first printed in 1928, and spoken to an audience at Cambridge, 6 inspiring chapters on what is needed for the creative life

This edition contained two linked feminist essays, the most famous of which is A Room of One's Own and definitely my favourite of the two. Displaying more dry humour than I remember in some of her fictional books, A Room of One's Own almost feels like the warm up act for The Three Guineas. Woolf is wry and clever with how she subtly builds her case around the shackles and constraints put on women over time, and I found it eye-opening. Why had I never considered before how difficult it must have been for the likes of Austen and the Brontes to forge a path in fictional writing, and how constrained they were by the narrowness of the experiences and opportunities open to them in life? How different would their writing have been had they been allowed to have an education and careers like their brothers, to earn their own salaries, to travel, study and follow whatever pursuits and interests they wished?

It's a while since I've read any Woolf, and A Room of One's Own reminded me just how delicious her turn of phrase was, and what an incredible mind she possessed.

Three Guineas had a different feel to it. While Woolf almost pretends to naively dance around the subject of feminism, casually throwing in on-point observations which are purposely yet quietly building up to support her argument, in Three Guineas the gloves are decidedly off and there's a much spikier feel to her writing. The essay is structured as Woolf's response to a letter from an unknown gentleman asking for her opinion in how to prevent war (which was looming in 1936/1937). Woolf, in musing about why she hasn't responded to the letter, wastes no time in arguing her case around how difficult it is for a woman, who has no access to education or the world of professions, to respond to such a question, given the limitations social structures puts on women. She also responds to two other letters requesting financial support for a women's college and an organisation to help women enter professions, making clear her feelings on she doesn't subscribe to the patriarchal vision for the focus of both.

Although both essays are centred around a similar topic, Three Guineas is much more of a polemic than A Room of One's Own, and I enjoyed much more the humour and writing style of Woolf in the latter.

3.5 stars - Three Guineas went on for much longer than I needed it too, but A Room of One's Own was very enjoyable. ( )

Both works are considered early feminist classics, and both are non-fictional works. A Room of One's Own is often said to be a book-length essay, while Three Guineas is a much longer work.

A Room of One's Own is much more readable than Three Guineas. The former work is more focused while the structure is clearer. The main idea is straightforward, and Woolf's eloquent writing assures a pleasurable read.

Three Guineas is much less accessible. It is a longer work that addresses various issues including feminism, pacifism, anti-facism and anti-imperialism. The structure is novel and unusual in the sense the much of the text is written as a response to letters raising questions. Basically, Three Guineas seems a bit too long and circular or repetitive.

Both works are now celebrated as classics, but to modern readers they feel rather dated, particularly the latter. The theme of A Room of One's Own is universal and timeless, while Three Guineas feels much more dated.

Despite the lesser interest of Three Guineas, reading both will deepen our understanding of Virginia Woolf and her time. ( )

Clearly an important book, revolutionary in its time, full of wisdom nuggets, very quotable and quite inspiring. Easily five stars.

I found it a bit TOO artfully written, though. The author's writing is so twisty, self-deprecating, overly understated, and circuitous that it feels... manipulative. But I cannot fault Woolf for it: it is her style, and it was the way she learned how to be heard best, and I am by no means suggesting that she was a manipulative woman. Her style is just something that dates the work a little. I'm used to reading essays of this sort written much more directly, with not nearly as much ornamentation, and which I do like far better.

But, reminder: FIVE STARS, this book is a must-read. ( )

Category

Good

A famous feminist polemic based on talks and essays that Woolf created in answer to doing something on women in fiction. Why is there no female equivalent of Shakespeare? She posits the belief that until women have their own money and a room that they can retreat to without having to look after little ones then women were not able to find the time to write. Aphra Behn, George Elliott, the Brontes, Jane Austin and many many more. This is an intelligent and well-argued theory and well worth reading. It was first published in 1928 and it is both interesting and sobering to see how far we have come since women got the vote and were legally allowed to have their own money. It is also galling to see how little we’ve moved on some things, such as the depiction of women in books.

Overall – very important and an easy and enjoyable read ( )