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Doris Lessing Passes Away at the Age of 94


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I'm looking at The Golden Notebook on my shelf as I write. For some reason I had thought Lessing was already dead.....I'm pleased she wasn't, and sorry to hear she's now gone.

The Guardian

Although she came to see The Golden Notebook as her "albatross", she had to concede that the novel, written during a period of great personal and social upheaval, had a life and energy of its own. "This book has got a sort of charge to it. It keeps popping up somewhere in some country and I have to say 'My God, this book has got something. It has got a quality, a vitality.'"

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RIP Ms. Lessing. A very fine writer, a long time now since I read her. She did not attend the ceremony in Stockholm, but I remember a very interesting interview the Swedish TV had done with her in her home in London.

Ms. Munro is not going to attend either, her reason being that it will be too strenuous at her age. That is understandable with such a long journey. I happen to know a bit about the rather heavy program the laureates are having. Each one has a special guide for the week - that guide is someone who is very familiar with the laureate's country. My late brother was once a guide for a Canadian laureate (my brother having lived in Canada for a few years) and he told me that after that week he certainly needed a week off himself! My brother had to be on call to the whole family 24/7. If it wasn't symposia, it was shopping and then the accompanying children to be entertained with suitable activities for kids.

But the most interesting news came today. Government ministers and party leaders are always invited, same procedure this year, except that one party leader has not received an invitation. Reason: his party is considered anti-democratic and not in the spirit of Alfred Nobel's wishes and ideas about humanity. I do agree...

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RIP Ms. Lessing. A very fine writer, a long time now since I read her. She did not attend the ceremony in Stockholm, but I remember a very interesting interview the Swedish TV had done with her in her home in London.

Ms. Munro is not going to attend either, her reason being that it will be too strenuous at her age. That is understandable with such a long journey. I happen to know a bit about the rather heavy program the laureates are having. Each one has a special guide for the week - that guide is someone who is very familiar with the laureate's country. My late brother was once a guide for a Canadian laureate (my brother having lived in Canada for a few years) and he told me that after that week he certainly needed a week off himself! My brother had to be on call to the whole family 24/7. If it wasn't symposia, it was shopping and then the accompanying children to be entertained with suitable activities for kids.

But the most interesting news came today. Government ministers and party leaders are always invited, same procedure this year, except that one party leader has not received an invitation. Reason: his party is considered anti-democratic and not in the spirit of Alfred Nobel's wishes and ideas about humanity. I do agree...

Thank you for those details, Ms. Moberg - very interesting. It might make for a fascinating magazine article - Life at the Nobel Awards. ;)

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pherank, thank you for your kind comment, unfortunately I have never been to a Nobel function and I don't think I will get an invitation either. But must confess we have a tradition at home. On the day I always serve a very elaborate dinner, sometimes we have friends in, sometimes we are alone, but it is always the best of everything. Good heavens, you just cant sit there with something mundane and watch the TV! And I always dress up to the nines as well!

If you are interested, there is a very good website - www.Nobelprize.org. Apart from historical facts and all the laureates, it also has menus from way back and a gallery of what H.M. the Queen has been wearing over the years. I am more impressed by the jewels than by the gowns, I must admit. The jewels. by the way, are not

hers, but belong to the state.

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