not in Douglas or Clan

The Widow and the Parrot was written in the early 1920s by Virginia Woolf for her young nephews, Quentin and Julian Bell, who were about 12 or 13 years old at the time and produced a daily family newspaper. The boys were not impressed and considered rejecting their famous aunt's submission. They expected a witty, lighthearted story characteristic of Woolf's conversation, but instead got a typical Victorian "improving story" with a moral.

Thankfully the story was discovered 60 years later. It's a simple story and could be attributed to any parent or aunt trying to entertain children with a tale set in their village. What makes it more interesting is the history of how it came about. It was published with an entertaining afterword by nephew Quentin Bell, now also a famous writer, who relates the history of the story. He said as a child he tried to read his aunt's famous book Kew Gardens but failed to finish it. When he first read The Widow and the Parrot he found it to be even worse! Fortunately he was able to recognize that her many fans would love to read the story, even though it is not very imaginative. In fact, the topic of how virtue conquers all was plainly tired even back then.

What I liked most about this book are the beautiful illustrations by Woolf's grand-nephew Julian Bell, who was born several years after her death. Many of the scenes are from the area surrounding the village of Rodmell in Sussex, the setting of the story, where the artist currently lives and where Woolf once lived. I believe Virginia Woolf would be very happy with the "final chapter". ( )