Doris Lessing
137 copies for sale · $20–$3,000 · 72 first editions · 16 signed
Notable copies for sale
The Golden Notebook (first edition, signed) — Burnside Rare Books$3,000
Time Bites: Views and Reviews (first edition, signed) — Honey & Wax Booksellers$350
African Laughter (first edition, signed) — Between the Covers$250
The Temptation of Jack Orkney: Collected Stories, Volume Two (first edition, signed) — Michael Pyron Books$150
To Room Nineteen: Collected Stories, Volume One (first edition, signed) — Michael Pyron Books$150
The Sweetest Dream (first edition, signed) — Michael Pyron Books$100
Ben, in the World (first edition, signed) — Michael Pyron Books$100
Mara and Dann (first edition, signed) — Michael Pyron Books$100
MARTHA QUEST - SIGNED (signed) — Captain Ahab's Rare Books$600
The Golden Notebook (first edition) — Burnside Rare Books$600
THE SIRIAN EXPERIMENTS (first edition) — Type Punch Matrix$350
Mara And Dann - 1st Edition/1st Printing (first edition) — Books Tell You Why$256
What these are worth
Briefing for a Descent into Hell5 copies from 3 sellers
THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK4 copies from 3 sellers
Each page gathers every copy on the market, what similar copies have fetched, and the spread between them.
Works on the market
THE MARRIAGES BETWEEN ZONES THREE FOUR AND FIVE6 copies · $47–$98
FOUR GATED CITY By Doris Lessing - Hardcover **Mint Condition**6 copies · $20–$48
STORIES5 copies · $43–$83
THE FIFTH CHILD5 copies · $25–$73
THE SUMMER BEFORE THE DARK4 copies · $20–$48
THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK3 copies · $73–$450
Good Terrorist3 copies · $35–$158
BRIEFING FOR A DESCENT INTO HELL3 copies · $73–$150
THE MAKING OF THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR PLANET 8; Canopus in Argos: Archives3 copies · $105–$107
Ben In The World Signed2 copies · $100–$125
THE SIRIAN EXPERIMENTS; The Report by Ambien II, of the Five2 copies · $111–$123
THE SIRIAN EXPERIMENTS2 copies · $123
The Summer Before The Dark Signed2 copies · $56–$110
THE CLEFT2 copies · $63–$73
Documents Relating To The Sentimental Agents In The Volyen Empire - 1st Edition/1st Printi2 copies · $56–$64
PARTICULARLY CATS2 copies · $43–$53
THE MEMOIRS OF A SURVIVOR2 copies · $25
The Summer Before the Dark2 copies · $20
The Golden Notebook1 copy · $3,000
Market context
45 copies of Doris Lessing's works have left the market recently; the median last-listed price was $45 (last listed prices at time of sale or removal, not confirmed sale prices).
Recent auction results (hammer prices, premiums not included):
Canopus in Argos, 5 vol., first edition, vol. 3 signed by the author, 1979-83. (forum, 2026-09-30)£110
The Sirian Experiments , first edition, signed by the author, New York, Knopf, 1980; and 2 (forum, 2026-09-30)£85
Listings aggregated from rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide; refreshed continually. Prices are seller asking prices unless marked as auction results.