"On Being Ill" by Virginia Woolf
- Pierre Turcotte Éditeur
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Pierre Turcotte Editor is proud to announce the publication of the literary essay On Being Ill by the English writer Virginia Woolf.
In On Being Ill, Virginia Woolf explores one of the most universal yet neglected aspects of human life: illness. With lyrical prose and remarkable insight, she argues that while literature has celebrated love, war, and ambition, it has largely ignored the profound emotional and psychological landscapes revealed by physical suffering. Through reflections on pain, solitude, language, and the altered perception of reality brought about by sickness, Woolf invites readers to reconsider the relationship between body and mind. Blending personal observation with philosophical meditation, she reveals how illness strips away convention, exposing both human vulnerability and unexpected moments of clarity and wonder. First published in 1926, this timeless essay remains strikingly relevant, offering a compassionate and thought-provoking exploration of mortality, resilience, and the hidden dimensions of everyday experience. On Being Ill is an enduring literary classic that speaks to every reader who has ever faced the fragility of the human condition.
Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) was one of the most influential English writers of the twentieth century. Born in London, she became famous for her innovative novels, including Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and Orlando. Woolf was a leading member of the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of writers, artists, and intellectuals. Her works often explore memory, identity, and the inner thoughts of her characters through a modernist style. Besides writing fiction, she was also an important essayist. In her essay On Being Ill (1926), Woolf argues that illness is a universal human experience that literature has often neglected. She reflects on how sickness changes the way people see the world, language, and themselves. Throughout her life, Woolf struggled with periods of mental illness, which influenced much of her writing. Despite her personal challenges, her novels and essays continue to inspire readers and scholars around the world, making her one of the most significant voices in English literature.
You can buy the digital book in EPUB format in our store for €1,99.
WOOLF, Virginia. On Being Ill. Montréal : Pierre Turcotte Éditeur, 2026, 26 p.
