This selection brings together thirty of Virginia Woolf´s essays. She discusses the arts of writing and reading, life writing, the role and reputation of women writers, and modern life in London in the early decades of the twentieth century. The essays are: The decay of essay-writing: Modern fiction: The modern essay, how it strikes a contemporary: Mr. Bennett and Mrs Brown: Character in fiction: ´Impassioned prose´: How should one read a book?, Poetry, fiction and the future: Craftmanship: The new biography: On being ill: Leslie Stephen: The art of biography: The feminine note in fiction: Women novelists: Women and fiction: Professions for women: Memories of a working women's Guild: Why?: Thunder at Wembley: The cinnema: Street haunting: a London adventure: The sun and the fish: The docks of London: Oxford Street tide: Evening over Sussex: refliections in a motor car: Flying over Londen: Why art today follows politics: Thoughts on peace in an air raid.