4 posts tagged “lessing”
Serendipity played its part, when Anne, Jacques, Katheline and I discussed the making of our group, less than nine months ago .
Serendipity played its part when it came to the interesting people we were to encounter, thanks to Anne's original idea.
Alain has posted his review on The Grass is Singing, I think he sums the novel up rather well. By the way, he isn't fuddy duddy, not in the least...lol
Please make way for Alain
« The grass is singing » by Doris Lessing This short novel appealed to me by its large and rich content. It’s amazing how Doris Lessing has been able to treat so many subjects in very few pages. Description of Southern Africa, around 1940s, (she knows so well because she grew up there) is so accurate that climate, oppressive heat, obsessive cicadas, light, colours, smells surround us chapters after chapters. Documentary. British society, its rules, rich whites and poor whites, bad treatments inflicted to the natives, their living and working conditions are objectively described, we can see that the condition of poor whites is not much better than black’s. Society judgment. Characters, their relationships are very interesting as well secondary as major figures. Dick and Mary totally opposite, he hates town, she hates living out of a town, why they marry and what results of it. He is weak, incompetent; she becomes more and more disappointed, then depresses and goes mad with poverty, loneliness and lack of hope. Psychological analysis. Trouble relation between Mary and Moses is another topic of the book. This white woman in Africa, afraid by the natives, disgusted by them, their smell, their laziness… will be attracted by Moses, an intelligent, educated black houseboy who despites her but at the same time is nice and attentive with her when she is ill. Maybe he will kill her because he doesn’t support she is going to leave. Moreover he won’t escape after the murder he won’t live anymore. A love story. To sum up, this book is well written, the plot is gripping, the way the author begins by the end, everything is done in order the reader falls under the charm, so much so that when you finish the book you would like to read it anew. Alain
The Grass is Singing animated the evening beautifully and we find ourselves richer after reading it.
Sometimes one reads a book that rests in the foremost place of one's mind long after the book has been finished, this is the case of The Grass is Singing.
I could write about it, however I shall leave that for Nicole who must win the prize for being the most enthralling chatterbox of the evening! Maybe Alain and Marie Christine would like to chip in with their reviews, too!
I learned last night that the title was taken from written by T S Elliot called The Waste Land
Here modern life is portrayed as a land of desert and rocks, lacking water upon which life depends.
The singing grasses is a result of the noise of the cicadas. They only make this noise when it is dry or hot, exactly the weather Mary hates.
The Waste Land
In this decayed hole among the mountains
In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
Over the tumbled graves, about the chapel
There is the empty chapel, only the winds home.
It has no windows, and the door swings,
Dry bones can harm no one.
Only a cock stood on the rooftree
Co co rico, co co rico
In a flash of lightening. Then a damp gust
Bringing rain
Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves
Waited for rain, while the black clouds
Gathered far distant, over Himavant.
The jungle crouched, humped in silence.
Then spoke the thunder
T. S. Elliot
Today is the last day of our holiday, I'm still in bed, computer on my lap, updating the blog, amongst other things.
I had no idea how much time had gone by since our last chat around a book. January was a busy month for all of us, and February is holiday month (well half of it atleast).
We are having a great, resourcing time in the Chartreuse, skiing and falling over allot.
The above photo is of the somewhat distant Mont Blanc, a mere 80kms away if you could fly.
What are all you guys doing?
Have you finished the Lessing book yet?
Remember next meeting is scheduled for the 29/02/2008 at 19hrs.
The chosen book is The Grass is Singing. You all have ample time to go at a buy it now (no taking notes at the last
minute notes from the internet..tut tut).
The Christmas break should give us all time to read and maybe pass your copy to someone esle in the group.
Normally we should get together the last Friday in January to have a general chit chat about this author and her work.
I will be ordering a copy of this book for myself tomorrow book, also one for Marie-Christine and Nicole via Amazon UK, if anyone else wants me to order for them, hurry up to let me know....
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