Great Thinkers

» Georgene A. Bramlage - Happy Birthday Virginia!

Glad to see Virginia mentioned for her birthday. She was, to put it mildly, a very interesting woman and author.

She was also the most treasured paramour of Vita Sackville-West, gardener "extraordinaire" of Sissinghurst fame. Woolf wrote "Orlando" for Sackville-West.

Much is written about their relationship in "Portrait of a Marriage" by son Nigel Nicholson [http://www.amazon.com/Portrait-Marriage-...
and "Vita" by Victoria Glendinning [http://www.amazon.com/Vita-Victoria-Glen...

I don't think we can overlook the fact that Virginia had (in today's vernacular) "mental health problems." Friends and I have often discussed the possibility that she would have ended her life sooner if it had not been for Leonard. Sackville-West felt that if she had been present, Virginia would not have ended her life.

Virginia Woolf died on March 28, 1941 near Rodmell, Sussex, England. She walked to the River Ouse, put a large stone in her pocket, and drowned herself. Children found her body 18 days later.

I've never visited Monks House at Rodmell, Surrey [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-v... now a National Trust property. The one time I had a chance, it was closed when I arrived. However, I have spent many hours at Sissinghurst [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-v... ,also a National Trust property, soaking in the atmosphere there.

My recent poll "Landscapes of Love" at my Landscaping topic [http://landscaping.suite101.com] has Sissinghurst as one of its responses. My Valentine's article is to be about "Landscapes of Love."

Thanks for letting me share :+)

Georgene

» pink101 - Happy Birthday Virginia!

In response to Happy Birthday Virginia! posted by Cercis:

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I've been thinking about the Virginia Wolf situation ever since I first read your message yesterday.
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There was a developing perception in society about "how things are" (reality?) that was growing in the twentieth century. Was it romanticism? Maybe so.
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Women like Greta Garbo moved front and center in the minds of so many women.
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I suppose Hollywood has played an important role in the personal experiences of the majority of Americans and, through them, a big part of the rest of Western Civilization.
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-- posted by pink101

» Georgene A. Bramlage - Happy Birthday Virginia!

In response to Happy Birthday Virginia! posted by Cercis:
Virginia and I thank you for your most recent article "Virginia Woolf: Short Bio."

Nice, concise and to the point.

Georgene

» Tel Asiado - Happy Birthday Virginia!

In response to Happy Birthday Virginia! posted by Cercis:

Hi Georgene,

Thank you so much for your encouraging post. You've greatly encouraged me to look over my Woolf books all over my place. Something to add to my New Year to do. I have to confess I haven't been reading about her lately, but re-ignited now more than ever... and boxes of biographies to re-visit. ;)

I have to re-visit the links. Some of them won't open the first times I did try. Not sure if it's my IE browser or not.

Uh-huh, I know about Vita S-W, and have some book too *again, somewhere in my boxes* But I to admit not having minded much her being a gardener. Now, you've really got me enthused on gardens and landscapes related to them, my interest is heightened.

Right now I'm thinking of which book/s I have written by Nigel Nicholson and hope I haven't donated them to our local library. Sometimes, those hard cover ones are candidates for culling to manage our shelves. ;)

You've also just "reminded" me to re-watch my video of "The Hours", that one with Nicole Kidman in the role of V Woolf, and also stars Meryl Streep.

Come to think of it, I think I don't have a copy of "Portrait of a Marriage" but have an old video of "Orlando."

Enjoying your shared info, thanks!

Tel

» Tel Asiado - Happy Birthday Virginia!

In response to Happy Birthday Virginia! posted by Cercis:

Hi Georgene,

I've just been to the links. I need to find out why your Amazon links don't take me to the sites.

I love Sissinghurst Gardens, but then I always love these kinds of gardens, one of the first things I'd love to drift to when I visit any place, any country. I can be in our Royal Botanical Gardens here in Sydney, and forget time. ;)

» Tel Asiado - Happy Birthday Virginia!

In response to Happy Birthday Virginia! posted by pink101:

True Pink101. Hollywood has always been most influential in anything, including wartime movies - you know the heroes and anti-heroes, the "brainstorming" and all that.

Yes, Greta Garbo, Hedy Lamarr, Marlene Dietrich, etc... those were the golden years of Hollywood. I'm thinking of one oldie film that I really like watching, I think it's "Judgment at Nuremberg" star-studded. Oops, I've deviated a bit.

Tel