I haven't read it in probably ten years but I remember devouring it. I fucking love Ursula LeGuin though; I think a fair bit of folks aren't into her.
The Dispossessed - Ursula Le Guin
)i had no problem getting into then devouring this book, and immiediately getting more copies to give to friends.
It was absolutely excellent. She knew her shit alright.
I am puzzled by people seeing it as an indictment of anarchism; i saw it as an endorsement. Surely any endorsement should have some bad points to give a rounder picture? And the overall pictures on Anarres was, pretty much, gritty utopia.
Shevek's social problems on the main planet are, for me, really touching. His address to the rally at the end was... different, but also really moving.
And i'm not really into sci fi either.
Daniel, try again.
welshboy wrote:
I thought it was shite, Woman At The Edge Of Time is far superior. Marge Piercy is, in my opinion, a far better writer than Le Guin.
It's not as bad as Anarchist Farm mind...
er ok. I think a lot people were probably better writers mate. Marge Piercy wrote many books on communism?
I may be making a crazy leap here, but it hought we were probably talking about the political element it being libcom an that.
daniel wrote:
I got this book from the library cos i heard it was about anarchism and what not. I could hardly finish it. Is it just me or this one of the most mind-numbingly horribly soul-shrinkingly boring and dry and dull and awful book ever written? Really, really fucking awful...Thoughts?
The opening post didn't mention the political elements of the book, just that it's boring, dry and dull. I was agreeing and suggesting a better book. I also prefer the world imagined in Marge Piercys book over the world of the dispossesed.
I dunno, maybe I should try and re-read it as so many peole really like it.
I think Piercy should be credited with one of the first cyberpunk authors, while LeGuin is definitely drawing from the a lot of classical science fiction (which is now en vogue again... all the way to the space opera of Banks, Macleod and Stross).
What's up with all the Libertarian/Trotskyist stuff being produced over on the other side of the pond these days? Over here, we've only got LeGuin reprints, Sterling's last satire, and Robinson's modern eco-drama.
daniel wrote:
I got this book from the library cos i heard it was about anarchism and what not. I could hardly finish it. Is it just me or this one of the most mind-numbingly horribly soul-shrinkingly boring and dry and dull and awful book ever written? Really, really fucking awful...Thoughts?
you what?
Its a fucking fantastic book, the politics are pretty good without being 'right on' utopian bullshit or interfering with the plot too much, the philosophy in it asks some interesting questions and the prose is well written like all le guins stuff
i just got through 'the birthday party of the world' recently aswell and i'd definitely recommend that too
Daniel, for those still keeping track, argues that Valerie Solanis's SCUM Manifesto is "what feminism," which he hates, "is really about"; seems to be into 9/11 conspiracy theory; writes stuff like
Quote:
If aliens from Outer Space or what have you looked at this world through the lense of the Lefty-liberal media, they’d get the idea that half the world (called the “Third World”) is populated by starving non-Whites waiting with outstretched begging bowls for either St. Bono and Co. or the reincarnation of Che “Put ‘Em Up Against the Wall” Guevara. The other half of the world (called the “First World”) is populated by Black lesbian single-mothers on welfare! Apparently...
;
worries about "the banking families"; and enjoys reggae.
So if this thread isn't an endorsement of LeGuin's book I don't know what is.
Dispossessed is probably one of my favorite novels ever. The story is great, philosophy interesting and shevrek is a wonderfully 3d character. It's a great endorsement of anarchism methinks. Yeah things were a bit broken, but even then it seemed like shevrek's syndicate was gonna shuffle things up for the better.
I think its interesting how much anarchist or anarchistish literature is coming out of modern sci fi. Morgan, Stross, Banks, Macleod, a whole lot of good stuff. All from you limey bastards from across the pond but meh... we'll catch up.
You are one weird bloke MJ and a right tosser to boot. What are you some kind of internet stalker? Leave me the fuck along. I really do not understand why you care what I think or do. If I'm such an idiot, why waste so much energy on me?
Anyway, internet stalkers aside, I thought The Dispossessed was bad because it relied heavily upon ideas instead of characters and actions. Her writing style is pretty bad too - ever heard the old one "Show, don't tell"? I thought Kwaga made a pretty good point about the "scarcity society" of Shevek's world.
daniel wrote:
You are one weird bloke MJ and a right tosser to boot. What are you some kind of internet stalker? Leave me the fuck along. I really do not understand why you care what I think or do. If I'm such an idiot, why waste so much energy on me?Anyway, internet stalkers aside, I thought The Dispossessed was bad because it relied heavily upon ideas instead of characters and actions. Her writing style is pretty bad too - ever heard the old one "Show, don't tell"? I thought Kwaga made a pretty good point about the "scarcity society" of Shevek's world.
er, right then - out of interest what is a well written book according to you?
I got this book from the library cos i heard it was about anarchism and what not. I could hardly finish it. Is it just me or this one of the most mind-numbingly horribly soul-shrinkingly boring and dry and dull and awful book ever written? Really, really fucking awful...
Thoughts?