Hi, Kate.

I was thinking that that might be a slim premise for a group, but then I noticed that you are in the Shetland Islands, so I rethought the matter. There are other groups devoted to single authors and none other, that I could find, for Doris Lessing. I have listed her as a favorite author since first coming here, and I keep her in formidable company.

I first read The Golden Notebook in the '60's when it was liberating women across the country (USA). I have read it twice since, and it has held up so far as I'm concerned. I haven't been able to get the women in my church reading group interested in it. It is, I and others think, the place to start with her.

I read long ago a book by Doris Lessing on cats who had been in her life; I can't remember the title, but I remember enjoying it. More recently I have read Mara and Dann and its sequel. They are harsh; I was nevertheless enamored of them.

For a long time I have owned a single volume collection of her science fiction series. I started it once and didn't keep going only because I had to do other things. I will dig it out and read it before too long.

I have not even heard of The Grandmothers. I can't imagine that it would hurt.

Robert

Robert, thanks so much for joining this group and for your message. I have a few books to read before I read The Grandmothers. I'm doing an Author Alphabet challenge ( I started a group on that as well!) but I am hoping to read it asap.
I'm reading The Tin Roof Blowdown at the moment by James Lee Burke. Not my usual kind of book but I am slowly introducing myself to new authors and genres. It can only be good for the brain!!!
Speak to you soon
Kate

I sometimes find Doris Lessing a bit mixed for me. But I was really wowed years ago when I read A Briefing for a descent into hell. I think I found the story of a person's journey/quest through his mental illness a very compelling story -- one where you are very much on the side of the questor and not the institute that is trying to help him.

Then I really liked her science ficition oriented Canopus in Argos : archives series. Many people don't like them. In fact, many people only read some of her works (like myself), because Lessing has a fairly wide range of genres in which she has written. But I found Canopus to be a rather insightful look at character through the gaze of someone from a another planet who is very concerned about happenings here on earth.

Thanks for your message. I am just beginning to collect her work and as yet have not read any but that is soon to change! I am also doing the 'Author Alphabet' challenge which I started so Doris Lessing is my author for the letter 'L'. I am looking forward to this challenge immensely.
Many thanks
Kate

I've read 3 of Lessing's books, and really enjoyed 2 of them - The Grass is Singing and The Fifth Child - both of which I would recommend whole-heartedly. What I particularly like is Lessing's ability to convey a vivid message in very few words; her style is luminous, searing. It's several years now since I read the former, but I still have some very clear images of the heat-seared African landscape. As for The Fifth Child, I'm not sure I can remember feeling more uncomfortable whilst reading - but I was completely gripped, and read it in one sitting.

The novel I enjoyed less was The Summer before the Dark, but there again, I really liked that same writing style, which actually kept me reading even though the plot didn't grip me and I didn't find the main character sympathetic.

I have two more Lessings on my TBR pile, just waiting for the right moment: Mara and Dann and The Story of a Non-Marrying Man. I'll look forward to hearing what you make of The Grandmothers; I've prevented myself from buying it several times!

I've just finished reading The Golden Notebook and I'm amazed by the insightful and critical observations of the human experience (or what we call *our* human experiencie) Lessing makes. I was actually wondering if Anna Wulf is an alter-ego of Doris Lessing.... I, I, I... what a woman!

The Golden Notebook has been my entry book for her artistic work and, reading about her, I'm now interested in The Good Terrorist or The Fifth Child. So, after the Golden... wich one would you recommend to me?

How do all. I read the Grass is Singing (her first I think) years ago and loved it. Since then I've acquired at least a dozen more all very different (except the Martha things). Never managed more than a few dozen pages since Grass though. Some amazing writing for sure. Some stuff early in Descent into Hell I recall was particularly amazing but all ultimately failed me (or vicey versa) Got to read the Grass though - might as well do it first I'd reckon (if it was her first??). Its huge and sweeping like the plains it sits so small and neat in. Love to find another....??

#7

Welcome to LT. Hope you catalog all your Doris Lessing books.

Hi, I would recommend the Martha Quest series and the autobiographies (under my skin etc). I think the Golden Notebook is a bit daunting, although I've never read anything so powerful about mental breakdown (except perhaps, Briefing for a Descent). I'm about to start her new book, Alfred and Emily, and I'll try and post some comments.