History & Criticism
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The Golden Notebook: Perennial Classics edition
"The Golden Notebook is Doris Lessing's most important work and has left its mark upon the ideas and feelings of a whole generation of women." - New York Times Book Review
Anna is a writer, author of one very successful novel, who now keeps four notebooks. In one, with a black cover, she reviews the African experience of her earlier years. In a red one she records her political life, her disillusionment with communism. In a yellow one she writes a novel in which the heroine relives part of her own experience. And in a blue one she keeps a personal diary. Finally, in love with an American writer and threatened with insanity, Anna resolves to bring the threads of all four books together in a golden notebook.
Lessing's best-known and most influential novel, The Golden Notebook retains its extraordinary power and relevance decades after its initial publication.
Anna is a writer, author of one very successful novel, who now keeps four notebooks. In one, with a black cover, she reviews the African experience of her earlier years. In a red one she records her political life, her disillusionment with communism. In a yellow one she writes a novel in which the heroine relives part of her own experience. And in a blue one she keeps a personal diary. Finally, in love with an American writer and threatened with insanity, Anna resolves to bring the threads of all four books together in a golden notebook.
Lessing's best-known and most influential novel, The Golden Notebook retains its extraordinary power and relevance decades after its initial publication.
Editorial Reviews
"Lessing writes about her own sex with the unrelenting intensity of Simone de Beauvoir, and about sex itself with the frankness and detail of John O." -- Washington Post
"A work of high seriousness . . . The most absorbing and exciting piece of new fiction I have read in a decade; it moves with the beat of our time, and it is true." -- Irving Howe, The New Republican
"No ordinary work of fiction...the technique, in a word, is brilliant, and places Doris Lessing in the forefront of British novelists." -- Saturday Review
"This exciting writer has tried much, aimed high, and has paraded a galaxy of gifts." -- Baltimore Sun
"The most absorbing and exciting piece of new fiction I have read in a decades; it moves with the beat of our time, and it is true." -- Irving Howe, New Republic
"A work of high seriousness . . . The most absorbing and exciting piece of new fiction I have read in a decade; it moves with the beat of our time, and it is true." -- Irving Howe, The New Republican
"No ordinary work of fiction...the technique, in a word, is brilliant, and places Doris Lessing in the forefront of British novelists." -- Saturday Review
"This exciting writer has tried much, aimed high, and has paraded a galaxy of gifts." -- Baltimore Sun
"The most absorbing and exciting piece of new fiction I have read in a decades; it moves with the beat of our time, and it is true." -- Irving Howe, New Republic
Readers Top Reviews
Sense and Sensibilit
A classic in its time. Read it now if you want to understand what people were thinking and feeling in the 1960s. I just downloaded it on kindle to read it again, decades after I first read it. If you are in your 20s, you will see yourself in many of the emotional decisions over love, destiny, children and finding a sense of purpose in life. Clearly this Nobelist found hers, but she did us all a favor by giving us a good look at the messy journey she took to achieve her life.
history reader
I remember reading this years ago and decided to purchase a copy for my hard copy library. The book stood up to the test of time. As I remembered, the novel is filled with stories within stories, but not distracting. Gorgeous writing, well worth the investment in time and money.
Leslie
I read this for a classics book club. The style presented a huge challenge. Tracking story and characters was confusing, a novel and journals within a novel. I didn't trust my perceptions and turned to literary criticism for help. Much has been written about this as a feminist treatise, but I disagree, as does the author herself. I did arrive at the realization that I have become a lazy reader because I had to work getting through this novel. That said, exhausted as I was, I am glad I persevered. Lessing is a thinker, introspective and definitely not a lazy writer.
P. Hinkle
I had read the golden notebook years ago and thought it was a wonderful story. Now about 40 years later my insight into the story is vastly different. The story was fragmented more than I remember and difficult to read. I think it’s interesting that I actually remembered a large part of the story. I recommend this book if the reader is looking for a challenge. Also, it made me realize how being a woman is much simpler in 2020 than in the 1970s.
Happy toes
A lot of info about the post war(WWII) European life of those middle class people involved in politics. Lots of discussions about politics of the time, attraction, sex, parenthood, friendships, jealousy, ambition. All the topics that Nora Ephron learned from as she was growing up. Valuable lessons; I'd have loved to read this book as an young teenager. Now, as an older woman, I've heard it all.
