2007 Nobel Laureate in Literature

DORIS LESSING

Background

• Born: October 22, 1919
• Place of birth: Bakhtaran, Iran
• Nationality: British
• Residence: London, United Kingdom
• Biographical highlights:
  • 1925 - Moves to Zimbabwe
  • 1939 - Marries Frank Charles Wisdom
  • 1943 - Divorces Frank Charles Wisdom
  • 1945 - Marries Gottfried Lessing
  • 1949 - Divorces, moves to London, establishes herself as a writer
  • 1950 - Debut as a novelist with The Grass is Singing
  • 1952-6 - Member of the British Communist party
  • 1954 - Wins Somerset Maugham Award
  • 1962 - Breakthrough novel with The Golden Notebook published
  • 1994 - Autobiographical Under My Skin published
  • 1995 - Wins James Tait Black Memorial Book Prize and Los Angeles Times Book Prize
  • 1997 - Autobiographical Walking in the Shade published
  • 2001 - The Sweetest Dream sequel in fictive form released
  • 2001 - Awarded David Cohen British Literary Prize, Companion of Honour from the Royal Society of Literature and Premio Principe de Asturias
  • 2002 - Wins S.T. Dupont Golden PEN Award
  • 2007 - Wins the Nobel Prize in Literature