Virginia Woolf Publishes Orlando — A Love Letter to Vita Sackville-West

Virginia Woolf published Orlando: A Biography, a fantastical novel whose protagonist changes sex and lives for centuries. The book was directly inspired by Woolf's passionate love affair with Vita Sackville-West, and Vita's son later described it as 'the longest and most charming love letter in literature.' Woolf, one of the foremost modernist authors of the twentieth century, had deep romantic relationships with women throughout her life. Her literary innovations — stream of consciousness, feminist criticism, and explorations of gender — transformed English literature. Her works include Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, and A Room of One's Own.