our perception of what we read influenced from the outside, rather than letting it be a personal experience. These are such different times from when Woolf wrote this essay. We consume books in multiple ways, and some of us reserve certain types of consumption for certain types of reading: audio, e-book, hardcover, paperback, each play a role in our experience as readers. We also have different forms of criticism now: beyond the traditional literary critic, we have Instagram for visual judgment of covers, blogs by people from varied backgrounds and interests, ARC reviewers*, etc. I wonder what Virginia Woolf would think of all this, and would she estimate that we are better off, or worse, as readers today?

*I received an ARC (!) in exchange for an honest review.

I had never read any of Virgina Woolf books prior to read this, its a very short read but It was very inspiring and question how I read my own books .

“If by our means books were to become stronger, richer, and more varied, that would be an end worth reaching.” - Virginia Woolf

In this slim volume, Virginia Woolf and Sheila Heti (who writes the introduction and afterword) consider how readers should approach books. Their delightful prose and thoughtful conclusions inspire the reader to reflect upon their own reading practices. Both Woolf and Heti approach this topic as writers and – one would guess – thinking of how they want their own work read. At some points I was in complete agreement with them, at others I wasn’t so sure. They engaged me in a debate and spurred me to think deeply about the topic from multiple perspectives. This, in my opinion, is more valuable than reading an essay that neatly aligns with my views. For this, as well as the elegance of their writing, I recommend this book.

A wonderful edition of a classic and often under-read Virginia Woolf essay. The essays by Sheila Heti give some great context to the book, and help to guide the reader through some of the ideas that Woolf presents. Great for a high school or college student/ classroom, and a wonderful book for adults who want to confront their reading habits and approach their views of literature critically.

An interesting speech given by Virginia Woolf to some students, edited into an essay. A quick half hour read, lovely for free, not sure I'd feel the same after paying the £7 price tag...

Absolutely loved this from the legendary Virginia Woolf. Still extremely applicable to the present day. I recommend this with my whole heart and am so grateful to the publisher and all involved for reviving this from the past for us to enjoy!

This essay really made me think about reading in a fresh new way. Woolf had an original mind. I will recommend this to friends and my book group.

A wonderful gem of an essay.The introduction so well written then on to the essay and the afterward.I enjoyed every page from beginning to end .#netgalley#laurencekingpublishing

"Most commonly we come to books with blurred and divided minds, asking of fiction that it shall be true, of poetry that it shall be false, of biography that it shall be flattering, of history that it shall enforce our own prejudices."

Every single time, literally every. single. time I read anything by Virginia Woolf, my first thought is "Wow, I really love this woman," immediately followed by "I really should read all of her books right now". I can't exactly name or pinpoint what it is about her and her work that makes me go feral - the same way Florence and the Machine's entire discography makes me go feral - but they do; and I am okay with that. In my -very unbiased and entirely objective - opinion, Virginia Woolf is not just one of the best writers who ever lived, she is also one of the most brilliant minds I have had the pleasure of coming across.

The edition of her essay I was provided with concludes with an essay written by Sheila Heti on the importance of reviewing books, trusting your friends with reviewing your unfinished books and earlier drafts, and the role of the collective writing community in making sure that a book reaches its final - and best - form before publication. While I had not previously read any of Heti's work, I really enjoyed the insight she provided into the writing community and the bonds formed between writers, as they try to better, challenge, and help one another.

**A copy was provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I feel like if anyone should give advice and opinions on reading, it's Virginia Woolf. This refreshing new release of her essay is a fantastic reminder of the importance and joys of reading and writing.

This essay by Virginia Woolf was absorbing with lots of beautiful imagery describing the process of reading which I feel will stay with me. The introduction was also very engaging, as was the afterword which focused on the creative art of writing. I would recommend this to anyone who loves reading or writing books.