A daring, deeply affecting third novel by the author of A Home at the End of the World and Flesh and Blood. In The Hours, Michael Cunningham, widely praised as one of the most gifted writers of his generation, draws inventively on the life and work of Virginia Woolf to tell the story of a group of contemporary characters struggling with the conflicting claims of love and inheritance, hope and despair. The narrative of Woolf's last days before her suicide early in World War II counterpoints the fictional stories of Samuel, a famous poet whose life has been shadowed by his talented and troubled mother, and his lifelong friend Clarissa, who strives to forge a balanced and rewarding life in spite of the demands of friends, lovers, and family. Passionate, profound, and deeply moving, this is Cunningham's most remarkable achievement to date. The film adaptation of The Hours premiered in December 2003. Directed by Stephen Daldry, with the screenplay by David Hare, starring Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Nicole Kidman, The Hours was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won for Best Actress in a Leading Role. The film was also nominated for seven Golden Globes and won for Best Motion Picture-Drama and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama.