Top 116 Quotes by Doris Lessing

About Doris Lessing

These are some quotes by English author Doris Lessing Writer, who lived between October 22, 1919 and November 17, 2013.

There's always this sense of incredulity that writers feel, because they're usually living flat and ordinary lives, because they have to.

There's always this sense of incredulity that writers feel, because they're usually living flat and ordinary lives, because they have to.

Doris Lessing

It is the mark of great people to treat trifles as trifles and important matters as important.

It is the mark of great people to treat trifles as trifles and important matters as important.

Doris Lessing

There's an unconscious bias in our society: girls are wonderful; boys are terrible. And to be a boy, or young man, growing up, having to listen to all this, it must be painful.

There's an unconscious bias in our society: girls are wonderful; boys are terrible. And to be a boy, or young man, growing up, having to listen to all this, it must be painful.

Doris Lessing

I think a writer's job is to provoke questions. I like to think that if someone's read a book of mine, they've had - I don't know what - the literary equivalent of a shower. Something that would start them thinking in a slightly different way, perhaps. That's what I think writers are for.

Doris Lessing

When I was bringing up a child, I taught myself to write in very short, concentrated bursts. If I had a weekend, or a week, I'd do unbelievable amounts of work.

When I was bringing up a child, I taught myself to write in very short, concentrated bursts. If I had a weekend, or a week, I'd do unbelievable amounts of work.

Doris Lessing

I would not be at all surprised to find out... that the dimensions of buildings affect us in ways we don't guess.

I would not be at all surprised to find out... that the dimensions of buildings affect us in ways we don't guess.

Doris Lessing

I think a lot of romanticizing has gone on with the women's movement.

I think a lot of romanticizing has gone on with the women's movement.

Doris Lessing

As soon as I got the Nobel Prize my back collapsed and I was in hospital.

As soon as I got the Nobel Prize my back collapsed and I was in hospital.

Doris Lessing

There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.

There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.

Doris Lessing

What's terrible is to pretend that second-rate is first-rate. To pretend that you don't need love when you do; or you like your work when you know quite well you're capable of better.

What's terrible is to pretend that second-rate is first-rate. To pretend that you don't need love when you do; or you like your work when you know quite well you're capable of better.

Doris Lessing

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