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On Being Ill
On Being Ill | Virginia Woolf
5 posts | 1 read | 5 to read
2014 Reprint of 1926 Printing. Full facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. "On Being Ill" is an essay by Virginia Woolf that appeared in T. S. Eliot's "The New Criterion" in January 1926. The essay sought to establish illness as a serious subject of literature along the lines of love, jealousy and battle. Woolf writes, "Considering how common illness is, how tremendous the spiritual change that it brings, how astonishing, when the lights of health go down, the undiscovered countries that are then disclosed, what wastes and deserts of the soul a slight attack of influenza brings to light...it becomes strange indeed that illness has not taken its place with love, battle, and jealousy among the prime themes of literature. Novels, one would have thought, would have been devoted to influenza; epic poems to typhoid; odes to pneumonia, lyrics to toothache. But no; ... literature does its best to maintain that its concern is with the mind; that the body is a sheet of plain glass through which the soul looks straight and clear." Woolf explores the taboos associated with illness, and she discusses how illness transforms experience and changes our relationship to the world around us.
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Bibliogeekery
On Being Ill | Virginia Woolf
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Thanks so much for all your care and support about my presumptive Covid19! It means so much! I'm feeling really rough today, was at the hospital briefly, but am at home again resting. Hope to feel well enough for some light uplifting reading soon. Any suggestions?

CBee Nothing to suggest, but I just LOVE this art ❤️ Take good care of yourself! 5y
KristenDuck Feel better soon!! 5y
Eyelit If you like hilarity, romance, and choose your own adventures this book is so much fun 5y
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merelybookish Healing vibes! 🙏 5y
Amandajoy I might recommend an audio book. I like the Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid for light hearted and fun. It‘s great on audio! 5y
Leftcoastzen Hope you feel better soon! 5y
MySharonaK Feel better soon ❣️ 5y
rockpools Hope you‘re doing ok 🌻🌼🌸🌺🌸🌻 5y
64 likes8 comments
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jmofo
On Being Ill | Virginia Woolf
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@Bibliogeekery I hope you recover quickly! I also hope this link works. They are on the west coast, so the video‘ll be better when it‘s not nighttime there! https://www.vanaqua.org/visit/live-cams-jelly-cam

Bibliogeekery You are so kind! Thanks so much for this, it's amazing! 5y
22 likes2 comments
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Bibliogeekery
On Being Ill | Virginia Woolf
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Hi folks. So I'm sick, my doctor has reported me to public health with presumptive COVID19. I can't get tested because I don't work in a public setting so I'm in isolation at home with instructions to go to the hospital if I worsen. I haven't been able to concentrate on reading but books and book people are so comforting to me so thanks for being here, Litsy pals. 💕 (I also find pictures of jellyfish comforting)

SamAnne Sending you healing thoughts. How scary for you. 5y
JaclynW I'm sorry! Take care! 💕💕 5y
melissajayne I hope you feel better soon! 5y
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TheBookAddict I do hope you get better soon! Take care. We‘re here for you if you need some Bookish talk. 💕💕 5y
Megabooks Sending hugs and healing vibes!! 💕💕 I took some pictures of jellyfish at the Monterey bay aquarium, and I‘ll try to find them tomorrow! 5y
valeriegeary We're here for you! ❤️ 5y
Lizpixie Oh no! Sending much love & virtual hugs from Australia. We are always here for you♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ 5y
Eyelit Take good care! 💜💜💜 5y
CBee Take care and keep us updated! We are here for you ❤️❤️ 5y
Simona Take care❣️ 5y
jmtrivera I'm sorry! Hope you recover quickly! 💜 5y
Bookwormjillk Take care ❤️❤️ 5y
Kalalalatja Take care ❤️ 5y
batsy Take care and I hope you have a swift recovery 💜 5y
sherryvdh Hope you recover quickly! Sending healing vibes. 💚💙💜 5y
Soubhiville I hope you‘re feeling better soon. 5y
j.rye I hope you recover quickly! A friend was diagnosed early into this and he is already on the mend. 🤞 you have a swift journey to health like he did. 5y
rabbitprincess Hope you‘re feeling better soon! ♥️♥️ 5y
Jas16 I hope you feel better soon. Also the Monterey Bay Aquarium website has jellyfish live cams which I find soothing and you might as well. 5y
Amandajoy I hope you get well soon! 5y
Sarahreadstoomuch I hope you recover quickly! Best wishes! 5y
emtobiasz Take care ❤️ 5y
Bookzombie Take care. 💗 Hope you recover quickly! 5y
Nute Thinking of you! Praying for a swift and full recovery. Sending positive energy and healing vibes. Take Care!💕 5y
janeycanuck So sorry to hear you are sick, hope you kick this soon! 5y
56 likes25 comments
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MirrorMask
On Being Ill | Virginia Woolf
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“Those great wars which the body wages with the mind a slave to it, in the solitude of the bedroom against the assault of fever or the oncome of #melancholia, are neglected. Nor is the reason far to seek. To look these things squarely in the face would need the courage of a lion tamer; a robust philosophy; a reason rooted in the bowels of the earth.”

#LitsyClassics @Sarah83

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EnidBiteEm
On Being Ill | Virginia Woolf
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"...what wastes and deserts of the soul a slight attack of influenza brings to light ..." Thankfully, not in my time. My favourite quote about flu is Chuck Palahnuik's "The best thing about getting the flu shot is that you never need again wash your hands" Also not true, but hilarious. #greatquotes #septphotochallenge #somethingforseptember