Incredible character writing by Lessing, in her magnum opus. The book has five parts, segmented by the mind of the protagonist Anna into her four notebooks and her real life. The writing here is superb, particularly in the dialogue and character development, as Lessing tackles British Communism and Feminism, along with post-Colonial attitudes and life in the nuclear age simultaneously. Each topic is given space to be explored and debated through the characters in the book, and each is given its own life as part of Lessing's flawless prose. Incredible.