Doris Lessing

The NYPR Archive Collections | Jan 1, 2000

Doris Lessing was born in Persia, and grew up on a bush farm in Southern Rhodesia. Her unusual childhood may have been the ideal background for a writer; in the last 50 years, she's written at least that many volumes of short stories, novels, essays, poetry and plays, and her writings have dealt with everything from colonialism and Communism to sexual politics and romantic love. Her early Children of Violence novels were seen as groundbreaking, The Golden Notebook galvanized a generation of women, and her Canopus in Argos series brought science fiction to a new level. Let's find out what "one of the finest writers of the 20th century" would pack in her cultural survival kit.
Her list:

1. Kendal Mint Cake
2. A Machete (a sharp steel blade)
3. Cassette recorder with soothing tapes like The Moonlight Sonata, Bechet, Bolero, Mozart's Clarinet Concerto.
4. An Amateur telescope
5. Artist's materials
6. Anthology of World Poetry
7. Some exercise books and biros (pencils)
8 A drum


WNYC archives id: 42770

Be alert for scams. WNYC never asks for nor accepts money for coverage or interviews. Anyone making such a request does not represent WNYC.

WNYC is funded by sponsors and member donations

Top Stories

Your guide to voting in New York's 2026 elections for governor and Congress

A primer on the races for governor, attorney general and the congressional districts that could help determine control of the U.S. House.
Gothamist |

Gina Hinojosa Aims to Make Texas Blue Again. Plus, Reading Is Alive and Well

A Texas Democrat is running neck and neck with the Republican incumbent in the governor’s race. And a staff writer says that news of the demise of books is greatly exaggerated.
The New Yorker Radio Hour |

Claire Valdez on populism and the DSA agenda in Congress

Who’s Running This Place |

The Classroom/Technology Pipeline

Natasha Singer's new book explores how big tech became ensconced in our childrens' classrooms
On the Media |
YOU ARE ONLINE