The Dispossesed

[Stranger Than Paradise]

I was wondering if any one on here has read it. It is a science fiction book written by Ursula Le Guin. It has many Anarchist themes and is the story of two fighting planets (representing USA and Russia) along with two other planets which have no governments and have been settled by the Anarchist Odonians. I have not read it myself and I am wondering if it is worthwhile.

[Devrim]

I have read it. It is very good. I would recommend it.

Devrim

[Stranger Than Paradise]

I have read it. It is very good. I would recommend it.

Devrim

Thanks. I'll order it on Amazon or summat.

[Palmares]

A really good book. It's famous for it's anarchist themes, and thus is a part of classical (fictional) anarchist literature.

Also, even though it is quite different to the many other Ursula K. Le Guin books I have read (being the most anarchistic in theme), it still holds much of the gusto her other works are most famous for (diverse exploration of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, etc).

Lastly, I believe there may be an error in your statement here:


is the story of two fighting planets (representing USA and Russia) along with two other planets which have no governments and have been settled by the Anarchist Odonians.

From my memory, it is two rival governments (perhaps representing USA and Russia, I never thought about it), on one planet ("Earth" as it were), with a moon off it that was settled by the Anarchists of the aforementioned planet.

It's been a while since I've read it though.

But yeah, one of my favourite books, and perhaps Ursula K. Le Guin's best.

[Palmares]

Wikipedia seems to uphold my statement:


The story of The Dispossessed is set on Anarres (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarres) and Urras (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urras), the twin inhabited worlds of Tau Ceti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tau_Ceti_in_fiction). Cetians are mentioned in other Ekumen novels and short stories. An Anarresti appears in the short story The Shobies' Story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Fisherman_of_the_Inland_Sea). Urras before the settlement of Anarres is the setting for the short story The Day Before the Revolution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind%27s_Twelve_Quarters). In The Dispossessed, Urras is divided into several states which are dominated by the two largest ones, which are rivals.

[Palmares]

Oh, and fuck getting it from Amazon, surely any good infoshop (or similar radical bookshop) in your area should stock it, or should be able to get it in for you.

Or some big corporate chain like Borders or similar should have it, perhaps you could liberate a copy from there. :)

[Stranger Than Paradise]

Oh, and fuck getting it from Amazon, surely any good infoshop (or similar radical bookshop) in your area should stock it, or should be able to get it in for you.

Or some big corporate chain like Borders or similar should have it, perhaps you could liberate a copy from there. :)

The reason I was going to get it from Amazon was I couldn't find it anywhere else. But the second option sounds appealing.

[Palmares]

If you really are in London (England), Freedom (the infoshop in East London, near Whitechapel Tube station) sometimes stocks it, I should know, I use to work there.

56a (infoshop in South London, not too far from Elephant and Castle Tube) might have it too.

Otherwise, like I said, both you be able to get it in for you.

There's also some other left liberal bookshop in north central London (near Kings Cross Tube, but I never went there) that might have it.

[Absolut]

Definately worth reading, I really liked it.

You can order it for around 7GBP from Adlibris.com (http://www.adlibris.com/se/searchresult.aspx?search=quickfirstpage&quickvalue=the+dispossessed&title=the+dispossessed&fromproduct=False). The shipping rate might be expensive though, not really sure.

[DIzzIE]

It's famous for it's anarchist themes, and thus is a part of classical (fictional) anarchist literature.

How ironic then that Guin is herself a propertarian engaged in egoizing rather than sharing:


Neither Ms. Le Guin nor her publisher had authorized the electronic editions. To Ms. Le Guin, it was a rude introduction to the quietly proliferating problem of digital piracy in the literary world. “I thought, who do these people think they are?” Ms. Le Guin said. “Why do they think they can violate my copyright and get away with it?” (Source (http://www10.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/technology/internet/12digital.htm?pagewanted=print))

Especially considering that she once said:


I felt totally at home with (pacifist, not violent) anarchism, just as I always had with Taoism (they are related, at least by affinity.) It is the only mode of political thinking that I do feel at home with. (Source (http://www.anarchistnews.org/?q=node/3344))

[Raúl Duke]

I read the book, it's pretty good.

In a sense it also talks of the difficulties an anarchist society could/might have (especially one like Annares which lacks resources and fertile lands); although in a fictional setting (i.e. a moon-like planet).

And yes, there's 2 nations in the other planet; one capitalist and the other state-capitalist.

[Killfacer]

I bought if fairly recently and read it stupidly fast. It's a real good read by an excellent author.

[KaubanProcs]

I've read it. Its a really good read. I actually used some of Shevek's lines and integrated it into some times i'm doing public speaking.

(spoiler, i guess)


My only complaint is the ending! Stupid cliffhanger