The Golden Notebook Audiobook (Unabridged)

" This book was hard for me. I reckon it counts as post-modern, a genre with which I have little experience. It gives a thorough glimpse at the author/narrator's life and perspective. The thing for me, that perspective---that of an almost-communist 1950s independent, atheist British woman artist---is quite low down on my list of perspectives I'd like to understand. Additionally, I was unimpressed by the world/society she CHOOSES to live in. Everyone---every single character---seemed overly self-absorbed. And there's not a character in the book that doesn't have an affair. I guess it was an important book in the feminist movement, but that is hard for me to appreciate since nothing in it seems novel to me, a child of the current era. "

" There were some completely brilliant sections, but overall quite slow and a bit dated. "

" Absolutely reflective of inner chaos based on modern chaos told in an intimate and leisurely pace. Some how part IV is very different and feels rushed and more fragmented -- but maybe it's supposed to be. Wonderful book for those querying their writing motives. "

" this book is outstanding, it feels like it is alive. the experience of reading this book had me question my life and self. i felt as if i was watching my life from above as i read this book. an very deep experience to read this book. "

" I just couldn't get through it. It sounds like such a good book, and yet I couldn't get 100 pages in. Don't you hate when that happens? "

" A very looong book, but a good one! I wanted to know what happened at the end when I ended the first section. "

" out dated "

" Put it in its historical time. "

" This was hard complete but I muddled through it... "

" I liked this a lot when I read it, nearly 25 (!) years ago. I'll have to read it again. I recommend it. When I look at it again I'll add to this. "

" for me, a primer on feminism, man - woman relations, and the female mind. "

" I recently read a biography on Lessing and I wish I liked this more because her life was fascinating. I hardly know how to rate this. While I loved the last notebook, and a few passages that dealt with the sex struggle, I thought the book was confusing and overwritten. "

" It was definitely an interesting read, the story line gets to be a bit too much at times, but a different perspective on life, especially given the time it was written "

" This is my new favorite novel. "

" This was the first Lessing book I ever read, way back when I was in college. The way DL applied her critical intelligence to social situations totally floored me. "

" I struggled to get through this one, but I (think) I'm glad I stuck it out. Themes include feminism and the sex wars (50s and 60s), socialism/communism, mental illness, depression, race and colonial Africa - lot of stuff going on. "

" Par, I am borrowing your copy of this. I hope that is ok. "

" Not as depressing as Shikasta, but still invokes hopelessness like only Doris Lessing can. "

" Barely started it. Virulent dialogue. Wholly unappealing to me. "

" The second book of my reading lifespan that I have abandoned ( the other being Infinite Jest) "

" I was reading n reading ... to get a complete distress in the end . Sorry Doris it is far from enjoable . did not even keep the book "

" All of that . . . for that? Seriously? Beautifully written, amazing in places, but the ending SUCKS BALLS. "

" Some books simply do not pass the test of time. This appears to be one of them. "

" A book that every woman born before 1968 will identify with, and every one born after will need to read to understand their sister, cousin, friend, mother, aunt. "

" I don't usually read books like this but I loved it. This book is brilliant and worth the time investment. "

" This was the first Lessing book I ever read, way back when I was in college. The way DL applied her critical intelligence to social situations totally floored me. "

" Phew! Although I was listening to the audio version of this book I found it really hard going as it jumped around so much and you could easily get lost with it. I think I got it by half way through the book! "

" A novel of ideas that I found difficult to read insofar as it erects a boundary between my experience and that described in the book. "

" Back in the day this book was a revelation to me. A book I could directly relate to wasn't something I saw around much, but I don't know if younger readers would be able to relate to it. "

" I loved this when I was thirty-something. Still think about it. "

" It was a struggle for me to plow through this book, but I was determined and more or less accomplished my goal. Aside from the novel itself, I think the the two introductions included in the text are real gifts from the author and gives a framework to her structure and content methodology. "

" Anna Wulf is my anti-heroine! At least she was in 1993.... "

" Some books simply do not pass the test of time. This appears to be one of them. "

" Could not get into these characters.... "