Doris Lessing Reacts to Winning Noble Prize

[jim stone]

Part of an AP article.

Lessing not impressed by Nobel Prize

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER, Associated Press Writer 31 minutes ago

LONDON - Doris Lessing pulled up in a black cab where a media horde was waiting Thursday in front of her leafy north London home. Reporters opened the door and told her she had won the Nobel Prize for literature, to which she responded: "Oh Christ! ... I couldn't care less."


Lessing later said she thought the cameras were there to film a television program. Vegetables peeked out from blue plastic bags she carried out of the cab.

"This has been going on for 30 years," she said, as reporters helped her with the bags.

"I've won all the prizes in Europe, every bloody one, so I'm delighted to win them all, the whole lot, OK?" Lessing said, making her way through the crowd. "It's a royal flush."

"I'm sure you'd like some uplifting remarks," she added with a smile.

Lessing, who turns 88 this month, is the oldest winner of the literature prize. Although she is widely celebrated for "The Golden Notebook" and other works, she has received little attention in recent years and has been criticized as strident and eccentric.

Asked repeatedly if she was excited about the award, she held court from her doorstep and noted she had been in the running for the Nobel for decades.

"I can't say I'm overwhelmed with surprise," Lessing said. "I'm 88 years old and they can't give the Nobel to someone who's dead, so I think they were probably thinking they'd probably better give it to me now before I've popped off."

Surrounded by members of the international media in her flower-packed garden, Lessing was dismissive of the Nobel — calling the award process graceless and saying the prize "doesn't mean anything artistically."

She acknowledged the $1.5 million cash award was a lot of money, but still seemed less than thrilled.

"I'm already thinking about all the people who are going to send me begging letters — I can see them lining up now," she said. The phone in her house, audible from the street, rang continuously.

Lessing brightened when a reporter asked whether the Nobel would generate interest in her work.

"I'm very pleased if I get some new readers," she said. "Yes, that's very nice, I hadn't thought of that."

[djm]

Okay, how about a demanding letter?

djm

[Walden]

They're the same bunch that gave a Nobel prize to a former president and said it was to be interpreted as a disapproval of the sitting one. Yeah, I think I agree with her. A pretty meaningless prize. I mean... what kind of prize is that? "Here... we're giving you this prize as a jab at that guy."

[emmline]

I think by 88, you have the importance of everything so in perspective, and you've seen so much bs, that you say what you think and that's that.

[Nanohedron]

I think by 88, you have the importance of everything so in perspective, and you've seen so much bs, that you say what you think and that's that.

...and odds are you'd probably get it right, too.

If I won 1.5 million simoleons for a public award (HAH) I wouldn't know whether to gush or go into hiding. I sure wouldn't want others to know, if I had a choice. Not that I'm miserly - it would just be the notoriety that would spoil things for me.

[Innocent Bystander]

She's a Canny owd lass, that Doris. I think in fact she's less dismissive of the prize than she is of journalists in general. I can't say I blame her.
I wonder if she'll join the frog club!

[fearfaoin]

Really, Nano, there's nothing you'd want to be notable for?
What if you were given the Nobel for great moderation, or
advanced bagpipery?

A pretty meaningless prize. I mean... what kind of prize is that? "Here... we're giving you this prize as a jab at that guy."

Nobel didn't set up the prize to reward individuals, he was trying
to incentivize peacemaking efforts. He felt bad that his dynomite
invention was being for evil, instead of ending war as he had hoped.
So, in singling out someone they think of as a peacemaker, they try
to shed light on warmongery. I think they stayed true to their charter,
at least.

[anniemcu]

She's 88, ferchisesakes! She's earned the right to be 'strident and eccentric'... I can't imagine being much else at that point, given the propensity for the world to go to h-e-doublehockeysticks in a handbasket, every few elections.

[The Weekenders]

She must know they're givin one to Green Jesus this year...

[falkbeer]

I think by 88, you have the importance of everything so in perspective, and you've seen so much bs, that you say what you think and that's that.

...and odds are you'd probably get it right, too.

If I won 1.5 million simoleons for a public award (HAH) I wouldn't know whether to gush or go into hiding. I sure wouldn't want others to know, if I had a choice. Not that I'm miserly - it would just be the notoriety that would spoil things for me.

Crying all the way to the bank, I´m sure!

[WyoBadger]

...she...has been criticized as strident and eccentric...

Wherever did they get that idea? Nice to see they were dead wrong.

Seriously, I can't imagine being that arrogant and graceless, even if I didn't like the organization giving the prize, or their process, or whatever. But I've never been an 88 year old semi-famous person, either, so I really can't say.

Tom

[fel bautista]

The cool thing with a Nobel prize is that teaching at UC Berkeley, you could get a parking spot next to your office. I shall post NL sign as soon as I can find the pic.

[jim stone]

Think of it this way--you're 88, you're tired, you're being driven home
in some sort of taxi from grocery shopping and you've
got several bags full of food. As you drive up to your
house there is a horde of reporters. You have no idea
why they're there and you wish they weren't.

They open the door of your car and they tell
you you've just won the Noble Prize for literature
and ask for your reaction.....

Oh, Christ, I couldn't care less' seems a sensible reaction.

I saw the video of this. She does try to be nice,
she's actually quite charming and funny in a very
aged and tired. way Not arrogant, not graceless,
not strident. Just honest and intelligent.
They ask her to make a radio broadcast in five minutes.
She says she doesn't know what to say.
A reporter says: 'Don't you feel honored by the prize
and the recognition that your work has received?'
She says: 'There! I'll say that!'

[fel bautista]

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/piperFel/Ne ... 5154"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/piperFel/Rw7D6Rzx ... 7_1702.jpg" /></a>

There are NL signs everywhere. I think this is near the physics building near strawberry creek, but I could me mistaken. I don't think its for Dutch professors.

[Wombat]

I think she's strident and eccentric .... fortunately.

Serves them right for giving it to someone who no longer cares. Unless, of course, she's been rehearsing that response for years.