Thanks for reminding me about the depth of The Left Hand of Darkness. I have a genderless sibkid who might appreciate this recommendation from their aunty 💛
My personal favorite was The Dispossessed. It portrays a society that lives and suffers together. A community with all that entails including sometimes stultifying conformity. They're all great though.
Le Guin is an author that I haven't given enough attention and consideration to. I read the Left Hand of Darkness, and while I appreciate the questions it raises around ideas of gender and otherness on an individual and societal level, the book didn't speak to me.
And yet, after reading this, I'm ashamed to admit that missed what it had to say about loneliness and solitude. It seems so obvious. Perhaps, I'll have to give it a reread.
Regardless, I'll be making it a point to dive into more of her work.
So glad you liked it! Can I ask how you came across this piece? It’s from a few months ago but lots of people have been liking it the last day or so and I’m not sure why ☺️
ah, the capricious timing of substack. lol. Another Substacker I follow shared it with me recently. Not sure how she came across it. The internet works in mysterious ways. Glad stumbled upon it however it happened, its a great piece!
The connection between the power of names in Earthsea intersects with her father’s work as an anthropologist who worked with an individual who had no name as he was the last living person from his culture in which only another individual of that society could name you. I don’t know if this directly influenced her work but the connection has always fascinated me
Excellent writing LeGuin...thanks... As I have fat fingers and phone key pads are microscopic, I use a bluetoothed regular sized keyboard - (ebayuk, approx gbp 30) ; activate blue tooth, pair the two and away we go...very comfy...but then I graduated to a laptop. Two are nice in tandem as well. 🙏Happy thinking, happy writing 🧘🌌
Loved this exploration. This bit was especially poignant: "the pursuit of knowledge and truth can be a solitary and isolating endeavour." Yup. Yet also so rewarding it's impossible not to pursue.
This is very timely, as I've never read anything by Ursula Le Guin, but the Left Hand of Darkness is on my list of all time sci-fi and fantasy. I will have to bring it up higher on the list and get to it in the next two or three that I pick up. Thank you for bringing out these themes, I will be on the lookout for them when I read.
Thanks for reminding me about the depth of The Left Hand of Darkness. I have a genderless sibkid who might appreciate this recommendation from their aunty 💛
Aces! You’re very welcome ☺️
This is such a great theme for examining her work!
Thank you for reading 💕
Great perspective but unfortunately not all get to see the dawn.
I’ve never read any of her work, but I’m going hunting for some of these titles now. Thank you for this!
My personal favorite was The Dispossessed. It portrays a society that lives and suffers together. A community with all that entails including sometimes stultifying conformity. They're all great though.
thanks for sharing shes a fantatsic writer i need to dive more into and you certianly have encouraged that
This is really insightful.
Le Guin is an author that I haven't given enough attention and consideration to. I read the Left Hand of Darkness, and while I appreciate the questions it raises around ideas of gender and otherness on an individual and societal level, the book didn't speak to me.
And yet, after reading this, I'm ashamed to admit that missed what it had to say about loneliness and solitude. It seems so obvious. Perhaps, I'll have to give it a reread.
Regardless, I'll be making it a point to dive into more of her work.
Thanks for this!
So glad you liked it! Can I ask how you came across this piece? It’s from a few months ago but lots of people have been liking it the last day or so and I’m not sure why ☺️
ah, the capricious timing of substack. lol. Another Substacker I follow shared it with me recently. Not sure how she came across it. The internet works in mysterious ways. Glad stumbled upon it however it happened, its a great piece!
The connection between the power of names in Earthsea intersects with her father’s work as an anthropologist who worked with an individual who had no name as he was the last living person from his culture in which only another individual of that society could name you. I don’t know if this directly influenced her work but the connection has always fascinated me
Excellent writing LeGuin...thanks... As I have fat fingers and phone key pads are microscopic, I use a bluetoothed regular sized keyboard - (ebayuk, approx gbp 30) ; activate blue tooth, pair the two and away we go...very comfy...but then I graduated to a laptop. Two are nice in tandem as well. 🙏Happy thinking, happy writing 🧘🌌
Wonderful write up about a wonderful author. I haven't read all of her work, but those that I have are so incredibly good and deep and philosophical.
Loved this exploration. This bit was especially poignant: "the pursuit of knowledge and truth can be a solitary and isolating endeavour." Yup. Yet also so rewarding it's impossible not to pursue.
Thank you 🙏🏻
This is very timely, as I've never read anything by Ursula Le Guin, but the Left Hand of Darkness is on my list of all time sci-fi and fantasy. I will have to bring it up higher on the list and get to it in the next two or three that I pick up. Thank you for bringing out these themes, I will be on the lookout for them when I read.
Brilliant! Let me know what you make of it ok?
Of course!
Fantastic 👌🏽
The Lathe of Heaven. One of my very favorites. Effective dreaming is possible.
thanks for this, LRT 🙏🏼
i too write about loneliness... and the human condition
i look forward to reading more...
--
if you’re curious 👇🏼
https://opentochange.substack.com
Thank you kindly!
Thank you so much, picking the images was so much fun!
All the covers are amazing..!
Superb aren’t they!