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The Golden Notebook

By Doris Lessing
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Check link for latest rating. ( 24,395 ratings, 2,389 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing, the protagonist, Anna Wulf, a writer and single mother, struggles with personal and political turmoil during the 1950s. She keeps four separate notebooks to reflect different aspects of her life—her past as a communist, an African childhood, personal experiences, and fiction writing—finally attempting to unify these strands into a single golden notebook. The novel explores themes of identity, mental breakdown, and the fragmentation of modern life.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring themes of personal and political turmoil through the lens of a woman's complex life. The narrative intricately weaves together multiple strands, capturing the fragmentation and reintegration of her identity. If you appreciate stories that delve into the psychological depths and societal challenges of the mid-20th century, this novel offers a rich and immersive experience.

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The landmark novel of the Sixties – a powerful account of a woman searching for her personal, political and professional identity while facing rejection and betrayal.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The landmark novel of the Sixties – a powerful account of a woman searching for her personal, political and professional identity while facing rejection and betrayal.

In 1950s London, novelist Anna Wulf struggles with writer’s block. Divorced with a young child, and fearful of going mad, Anna records her experiences in four coloured notebooks: black for her writing life, red for political views, yellow for emotions, blue for everyday events. But it is a fifth notebook – the golden notebook – that finally pulls these wayward strands of her life together.

Widely regarded as Doris Lessing’s masterpiece and one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, The Golden Notebook is wry and perceptive, bold and indispensable.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing is hailed as a groundbreaking and ambitious novel with no equal. Critics appreciate its candid exploration of the societal and political upheavals of the Sixties, labeling it a seminal and courageous work that became pivotal for the feminist movement. The novel is praised for its portrayal of the female experience and its impact on both literature and cultural discussions as a landmark novel.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780007498772

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 January 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Fourth Estate Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 35.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 380g

Pages: 576

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Crime & Thriller Doris Lessing Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Thriller

About the Author

Doris Lessing was one of the most important writers of the second half of the 20th-century and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature 2007. Her novels include The Grass is Singing, The Golden Notebook and The Good Terrorist. In 2001, Lessing was awarded the David Cohen Prize for a lifetime's achievement in British literature. In 2008, The Times ranked her fifth on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945". She died in 2013.

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