Trisha D. (lectio) reviewed Mrs. Woolf and the Servants: An Intimate History of Domestic Life in Bloomsbury on + 88 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
My fascination with all things British continues to dominate my reading and this was an especially interesting book not only because it was a biography of sorts (Virginia Woolf being a apt subject) but also because of the behind the scenes glimpse into the lives of the people who made life so cushy for the upper classes. The author dug around in lots of diaries and documents to reveal a dismal glimpse into what life was like during a time (roughly from the mid 19th century up until WWII) when hundreds of women had no other alternative than to go into service. While the book intrigued me, I came away with a distinct dislike for Virginia Woolf and her group of Bloomsberry friends. True, they were a talented and creative bunch, but this book also made it clear that they were incredibly snobbish and focused on themselves. True, Virginia herself seemed to have periodic qualms of conscience about the way she treated her various servants, but by and large she was no different than the others in her social circle those who were helpless when there was no one to wait on them, but who looked down on and often ridiculed their maids, cooks and housekeepers as being hopelessly inferior.
