202:(1980) – Depicts the influence of unknown higher powers on interactions between a series of civilizational "zones" of varying degrees of advancement that encircle the planet Earth. One zone is representative of an overtly feminine high civilisation initially coupled by royal marriage to a militant and male civilisation. The novel culminates with the latter, male, civilisation allying with a tribal female realm again following directives from Canopus.
29:
218:
rather than
Canopus. The Sirians are depicted as a highly managed society, with fascist overtones, that attempts experiments on lesser civilisations while trying to mitigate the stagnation of their ruling class. The story is told from the perspective of Ambien II, one of a peer group of five who rule
304:("space fiction" in Lessing's own words) because of its focus on characterisation and social-cultural issues, and its lack of emphasis of the details of scientific technology. This set of writings represented a major shift of focus for Lessing, influenced by
400:
227:(1982) – The story of the civilisation on a planet that, because of interstellar "re-alignments", is slowly facing extinction, and Canopus's relationship with them. The story is greatly influenced by
336:
was not well received by some reviewers and readers, who felt that
Lessing had abandoned her "rational worldview". This prompted her to write in the preface to the third book,
194:
rather than centuries. The history spans from the very beginning of life into a future World War Three. It includes the trial of all
Europeans for the crimes of colonialism.
348:, as a framework that enables me to tell (I hope) a beguiling tale or two; to put questions, both to myself and to others; to explore ideas and sociological possibilities.
705:
1046:
904:
392:
223:
49:
483:
890:
198:
41:
1118:
911:
239:
53:
1123:
149:, which portray a number of societies at different stages of development, over a great period of time. The focus is on accelerated
1078:
795:
638:
1073:
1068:
1093:
1083:
996:
1098:
555:
749:
730:
591:
563:
442:
264:
1088:
989:
848:
1113:
190:(1979) – A secret history of Earth from the perspective of the advanced Canopus civilisation that is thinking in
1108:
491:
356:
series were not interested in her other works. They told her, "Oh, realism, I can't be bothered with that."
1103:
517:
788:
611:
283:
developed, she found she had ideas for more than just one book, and ended up writing a series of five.
663:
876:
607:
160:, but do not form a continuous storyline. Each book covers unrelated events, with the exception of
855:
971:
897:
781:
297:
206:
45:
232:
545:
1016:
820:
301:
8:
869:
841:
320:. She later wrote several essays on Sufism which were published in her essay collection,
228:
964:
939:
918:
862:
709:
616:
522:
280:
932:
834:
745:
726:
587:
559:
438:
260:
1023:
701:
692:
Dixson, Barbara (1990). "Structural
Complexity in Doris Lessing's Canopus Novels".
551:
243:(1983) – A story of Canopean agents on a less advanced planet; explores hazards of
925:
513:
135:
99:
157:
28:
1062:
805:
765:
579:
458:
430:
168:, which tell the story of accelerated evolution on Earth through the eyes of
146:
104:
64:
827:
372:
305:
248:
773:
317:
142:
713:
292:
255:
The five books have also appeared compiled in a single volume entitled
725:. Basingstoke, UK/New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan/St. Martins Press.
946:
214:, on the history of Earth, but from the perspective of visitors from
150:
153:
guided by advanced species for less advanced species and societies.
883:
376:
352:
Later
Lessing discovered that many younger people who had read the
344:
I would so like it if reviewers and readers could see this series,
309:
244:
186:
37:
288:
279:
she intended it to be a "single self-contained book" but, as her
169:
313:
215:
173:
383:
is described as the second part of an opera trilogy based on
138:
742:
Between East and West: Sufism in the Novels of Doris
Lessing
547:
Between East and West: Sufism in the Novels of Doris
Lessing
191:
518:"Doris Lessing on Feminism, Communism and 'Space Fiction'"
723:
Doris
Lessing: Sufi Equilibrium and the Form of the Novel
706:
International
Association for the Fantastic in the Arts
247:
and mirrors events in revolutionary societies such as
744:. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
664:"The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five"
1060:
891:The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five
401:The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five
369:The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five
199:The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five
42:The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five
1047:The Making of the Representative for Planet 8
905:The Making of the Representative for Planet 8
789:
393:The Making of the Representative for Planet 8
365:The Making of the Representative for Planet 8
224:The Making of the Representative for Planet 8
50:The Making of the Representative for Planet 8
371:have been adapted for the opera by composer
912:The Sentimental Agents in the Volyen Empire
296:series as a whole falls into categories of
240:The Sentimental Agents in the Volyen Empire
54:The Sentimental Agents in the Volyen Empire
803:
796:
782:
27:
484:"Doris Lessing: Biobibliographical Notes"
425:
423:
606:
512:
643:Chester Music and Novello & Company
600:
578:
506:
429:
1061:
691:
420:
156:The novels all take place in the same
777:
739:
720:
543:
694:Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts
537:
997:The Grandmothers: Four Short Novels
13:
1119:Novels about extraterrestrial life
685:
556:State University of New York Press
14:
1135:
759:
990:Prisons We Choose to Live Inside
849:Briefing for a Descent into Hell
586:. London: Flamingo. p. 11.
