Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32170 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

The Times
'Her true accolade is that she writes plainly and honestly about things that are universal and true...'

Synopsis
A hugely significant political novel for the late twentieth-century from one of the outstanding writers of the modern era. In a London squat a band of bourgeois revolutionaries are united by a loathing of the waste and cruelty they see around them. These maladjusted malcontents try desperately to become involved in terrorist activities far beyond their level of competence. Only Alice seems capable of organising anything. Motherly, practical and determined, she is also easily exploited by the group and ideal fodder for a more dangerous and potent cause. Eventually their naive radical fantasies turn into a chaos of real destruction, but the aftermath is not as exciting as they had hoped. Nonetheless, while they may not have changed the world, their lives will never be the same again!

Customer Reviews

reality
This books description of children of the middleclass and their struggle with trying to be revolusionaries is excellent, it rings true for any child of the 60's who argued late into the night about policitics! the main character Alice is so disturbingly normal yet essentric that you almost want to reach in and help her!, a great insightful look at the lives of thoes who choose not to conform, as with other Doris lessing books a joy to read.

Stunning
I am stunned that this book was short-listed for the Booker prize. Poorly written, implausible, out-of-touch, conservative dross whose only appeal could be for Telegraph readers of her own generation. Political Mills & Boon.

Highly realistic
This is a highly realistic novel about a Communist gang that turns to terrorism in 80s London. Lessing describes with great detail the process of rebuilding a squat and holding a radical conference there. I would be very interested to know how she managed to research such an accurate picture of this underground process. The main characters live a blinkered existence that may infuriate the reader as much as it does the characters' much-abused families! However, there are such characters in existence. The political scenes also contain many debates that also continue to divide the left, such as support for the IRA or genetic debates. Like any volunteer organisation, the "CCU" in this book relies on one or two hard-working people to support a number of essentially selfish individuals. My only quibble is with the ending - would the KGB really continue to keep in contact with the CCU after such a clumsy attempt at terrorism?