| Genre: | Literature |
|---|---|
| Language : | English |
| Published: | October 01, 2002 |
| Edition: | 11th |
Hardcover | |
| ISBN13: | 9781930464063 |
| ISBN10: | 1930464061 |
| Dimensions: | 5.2 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight: | 454 g |
About the Book
Virginia Woolf observes that though illness is part of every human being's experience, it has rarely been the focus of literature - like the more acceptable subjects of war and love. We cannot quote Shakespeare to describe a headache. We must, Woolf says, invent language to describe pain. Illness enhances our perceptions and, she observes, it reduces self-consciousness, it is "the great confessional." Throughout On Being Ill, Woolf discusses the taboos associated with illness, and she explores how illness transforms experience and changes our relationship to the world around us.