The Letters of Virginia Woolf, 1929-1931

Volume 4 of Virginia's letters is the best, so far, of the three volumes I have (2,3,4). (I have ordered 1,5,and 6). What makes this volume stand out to me are Virginia's letters to Ethel Smyth. Virginia's letters to Ethel are the most obviously witty. Some make one laugh out loud. I've often heard that VW could be witty/funny but haven't seen much evidence of it, at least that I could fathom. But here Virginia may be at her funniest. V obviously feels very free to be herself to Ethel; more than to anybody else I'd dare say. For the letters to Ethel alone this volume is precious, but there are many very good letters in this particular volume. An added bonus in this volume are 14 photos. Excerpt; "I felt very compunctious and rumpaxtious and gromboolious into the bargain (when I saw you go off...); bought a new camera said to be unrivalled in the portrayal of the human-if mine can be said to be human-face. So I shall send you a whole series of Virginia, and you will say very properly curse the woman for a quick silver mine of vanity - those will be your very words, and justified too: but also it shall record the noble features of the dripping cat", etc., etc., etc.. Another sample: "Well Ethel dear, I'm very glad that the poor cat - oh no I mean the happy the hirsute, the erect, the brindling and bristling cat - in fact the hedgehog, has gone to bed happy", etc... Highly recommended book.