235:, and is Lessing's homage to it.
187:Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta
123:Print (hardback & paperback)
38:Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta
1124:Novels set on fictional planets
437:. London: Flamingo. p. 8.
1079:Book series introduced in 1979
656:
631:
612:"Alice, The Radical Homemaker"
572:
476:
451:
359:
1:
408:
270:
16:Novel series by Doris Lessing
1074:1980s science fiction novels
1069:1970s science fiction novels
327:
7:
1094:Science fiction book series
275:When Lessing began writing
10:
1140:
1084:Fiction set around Canopus
767:Canopus in Argos: Archives
257:Canopus in Argos: Archives
131:Canopus in Argos: Archives
22:Canopus in Argos: Archives
1099:Fiction set around Sirius
1033:
1006:
981:
956:
877:The Memoirs of a Survivor
812:
721:Fahim, Shadia S. (1995).
433:(1994) . "Some Remarks".
346:Canopus in Argos: Archive
179:
119:
111:
95:
87:
70:
60:
35:
26:
413:
1089:Novels by Doris Lessing
856:A Ripple from the Storm
770:Doris Lessing homepage.
210:(1980) – Focuses, like
1114:Social science fiction
898:The Sirian Experiments
584:The Sirian Experiments
350:
338:The Sirian Experiments
207:The Sirian Experiments
166:The Sirian Experiments
134:is a sequence of five
46:The Sirian Experiments
1109:Alfred A. Knopf books
610:(22 September 1985).
342:
821:The Grass Is Singing
740:Galin, Müge (1997).
582:(1994) . "Preface".
544:Galin, Müge (1997).
379:written by Lessing.
302:soft science fiction
233:Antarctic expedition
1104:Jonathan Cape books
870:The Four-Gated City
842:The Golden Notebook
316:, in particular by
229:Robert Falcon Scott
23:
965:Through the Tunnel
940:The Sweetest Dream
919:The Good Terrorist
617:The New York Times
523:The New York Times
494:on 12 October 2007
281:fictional universe
21:
1056:
1055:
933:Ben, in the World
835:A Proper Marriage
127:
126:
1131:
1041:Canopus in Argos
1024:Alfred and Emily
798:
791:
784:
775:
774:
755:
736:
717:
702:Orlando, Florida
679:
678:
676:
674:
660:
654:
653:
651:
649:
635:
629:
628:
626:
624:
604:
598:
597:
576:
570:
569:
552:Albany, New York
541:
535:
534:
532:
530:
516:(25 July 1982).
514:Hazelton, Lesley
510:
504:
503:
501:
499:
490:. Archived from
480:
474:
473:
471:
469:
455:
449:
448:
427:
385:Canopus in Argos
381:The Marriages...
334:Canopus in Argos
249:Communist Russia
176:, respectively.
31:
24:
20:
1139:
1138:
1134:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1128:
1059:
1058:
1057:
1052:
1029:
1008:
1002:
977:
952:
926:The Fifth Child
808:
802:
762:
752:
733:
688:
686:Further reading
683:
682:
672:
670:
662:
661:
657:
647:
645:
637:
636:
632:
622:
620:
608:Donoghue, Denis
605:
601:
594:
577:
573:
566:
542:
538:
528:
526:
511:
507:
497:
495:
482:
481:
477:
467:
465:
459:"Doris Lessing"
457:
456:
452:
445:
428:
421:
416:
411:
362:
330:
273:
182:
136:science fiction
103:
100:Alfred A. Knopf
91:Science fiction
83:
56:
52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1137:
1127:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1054:
1053:
1051:
1050:
1043:
1037:
1035:
1031:
1030:
1028:
1027:
1020:
1012:
1010:
1007:Autobiography/
1004:
1003:
1001:
1000:
993:
985:
983:
979:
978:
976:
975:
968:
960:
958:
954:
953:
951:
950:
943:
936:
929:
922:
915:
908:
901:
894:
887:
880:
873:
866:
859:
852:
845:
838:
831:
824:
816:
814:
810:
809:
801:
800:
793:
786:
778:
772:
771:
761:
760:External links
758:
757:
756:
750:
737:
731:
718:
687:
684:
681:
680:
655:
639:"Philip Glass"
630:
599:
592:
580:Lessing, Doris
571:
564:
558:. p. 21.
