This is Vera Brittain's account of her childhood in Buxton, England. Her father is of the opinion that it is a waste of time and energy to educate women, but Vera is committed to attaining her education. She writes openly about her father's full opinion of women, which is deeply misogynistic, and he leaves her home to attend Oxford where she attends Somerville College.
Meanwhile, the Great War begins, and Edward, Vera's brother enlists in service. She joins the war efforts as a nurse after a year of school. She and her other friends help wounded soldiers. She sees horrible battle wounds and is transferred to France for even more gruesome scenes of service. She writes about the decline of her mental health because of her nearly-constant exposure to horror.
After a very long, horrifying, tragic war, she finishes her degree at Somerville, switching to be a history major. After some painful moments of panic attacks and nervous breakdowns, she meets a friend who really connects with her named Winifred. She writes next about the way she managed herself during the book writing process, and she publishes two books in the story, and she admits that is when she really began to understand her passion for feminist. She writes of her failed marriage to a man named 'G' and when she expresses to him that she is a feminist who cares for her work more than traditional marriage, he accepts her.
