- Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: HarperPaperbacks; Reprint edition (31 Dec 1994)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0061054887
- ISBN-13: 978-0061054884
- Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 2.7 x 17.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 893,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Synopsis
Unwilling to accept that his anarchist world must be separated from the rest of the civilized universe, Shevek, a brilliant physicist, risks his life by traveling to the utopian mother planet of Urras. Reissue.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Quite conceivably the best SF novel ever written - if that phrase means anything at all. There are two different achievements in this novel. Firstly, it is a superb portrayal of the mind of a scientist, showing the slow conceptual struggle towards a new idea (instantaneous communication). Worth reading just for that. The second achievement is that UlG explores the balance between the individualistic and collectivist strains in all societies. The device that she uses for this is a world (Urras) much like earth which contains mixed economies and socialist states around which orbits a moon (Annarres) containing an exiled colony of anarchists. The protagonist, Shevek, is a physicist on Annarres who becomes aware of the constraints of the anarchistic society and journeys to Urras. Here he sees the limitations of state power, whether capitalist or socialist. The superb, and vitally important, narrative structure that is used is Shevek's concept of simultanaeity: the novel intertwines two narratives (Shevek leaves Annares, and Shevek leaves Urras) which allows UlG to raise the problems with both types of system simultaneously. This is not a political rant (or Rand, perhaps) but a story about an enquiring mind. And yes, it does have characters. It does what SF is supposed to do: it frees us from the tyranny of present fashion.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This novel won the 1974 Nebula Award and the 1975 Hugo Award for best science fiction novel of the year as well as the 1975 Jupiter Award. It is centered about a complex society that is founded upon anarchism: an ordered society without laws. The "dispossessed" in the novel are the millions of the inhabitants of Anarres, an arid moon of the lush planet of Urras. Two centuries earlier, the followers of an anarchist philosopher had fled Urras to forge a new society, a society that has done away with the concept of "possession." There is no property on Anarres, no money, no marriage (I hope that Le Guin is not meaning to suggest that marriage is a possession by one or other of the participants), no government, no laws, no prisons. Even the language reflects this attitude. Possessive pronouns are even avoided. Instead of saying "My hand hurts," one would say "The hand hurts me." A mathematical genius of Anarres, who has made a conceptual breakthrough that allows for the development of the ansible (an instantaneous communication device that other science fiction authors will begin to use), travels to Urras. He had been having difficulties with the philosophical ideas of his home world but the social structure of Urras baffles him. The cultures of both world cause problems for the protagonist Shevik. This is one of the best science fiction novels of all time. However, I'm surprised at some of the comments by earlier reviewers. It appears that some reviewers are really offended at more cerebral type of novels. I gave this book five stars. And, I also gave "A Princess of Mars" five stars. Both books have their place within the genre. Perhaps we should be not so narrow in our tastes so that we exclude valuable works. Both of these novels should be read by any serious student of science fiction literature.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The Disposessed is one of the best books that I have ever read. The plot, setting, and characters stand alone as an excellent novel, but LeGuin goes further, weaving in a full political dialogue about anarchism, capitalism, and the meaning of freedom. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to think.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brilliant physicist ponders individualism/collectivism
Quite conceivably the best SF novel ever written - if that phrase means anything at all. There are two different achievements in this novel. Read more
Published 14 months ago by LondonThinker
about the way we think of utopia
As indicated by the subtitle of the text, Le Guin's work seems to be more about the concept of utopia and how we should imagine it after the horrors produced by previous, dare I... Read more
Published on 12 Dec 2001 by ta9760@hotmail.com
Mixed feelings about this one
I read this because I wanted to try some science fiction and this was one of the most recommended. I came away not really knowing what I thought. Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2000
Why isn't this more popular than Left Hand?
Ditto to all the five-star comments. I read this book after reading Left Hand for a class assignment and flipped-out over it (better than Left Hand - is that possible? Read more
Published on 7 Sep 1999
one of the best books ever written.
i regard this as one of my favourites ever. a thoughtful and enjoyable plot filled with conflicts between the reflective scientist shevek, and the social functions of... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 1999
Fascinating Comparison Of Socialism With Capitalism
This book shows both the social and personal effects of both types of government organization. It also tells the tale of a naive and brainy rocket scientist named Shevek whose... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 1999
Fascinating philosophical concepts
This book made a profound impression on me when I first read it 20 years ago, and still is one of my favourites of all times. Read more
Published on 13 Jun 1999
Social studies disguised as sci-fi.
This book should be of great interest to anyone studying (or having an interest in) anthropology and other social sciences and having an interest in social sci-fi. Read more
Published on 13 Mar 1999
A dire & dull warning.
This is a truly loathsome world that was created here. It requires people be so self disciplined that they're a hair shy of psychosis. Read more
Published on 8 Mar 1999
Amazing and Thought Provoking!
This is an incredible book and I reccommend it to any thoughtful individual out there. Read it with an open mind.
Published on 17 Feb 1999
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