536:
505:
488:NobelPrize.org
475:
450:
443:
431:Lessing, Doris
418:
417:
415:
412:
410:
407:
406:
405:
397:
361:
358:
329:
326:
272:
269:
253:
252:
236:
220:
203:
195:
181:
178:
158:future history
143:Nobel laureate
125:
124:
121:
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
82:
81:
80:United Kingdom
78:
74:
72:
68:
67:
62:
58:
57:
33:
32:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1136:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1066:
1064:
1049:
1048:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1032:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1019:
1018:
1017:Under My Skin
1014:
1013:
1011:
1005:
999:
998:
994:
992:
991:
987:
986:
984:
980:
973:
969:
966:
962:
961:
959:
957:Short stories
955:
949:
948:
944:
942:
941:
937:
935:
934:
930:
928:
927:
923:
921:
920:
916:
914:
913:
909:
907:
906:
902:
900:
899:
895:
893:
892:
888:
886:
885:
881:
879:
878:
874:
872:
871:
867:
865:
864:
860:
858:
857:
853:
851:
850:
846:
844:
843:
839:
837:
836:
832:
830:
829:
825:
823:
822:
818:
817:
815:
811:
807:
806:Doris Lessing
799:
794:
792:
787:
785:
780:
779:
776:
769:
768:
764:
763:
753:
751:0-7914-3383-8
747:
743:
738:
734:
732:0-312-10293-3
728:
724:
719:
715:
711:
707:
703:
699:
695:
690:
689:
669:
665:
659:
644:
640:
634:
619:
618:
613:
609:
603:
595:
593:0-00-654721-4
589:
585:
581:
575:
567:
565:0-7914-3383-8
561:
557:
553:
549:
548:
540:
525:
524:
519:
515:
509:
493:
489:
485:
479:
464:
460:
454:
446:
444:0-00-712776-6
440:
436:
432:
426:
424:
419:
403:
402:
398:
395:
394:
390:
389:
388:
386:
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
357:
355:
349:
347:
341:
339:
335:
325:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
294:
290:
284:
282:
278:
268:
266:
265:0-679-74184-4
262:
258:
250:
246:
242:
241:
237:
234:
230:
226:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
208:
204:
201:
200:
196:
193:
189:
188:
184:
183:
177:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
147:Doris Lessing
144:
140:
137:
133:
132:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
105:Jonathan Cape
101:
98:
94:
90:
86:
79:
77:United States
76:
75:
73:
69:
66:
65:Doris Lessing
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
34:
30:
25:
19:
1045:
1040:
1022:
1015:
995:
988:
945:
938:
931:
924:
917:
910:
903:
896:
889:
882:
875:
868:
861:
854:
847:
840:
833:
828:Martha Quest
826:
819:
766:
741:
722:
697:
693:
673:17 September
671:. Retrieved
668:Philip Glass
667:
658:
646:. Retrieved
642:
633:
621:. Retrieved
615:
602:
583:
574:
546:
539:
527:. Retrieved
521:
508:
496:. Retrieved
492:the original
487:
478:
466:. Retrieved
462:
453:
434:
399:
391:
384:
380:
373:Philip Glass
368:
364:
363:
353:
351:
345:
343:
337:
333:
331:
321:
287:
285:
276:
274:
256:
254:
238:
222:
211:
205:
197:
185:
165:
161:
155:
130:
129:
128:
18:
982:Collections
360:Adaptations
318:Idries Shah
1063:Categories
863:Landlocked
409:References
322:Time Bites
312:themes in
271:Background
120:Media type
947:The Cleft
804:Works by
708:: 14–22.
498:18 August
377:librettos
328:Reception
306:spiritual
170:Canopeans
151:evolution
115:1979–1983
112:Published
96:Publisher
884:Shikasta
714:43308052
529:25 March
435:Shikasta
324:(2004).
310:mystical
277:Shikasta
245:rhetoric
212:Shikasta
162:Shikasta
1034:Related
1009:memoirs
354:Canopus
289:Canopus
259:(1992,
219:Sirius.
174:Sirians
145:author
71:Country
972:Flight
813:Novels
748:
729:
712:
648:15 May
623:4 July
590:
562:
468:15 May
441:
404:(1997)
396:(1986)
314:Sufism
298:social
263:
216:Sirius
180:Novels
139:novels
61:Author
710:JSTOR
700:(3).
463:Mural
414:Notes
375:with
293:Argos
88:Genre
746:ISBN
727:ISBN
675:2019
650:2008
625:2014
588:ISBN
560:ISBN
531:2011
500:2008
470:2008
439:ISBN
367:and
332:The
308:and
286:The
261:ISBN
192:eons
172:and
164:and
107:(UK)
102:(US)
300:or
291:in
267:).
231:'s
141:by
1065::
704::
696:.
666:.
641:.
614:.
554::
550:.
520:.
486:.
461:.
422:^
387:.
340::
974:"
970:"
967:"
963:"
797:e
790:t
783:v
754:.
735:.
716:.
698:2
677:.
652:.
627:.
596:.
568:.
533:.
502:.
472:.
447:.
251:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
