
The Imaginative Reality of Ursula K. Le Guin - lermontov
https://www.vqronline.org/interviews-articles/2018/03/imaginative-reality-ursula-k-le-guin
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jpm_sd
I love the plain-spoken poetry of her writing. She had an amazing gift for
immersively describing the natural world and the day-to-day business of
living. It makes her stories feel more real to me than the majority of
"fantasy" literature.

A few favorite passages in here:

[https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1322014-the-
farthest-s...](https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1322014-the-farthest-
shore)

[https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/215093-the-other-
wind](https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/215093-the-other-wind)

~~~
kwhitefoot
Some of them feel more real to me than most main stream lit. too. Especially
The Dispossessed.

------
maire
Ursula Le Guin was the daughter of anthropologists Alfred L. Kroeber and
Theodora Kroeber. Her parents are best known for documenting the life of Ishi,
the last member of the Yahi tribe. Kroaber Hall on the UC Berkeley campus was
named after Ursula's parents.

I believe this is why Ursula Le Guin is able to write empathetic descriptions
of disparate cultures. Science fiction was a medium for her explorations.

~~~
Jtsummers
Theodora Kroeber wrote two excellent books on Ishi.

 _Ishi: Last of His Tribe_ is a fictionalized narrative of his life (told as a
novel).

 _Ishi in Two Worlds_ is a non-fiction account of his life from the time he
first came into contact with Alfred to his death. Covers a great deal about
his people's culture as well.

------
zwieback
I'm not a sci-fi or fantasy reader but had heard so much about "Left hand of
darkness" that I gave it a try. It was just okay for me, sort of
underdelivered on a great premise.

If I read one more LeGuin, which one should I take on?

~~~
empath75
[http://www.mccc.edu/pdf/eng102/Week%209/Text_LeGuin%20Ursula...](http://www.mccc.edu/pdf/eng102/Week%209/Text_LeGuin%20Ursula_Ones%20Who%20Walk%20Away%20From%20Omelas.pdf)

~~~
ambrosite
I see this story as a kind of thought experiment about the way in which
societies treat minority groups. There have been many societies that felt the
oppression of a minority was justified, or even necessary, in exchange for the
greater good of the society. This story takes that idea to its logical
extreme: a perfect society, with unlimited health and happiness for all, in
exchange for the complete and utter oppression and degradation of the smallest
possible minority -- a minority of one. Is it still justified? The people who
feel it is not are "the ones who walk away from Omelas."

~~~
eeZah7Ux
> There have been many societies that felt the oppression of a minority was
> justified

"have been"?
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality)

------
fhood
Wow, I was just reminded the Ursula Le Guin died which in turn reminded me
that Diana Wynne Jones also died not too long ago. Bittersweet, but at least
serves as a reminder to go and re-read a couple favorites.

