A new look at an iconic writer, a racist empire, and a diverse city, brought uncomfortably together by a bold trick on the Royal Navy.
. . .
In February 1910, Virginia Woolf joined an outrageous hoax on the British Navy. Blackening her face with greasepaint, she masqueraded as an African prince and conned her way onto the decks of the most famous battleship of the day, the H.M.S. Dreadnought. The stunt sparked a global sensation. It made headlines around the world for weeks, embarrassed the Royal Navy, and even provoked heated discussions in parliament.
But who was the “girl prince,” and what was she doing there?
ABOUT
LATEST BLOG
Latest Blogs
Happy Birthday, Virginia
No photograph of Virginia Woolf is as famous as the portrait above taken by celebrity photographer George Charles Beresford in 1902 when Woolf was just twenty-years old. It has been used to sell everything from Bass Ale to tote bags. You can find it on throw pillows,...
The Girl Prince Hits Hurst’s BESTSELLER LIST!
Not only is The Girl Prince on my publisher's Bestseller List, it's also 50% off for BLACK FRIDAY (which means now until December 3) Woo hooo! If you are in the US, you'll want to order it from Hurst as an ebook--because, well, shipping from the UK is spendy! That...
The Girl Prince: Virginia Woolf, Race, and the Dreadnought Hoax Hits Bookshelves in the UK TODAY!
An iconic writer. A practical joke on the British Navy in blackface. The Girl Prince: Virginia Woolf, Race and the Dreadnought Hoax If you're like me, it's almost impossible to imagine the legendary feminist, pacifist writer Virginia Woolf getting involved in...