“It is very enjoyable, writing a story. You get this idea. It takes hold of you. And then you spend day and night thinking about how to do it. And then you do it. And much later, you think, 'Oh, yes. That's an interesting question.'”

British novelist and Nobel laureate in Literature, 1995. Her work spans decades, from early socialist fiction to later explorations of human consciousness and the complexities of aging. Known for novels like *The Golden Notebook* and *The Grass Is Singing*, she also wrote short stories and plays, often examining power, gender, and the search for meaning.