The Dispossessed (Gollancz S.F.)
3 journalers for this copy...
Maybe I'm exaggerating slightly with my 10/10 rating, but it is one of the more influential books in my life and I am constantly reminded of it and inspired by it, whether I'm working on my love-life, pure mathematics, industrial relations or child-rearing.
This edition (Gollancz 2006 reprint with a foreword by Richard Morgan) is pretty enough that I think I'll order a couple more copies :-) The last copy I had infuriatingly hyphenated the title across the spine: "THE DISPOS-SESSED".
I did intend to re-read this, but it has been on Fleebo's wishlist since before I met her, and it's the Sydney meetup tomorrow night. Happy Christmas!
This edition (Gollancz 2006 reprint with a foreword by Richard Morgan) is pretty enough that I think I'll order a couple more copies :-) The last copy I had infuriatingly hyphenated the title across the spine: "THE DISPOS-SESSED".
I did intend to re-read this, but it has been on Fleebo's wishlist since before I met her, and it's the Sydney meetup tomorrow night. Happy Christmas!
Journal Entry 2 by xoddam at Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Cnr Pitt & Bathurst in Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Monday, December 11, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (12/12/2006 UTC) at Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Cnr Pitt & Bathurst in Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Giving to Fleebo at the meetup, providing I make it there before she leaves and all that...
Giving to Fleebo at the meetup, providing I make it there before she leaves and all that...
A Christmas RABCK from xoddam. Thank you so much! And the timing was perfect... I finished reading "The Telling" just a couple of days ago so I'm all fired up to read more Le Guin.
I have had this book for a shockingly long time and have only just read it.
I enjoyed it, but the Anarres community is not anarchist. It's communist - the ideal, not the real kind that Le Guin would have been familiar with in 1974. My idea of anarchy is lawlessness resulting in chaos, which quickly evolves into tribal or other society. Pure anarchy is for animals. So for me, the rest of the symbolism and comparisons fall down right there. She points out that the pure non-hierarchy has faded over 150 years but IMO there's no way it would have taken that long.
Still, the two societies are interesting, and Shevek is quite a good character for a physicist. An interesting read for those who like to think. Thanks xoddam. Would you like this one back now?
I enjoyed it, but the Anarres community is not anarchist. It's communist - the ideal, not the real kind that Le Guin would have been familiar with in 1974. My idea of anarchy is lawlessness resulting in chaos, which quickly evolves into tribal or other society. Pure anarchy is for animals. So for me, the rest of the symbolism and comparisons fall down right there. She points out that the pure non-hierarchy has faded over 150 years but IMO there's no way it would have taken that long.
Still, the two societies are interesting, and Shevek is quite a good character for a physicist. An interesting read for those who like to think. Thanks xoddam. Would you like this one back now?
I agree with fleebo - it's more about pure communism than anarchy. But then after I wrote that I thought more and realised that there's a fair bit of anarchy built into the system. And that's where the falls down to me, as I can't believe that it's such a small minority who would be prepared to go against public opinion in any way.
And excellent and thought provoking read, which I'll pass on to my parents to read before wild release.
And excellent and thought provoking read, which I'll pass on to my parents to read before wild release.
