Through the Tunnel (Creative Short Stories Series) (Creative Short Stories Series)
Worth buying if: You value Doris Lessing’s spare psychological detail and moral focus.
Skip it if: You want a multi-character novel with broad plot arcs rather than a single-episode short story.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780886823467. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
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Summary
In this 32-page short story edition from Creative Co, Lessing follows Jerry as he challenges himself to swim through an underwater tunnel, a tense, sensory episode about independence, fear, and quiet achievement.
Why this book now
Lessing’s finely tuned moral realism in 'Through the Tunnel' remains a crisp counterpoint to contemporary coming-of-age narratives and classroom discussions of autonomy.
30-second preview
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Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You value Doris Lessing’s spare psychological detail and moral focus.
- You prefer compact, scene-driven coming-of-age stories under 40 pages.
- If atmosphere matters, the characters show feeling without grand gestures.
- You want a multi-character novel with broad plot arcs rather than a single-episode short story.
- You expect modern YA pacing or contemporary dialogue—this is Lessing’s 1950s-styled realism.
- You are specifically hunting for the newest framing rather than a backlist perspective.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780886823467
Worth buying if: You value Doris Lessing’s spare psychological detail and moral focus.
Skip it if: You want a multi-character novel with broad plot arcs rather than a single-episode short story.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Quick Easy to move through
A single focused sitting: at about 32 pages, this edition reads like a long short story or a quiet classroom text, 20–40 minutes for most readers.
What stands out here
This Creative Co edition highlights Lessing’s original story in a small-format, single-story presentation—ideal for teaching or close rereading of the tunnel episode.
Best way to approach it
Read slowly and aloud if possible: linger on the sensory ocean descriptions and Jerry’s internal counting to appreciate Lessing’s precise psychological shifts.
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Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780886823467
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.