I know that Doris Lessing was herself less than effusive about winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, but that is in her nature. It is a well-deserved award for a wonderful and thought-provoking writer.
When I heard the news on the BBC (who gave her about as much time as they accorded the death of John Fowles), I decided to scan the stories on various online news services. All around the world there were stories, some in places where the majority of the population must have been fast asleep. Left wing journals, feminist journals, even right-wing newspapers for men (with a fine, neutral assessment).
All around the world except the country in which she lives: the dear old UK where they really don't give a toss about writing unless it is the ghost written memoirs or badly written novel of some dim-witted celeb who last saw a book when a judge threw it at them for chronic abuse of drugs/domestic servants.
I expect some of the worthier newspapers managed to get some pieces somewhere in print, eventually, but online their appreciation of such an author receiving such an accolade has been pathetic in the extreme.
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4 comments:
Couldn't agree more Graeme.
The Times online put together a hacked up profile today but otherwise I've read barely anything about it.
I'm not normally one for prizes (Booker etc), but the Nobel Prize is usually well considered. And in this case, so well deserved. Things are beginning to appear, but they seem, as you say, to have been cobbled together. I've seen more space given over to the peurile, playground posturings of Amis and Eagleton - all so very depressing. I didn't expect parades and street parties, but some decent biographical articles, and maybe a statement (reported) from a politician in charge of Culture would have been pleasing.
I whooped with delight when I heard. She's my hero.
Me too. I just hope there is a mad dash to get her out of print material back into the shops.
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