Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) is now generally recognized as the author of two of the twentieth century's greatest literary works,To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway, both of which employ a style of narration that has come to be known as ""stream of consciousness"" because it focuses on the interior-and not always logical-movement of thought that make up the better part of most people's psyches. The Ramsays are holidaying in the Hebrides, and young James Ramsay is keen to visit a lighthouse; his father and mother respond quite differently to the idea, but his father prevails.

Through this and a variety of other incidents a portrait of the family and their friends comes into focus; most clearly of all, at the family's centre, the consciousness of Mrs. Ramsay emerges. In the book's final section, Mrs. Ramsay has died, as have two of the Ramsay children-Andrew in the war, Prue in childbirth.

In this sombre context, James and his father finally make the trip to the lighthouse. This Broadview edition provides a reliable text at a very reasonable price.

It contains textual notes but no appendices or introduction.