Three Reasons to Read Mrs. Dalloway:
1. To challenge yourself to read in a new way. There is a lot to unpack in this book, and one learns to read slowly and refer back to previous sections in the novel. Mrs. Dalloway forces you to take your time.
2. To gain a different perspective on everyday occurrences. While basing an entire novel on the actions of an ordinary woman on a single day in her life seems dull, it is this basic concept that makes Mrs. Dalloway is so brilliantly thought-provoking. Not only is the reader able to get a firsthand look at the thoughts of the characters in a way most other books don’t allow, but they are also likely to take a closer look at their own “ordinary” thoughts and actions. How much do we miss in the 365 days we experience every year?
3. To encourage discussion as a part of the reading process. I think that a large part of reading is discussing works with other readers, gaining new insight, and perhaps even revising your own thoughts as a result. There is a lot to be picked up on in this book, and I think it is unlikely that one will easily pick up on all of Woolf’s details without a second set of eyes and opinions.

Three Reasons to Read The Hours:
1. Like Margaret, I feel that Michael Cunningham, as a male author, has done a phenomenal job portraying three woman’s lives. Even if the book doesn’t become a favorite, I think it is worth the few hours that it would take a woman to read this book.
2. To help you better understand Mrs. Dalloway. The Hours made Mrs. Dalloway much more approachable for me; I was better able to appreciate Virginia Woolf’s intentions with Mrs. Dalloway after I had a more modern text to consult.
3. To be surprised by how closely someone can draw from an already unique text, but create something entirely new. Although some may call The Hours direct imitation, but I think it is a reinvention; taking something old and making it entirely new. The Hours as modern day modernism? Perhaps.
Why One Should Read Mrs. Dalloway First:
While the books complement each other nicely, I think it is important to read Mrs. Dalloway first. Without having read Mrs. Dalloway first, a reader will not be able to appreciate the countless details and allusions Michael Cunningham specifically includes in The Hours. Also, by reading The Hours after Mrs. Dalloway, it is easier to appreciate and understand Woolf’s text; people are more likely to return to Dalloway to match up characters, symbolism, and other hidden messages they may have missed.