#10690 The Memoirs of a Survivor. Doris Lessing.
Doris Lessing

The Memoirs of a Survivor

Signed dystopian novel by Nobel Prize winner

This dystopian novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Doris Lessing is set in a ravaged, near-future Britain. It tells the story of a middle-aged woman's psychological and emotional journey as she navigates her crumbling world and the unexpected responsibility of raising a young girl amidst social chaos.

Signed by Lessing on the title page.


Hardcover. First Edition, First Printing. Octavo, green cloth with gilt lettering on spine. London: Octagon Press, 1974. ISBN: 0900860308. #10690.
Near fine in near fine dust jacket.

Additional Details
The Memoirs of a Survivor by Doris Lessing is a profound exploration of societal and psychological breakdown set in a dystopian near-future Britain. In this unsettling world, society has crumbled under the weight of an unspecified disaster known as "The Crisis." The story is told through the eyes of an unnamed middle-aged woman, who observes the disintegration of her city from her window. Amidst a backdrop of roving gangs, rats, and a collapsed government, she is unexpectedly given the responsibility of raising a twelve-year-old girl.

This prophetic fantasy vividly depicts a beleaguered cityscape where violence reigns and the struggle for survival is constant. The narrator witnesses migrating hordes desperately searching for safety, while the city descends into anarchy, with tribes forming for self-defense and nature reclaiming abandoned streets and buildings. Lessing's novel delves deep into the themes of societal collapse, personal responsibility, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity. Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2007.