Doris Lessing had a huge influence on me as a young woman, as I was discovering feminism and learning how to live an independent life. Her books literally changed my life. Her Martha Quest series, set in Africa, showed that the struggles I was going through were not unique, and I found that comforting. Then came The Golden Notebook, a giant of a book that grappled with the complexities of life and love in the 1970s. These books were novels, but they contained so many lessons (for me, at least) that they sometimes felt like textbooks on life. This week Lessing became the 11th woman to receive the Nobel prize for literature. Read the New York Times article about her. And add your comment
I had a similar response to the Martha Quest series, but found the Golden Notebook turgid and uninspiring. I never did like textbooks