Since The Grass is Singing was published in 1950, Doris Lessing has commanded a widespread and heterogeneous readership. Written from a feminist political perspective, and employing diverse modes of critical analysis, the present volume, originally published in 1982, aims to combine detailed technical exploration of Lessing's work.

Biographical Notes. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction: Situating Reading Jenny Taylor 2. Reading The Golden Notebook in 1962 Jean McCrindle 3. Yesterday's Heroines: On Rereading Lessing and de Beauvoir Elizabeth Wilson 4. Of Mud and Other Matter - The Children of Violence Nicole Ward Jouve 5. Towards a Narrative Analysis of A Man and Two Women Margaret Atack 6. The More Recent Writings: Sufism, Mysticism and Politics Ann Scott 7. 'If You Mate a Swan and a Gander, Who Will Ride?' Marsha Rowe 8. Doris Lessing: Exile and Exception Rebecca O'Rourke 9. Memoirs Was Made of This: An Interview with David Gladwell, Director of Memoirs of a Survivor Jenny Taylor. Select Bibliography of Lessing Criticism. Index.