Reading Envy Readers discussion

Have you read The Golden Notebook before? What about other books by Doris Lessing?

The only time Lessing has been mentioned on the Reading Envy Podcast was Episode 085 with Thomas Otto (of The Readers), where he discussed her (somewhat controversial) book Ben, In the World: The Sequel to the Fifth Child.

The only book I've read by Lessing since I started keeping track in Goodreads was The Cleft, which I only gave 2 stars. That's harsh! Hopefully the readalong will be better than that.

The Golden Notebook is on my short list of favorite novels: I hope it lives up to my memory on this re-read, but I remember falling in love with the structure, ideas, and characters, and also feeling that complete sense of immersion you get from certain novels.

Other Lessing's I've enjoyed are Briefing for a Descent into Hell and The Fifth Child. I've also tried the first two novels of the Canopus in Argos series--Shikasta and The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four, and Five, but I didn't like these quite as much, even though they have some good sections.

Oh hey Thomas Otto also pointed out that he wrote a somewhat notebooky review of TGN a few years ago when he made his way through it. The post is on his blog but I only skimmed in case of spoilers.