From Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway

The above quotation comes from Mrs. Dalloway. As a sidenote, I just finished Orlando. Can't wait to watch the movie. In a lot of ways, this book felt different from her others, or at least the ones I've read. It's more action-driven, more affectionate towards its main character, and though Woolf's signature close psychologising was certainly in effect, she seemed to stand farther back from Orlando than usual, giving us a chance to see him from both outside and in. This contributes to a feeling of fun - we're always laughing at Orlando, just a little, even when we want her to succeed. Earlier this summer I read some of Woolf's letters to Vita Sackville-West, her lover and the woman on whom Orlando is based. This is highly recommended, as it brought a depth and sympathy to my reading that might not otherwise have been present.