In 1928 Virginia Woolf gave two speeches at Newnham and Girton Colleges on the subject of ‘Women and Fiction’ – speeches which went on to become A Room of One’s Own, one of the most important feminist texts of all time. Following the success of its publication, Woolf began to craft a follow-up novel-essay with which she intended to tie up the ‘loose ends’ left by her earlier work. The structure and shape of this follow-up title continued to evolve, however, and it was nearly a decade before Three Guineas appeared in print.

Written in response to three letters – an educated gentleman’s letter asking for her help in his efforts to prevent war, a letter asking for funds to rebuild a women’s college and a letter asking for support for a charity aiding women in finding work – Woolf’s three guineas on war, education and work are a level-headed and compassionate voice of reason in a storm of anger and repression.