"A FULL, BUSTLING LIVE BOOK": FIRST EDITION OF VIRGINIA WOOLF'S THE YEARS

WOOLF, Virginia. The Years. London: Hogarth Press, 1937. Octavo, original green cloth, original dust jacket. $4500.

First edition of the most ambitious and successful of Woolf's later novels, often viewed as her masterpiece, in original dust jacket designed by her sister Vanessa Bell. A lovely copy.

Woolf struggled for years with this novel, hoping to incorporate into a fictional form deep and meaningful commentary on the English middle class. Her efforts to revise, rewrite and edit what would become her longest work led her to compare it to "a long childbirth." On publication, audiences and critics responded eagerly, making her truly wealthy for the first time in her life. Viewed as her masterpiece, here Woolf "triumphantly accomplished what she set out to achieve: 'a full, bustling live book'" (Bradshaw & Blyth, eds., The Years). As is usual with Woolf's books, the jacket design is by her sister, Vanessa Bell. "The Years was published on 15 March 1937" (Bell, Virginia Woolf, 253). Kirkpatrick A22. Woolmer 423. Bell, 440. Bookplate. Bookseller label.

Interior fine, mild darkening to clean cloth at foot of spine. Unrestored original dust jacket with slight wear to foot of spine, minuscule rubs to upper corners. A lovely, near-fine copy.