Doris Lessing

[MrsMattie]

Anyone a fan?

I read a collection of her short stories - 'The Grandmothers' - last year and it has set me off on a complete Lessing binge. Just finished 'The Grass Is Singing' (beautifully written), and 'The Cleft' (her imagination is amazing) and am halfway through 'The Golden Notebook' (love it so far). I've just ordered part one of her autobiography on Amazon. I think she may be my new favourite writer.

Read The Golden Notebook yonks ago and enjoyed it.
The only other novel I've read was The Fifth Child-again I read some time ago and I read it before having dc. It was an interesting read and might re-read it now I have kids.

Have read The Grass Is Singing. Agree it is beautifully written... and very moving

Have been meaning to get round to The Golden Notebook... have heard it mentioned as her best work by several people

I loved the Golden Notebook & the Martha Quest novels (her early stuff, basically) but I think she gets a bit too SF/fantasy for me after that.

The Fifth Child is a great book- quite short and easy to read, but really interesting. A bit like "Kevin" if you've read that.

I read Briefing for a Descent into Hell a few years ago, but I would not recommend it.

ooh have just found your thread MrsM - duh of me for not having checked for Golden Notebook threads before posting. My apologies!

What did you all like about the Golden Notebook then?

oh I loved the Golden Notebook, I felt really inspired and empowered after reading it, but it was probably about 15 years ago now - I think I may revisit as I could do with feeling that way again!

I love The Golden Notebook, but keep thinking I have to read it again to work out what was going on. Also love the grass is singing, the first Martha Quest (can't get hold of the others), and The Fifth Child. My absolute favourite is The Good Terrorist. I couldn't read Briefing for a descent into hell - it was too annoying.

The Diaries of Jane Sommers is also good, and its sequel, If the Old Could. She wrote these under a pseudonym to see if they would be published, to make a point about the literary world's reliance on "names." A lot of people did recognize that it was her, however, and the hoax didn't last long. This was like mid-80's? I'm a very big fan of hers but I haven't read The Cleft, I've heard it is terrible, and I have to say the premise doesn't sound very promising at all.