The Diaries of Jane Somers by Doris Lessing

The funny thing is that when I picked this book in the library,I didn`t realise I have read it before. I found that when I started reading it.I remembered that the last time I read it,I didn`t like it. It was boring to me. Now I liked it better. It raises many important questions. Jane Somers is a fashion magazine editor and her whole life evolves around her work.She is good at it and she knows that. Personally she suffers because her husband and her mother died from cancer in a few years time and she was feeling unadequate to offer them due kindness,care and support. She is afraid that someone may depend on her. But her life changes when she meets Maudie, an old poor lady. Jane feels like she can take a moment and give some attention to the old one. This becomes a long-term commitment. Jane begins to visit Maudie,to do her shopping,to wash her,to clean her place. At first she is terrified that she becomes more and more involved but then she sees this as an opportunity to amend for the past. I liked that part of the book. It says a lot about old age,about dependance on the care of others,on the value of health. It`s not always pleasant,reading about Maudie`s day and how little she needs but how difficult is to receive it. I liked that Jane was honest about her feelings toward Maudie. She loves her and sometimes hates her.too.

In the second part of the book Jane is entrusted to take care of her niece,Kate,who doesn`t want to study,doesn`t want to do anything but to hang around. Meanwhile,she falls in love with a married man. They carry on a very unusual relationship which at the end finishes when Richard leaves for Canada with his wife.

I liked Jane through the whole book. She is of that type who wants to do everything just perfect. It costs her a lot of effort and strength but I think about her as a good person. However,I couldn`t understand why everyone were throwing their difficult children to her. First,Kate,then Kathleen -Richard`s daughter. As if because she was childless and seemed to cope with so much, everyone was envious of her independance and wanted to throw their own problems on her.

In my opinion, the first part of the book was better written and constructed but I enjoyed it to the end.