Literature Nobel: Doris Lessing

In the “Social Networks Brighten My Morning” file, I am inordinately amused to be getting status updates from a Nobel laureate on Facebook.

Speaking of Nobel laureates, the latest chunk of dynamite money was awarded this morning to novelist Doris Lessing:

“that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny”

I have absolutely no idea what that means, not having read any of her books. I associate her with the class of mainstream writers who independently reinvent science fiction, and then insist that they’re not actually writing science fiction, lest they get genre cooties all over their Serious Works of Art. That might be unfair, though, because as I said, I’ve never read her.

Regardless, congratulations are in order.