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The Golden Notebook
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 27 hrs and 33 mins
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The Golden Notebook
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Summary
One of the most important books of the growing feminist movement of the 1950s, The Golden Notebook was brought to the attention of a wider public by the Nobel Prize award to Doris Lessing in 2007.
Author Anna Wulf attempts to overcome writer’s block by writing a comprehensive "golden notebook" that draws together the preoccupations of her life, each of which is examined in a different notebook: sources of her creative inspiration in a black book, communism in a red book, the breakdown of her marriage in a yellow book, and day-to-day emotions and dreams in a blue book. Anna’s struggle to unify the various strands of her life – emotional, political, and professional – amasses into a fascinating encyclopaedia of female experience in the ‘50s.
In this authentic, taboo-breaking novel, Lessing brings the plight of women’s lives from obscurity behind closed doors into broad daylight. The Golden Notebook resonates with the concerns and experiences of a great many women and is a true modern classic, thoroughly deserving of its reputation as a feminist bible. A notoriously long and complex work, it is given a new life by this – its first unabridged recording.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MRS SUZANNAH JONES
- 14-05-22
An examination of the sexual politics of her time.
A refreshingly candid examination of the mismatch of the sexes. Brutal at times, longing, searching and often bleak. Brilliantly observed and deafeningly hopeless. I'm left wondering if things have changed or whether they are just better masked.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- S
- 06-01-16
At times delightful at times depressing
Beautifully read by Juliet Stevenson. An intellectual work that needs a great deal of attention to understand all of its meanings - if that is possible. But as a woman I found there were several "Ah yes" moments. It is very much about mental breakdown as well as relationships between friends, men, women, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers and children.
Not to be read or listened to if you feel in need of cheering up!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- jo
- 19-11-16
it's all very odd, isn't?
delightful at times, painful most of the time. well worth a listen, but I was glad when I finally heard audible's hope..
Juliet Stevenson helps with soldiering through it all.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andre Harris
- 17-06-23
An astonishing novel
This is such a remarkable novel in so many ways. The structure is so innovative the commentary on the relations between men and women so interesting the commentary on race, class and comminism so sharp.
There is brilliant satire in places. Nevertheless this is a big dense book which i think i might have found hard going to read on paper. To listen to it has been nutritous brain food and superb entertainment. Juliet stevenson is an excellent narrator.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Izzy
- 18-08-17
Superb and challenging classic novel
Still as fresh and thought provoking as it ever was. Ravishing performances from Juliet Stevenson
I urge every adult human being, especially those of us who write fiction, to immerse yourself in this really quite disturbing experience.
I'm not the same person I was when I first downloaded the book and began listening- the mark of great fiction
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Irene Max
- 07-11-20
Everybody should listen to this book!
It’s a great novel, very timely, though written in the 1969’s, but too daunting for many people. Juliet Stevenson’s narration ensures that you will never get tired listening. Every single character (there are gazillions) comes to life. It is maybe the best I’ve ever listened to.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Andy
- 07-04-22
Three cheers for the narrator
Wow, Juliet Stevenson gave an amazing performance but I struggled to finish.
I enjoyed the early African setting but as the plot developed , and I am not sure plot is the correct word, it became an uncomfortable listen. This was not because of the performance but because of the content. A brilliant feminist work of its time but it rambles and one feels inside a mental crisis.
For me the writing was skilled but I got confused with the structure and it is a huge work and I gave up.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Meryl Tyers Chhabra
- 18-06-22
Astonishing
Like many great books it managed to be of it’s time. Fascinating insight into the socio/political period.
But also utterly timeless.
I don’t think I’ve come across such an accurate and penetrating a voice as Anna Wulf before.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Opus
- 07-06-22
The ugly side of humanity
A long nasty story, full of nasty characters and nasty
intimate details with plenty of nasty cruelty thrown in.
Well read and performed by Juliet Stevenson. I hope she
was well paid for her endurance.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Lee J Healy
- 26-01-20
Wonderful performance of a classic novel
Juliet Stevenson’s performance is perfect and brings Doris Lessing’s words to life in a way that is fresh and vital and absolutely relevant to today.
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1 person found this helpful