The Common Reader
The Common Reader, published in 1925, is Virginia Woolf's first collection of essays, taking its title from Dr. Johnson's phrase for the reader who reads for pleasure rather than to instruct others. Woolf ranges from the Paston letters and Chaucer, the Elizabethan lumber room and the question of how one reads Greek, through Montaigne, Evelyn, Defoe and Addison, to Jane Austen, the Brontes, George Eliot, the Russians and Conrad. Modern Fiction states her case against Wells, Bennett and Galsworthy and for the novel of consciousness; The Lives of the Obscure rescues forgotten memoirists; How It Strikes a Contemporary considers why the present is so hard to judge. The essays are informal, exact and often funny. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Common Reader
The Common Reader by Virginia Woolf can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Common Reader online?
Yes. The Common Reader opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Common Reader free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Common Reader is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Common Reader in the public domain?
Yes. The Common Reader by Virginia Woolf is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Common Reader?
About 5 h 27 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Common Reader?
The Common Reader by Virginia Woolf is filed under "Essays & Letters" in the Vinteuil library.
