Doris Lessing (born , Kermānshāh, Persia [now Iran]—died , London, England) was a British writer whose novels and short stories are largely concerned with people involved in the social and political upheavals of the 20th century.
One of the most important writers of the 20th century, Doris Lessing wrote over 70 works, covering a huge range of themes and styles, including three novels that were nominated for a Booker Prize. Here, we select some of her best writing.
Where to start with Doris Lessing: a guide to her best works
The complete Doris Lessing, including a biography, an extensive detailed bibliography, a catalog of her books, reprinted articles, audio and portraits throughout the years.
Explore Doris Lessing's books in order with reading lists, series overviews, short summaries, and clear suggestions on the best places to start with her novels, stories, memoirs, and essays.
Known for: Doris Lessing has written many novels, short stories, and essays, most about contemporary life, often pointing to social injustices. Her 1962 The Golden Notebook became an iconic novel for the feminist movement for its consciousness-raising theme.
In 2007, at age 87, Doris Lessing became the oldest person to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, celebrated for her “epicist of the female experience.” She passed away in 2013, but her legacy endures—in classrooms, libraries, and the hearts of readers worldwide.
Doris May Taylor, known as Doris Lessing, was born on , in Kermanshah, Persia (now Iran). Her family moved to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1925, then a British colony. The years spent in the African wilderness would later prove an inexhaustible source of literary inspiration. London and Literary Breakthrough