Doris Lessing wins 2007 Nobel Prize for literature

[Isa]

I've never read any of her novels, any thoughts/ comments/ opinions?

[Michelle]

I haven't heard of her, but I am excited that Al Gore one the Nobel Peace Prize! I thought that was related enough to put here.

[Hanna]

Yeah it's cool that he got it, but at the same time I kinda don't get it, because altough he does a lot of important work for the environment it's not exactly peace-related, is it?

[Carma]

hmm, no, you're right.. I haven't thuoght about it that way... I also don't see the relation to peace...

and I've never heard of Doris Lessing...

[Michelle]

The listserv for my school has been discussing the same thing. I think the consensus is that global warming is a global issue and all countries need to come together to prevent it. So in a way it does promote cooperation among different countries.

[oureternity]

I think I've heard about her - is she that British, really feminist writer?

[Brunella]

According to the Swedish Academy she is "that epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilization to scrutiny". Although her works are described as feminist, she doesn't like to be pigeon-hold as a feminist writer, and I would imagine she would like to be referred as a writer with a "social conscience". She's the 11th woman to have won The Nobel Literature Price, so go Doris!! haha. I haven't read any of her works, I just happen to know this by chance .

I was also a bit confused when I heard about Al Gore's win for the Peace Prize, it took me some time to process, but then the BBC (here: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7041082.stm) said that "Mr Gore was praised as "probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted", through his lectures, films and books." So I guess that a big enough reason.
And he's donating his half of the money (because he was awarded conjointly with the UN's Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change) to the Alliance for Climate Protection, which is very nice...

[Bina]

Recognizing his work and the importance of the global warming issue with such a prize is a great thing but the label doesn´t fit.

I haven´t read anything by Doris Lessing. I should give her a try.

[Lu]

I agree with Dorothy.

I've heard of Doris Lessing and I've been suggested to read something by her but I haven't yet.

[Juliet]

i've read "the habit of loving"and "diary of a good neighbour" and now i want to read "the golden notebook", which should be her masterpiece...we talked about her in my literature class and i think that the description really suits her: she has an amzing style, i realy like her.
i'm just sorry that she received it so late but better than never!

[oureternity]

That's so true! I just came back from class and we discussed about her, my teacher said he saw on TV how they informed her she won. She just came back from her grocery shopping, full of bags filled with artichokes and stuff, and then she goes out of the cab and they tell her she won, and she just leaves and goes home! I mean it's ridicioulous they gave her a nobel prize when she's around 87 if I'm not mistaken, what is she going to do with a million and a half dollars? And the funny thing is that 40 years ago they told her she'd never win a nobel prize.. Ironic isn't it?

[Isa]

Going back to Al Gore for a moment - it's been about a week now since he got the Nobel Prize and the only thing I've heard or read about is how inaccurate and one-sided his documentary was, and now they're also starting to attack the credibility of the IPCC. In hindsight, I think that giving him the Nobel Prize only gave a voice to his detractors...