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The Hedonist Alternative: Anti-Seneca and Other Texts | Julien Offray de la Mettrie

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#anarchism #hedonism #antiauthoritarianism #ANTINOMIAN #individualism #sociology #philosophy #books #newbooks #bookseller #curioussundries #callousbroadsides

RamsFan1963

The Dispossessed | Ursula K. LeGuin

so-so

16/150 I FINALLY finished January's #ClassicLSFBC selection. I'm not sure if the book was too high brow for my low brow tastes, but I found a great deal of the book mind numbingly boring. I didn't like Shevek as a character, he was cold, aloof and more interested in his physics theorems than in other people. I don't think I'd want to live on Anarres or Urras, they both were unpleasant places for different reasons. I'm probably missing ⬇️⬇️

RamsFan1963 some of the finer sociological, philosophical and political points the book was making, simply because I found the story so dull. 3 ⭐⭐⭐ 2mo

RamsFan1963 16th book finished for #Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @Andrew65 2mo

DieAReader 👋🏻👋🏻Next up🤓📚 2mo

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RamsFan1963 @DieAReader Yes my next fiction read is a 180 degree turn to a steampunk adventure starring Doc Holiday. 2mo

Ruthiella Fair assessment! Sorry this wasn‘t a win for you. 2mo

RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella Not all books can appeal to every reader. That said, I'm enjoying the February/March selection for #ClassicLSFBC 2mo

Larkken I‘m still working on this from January, too 🤦🏻‍♀️ 2mo

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 2mo

54 likes8 comments

TieDyeDude

The Barrow Will Send What it May | Margaret Killjoy

so-so

This is book 2 of a duology. I read book 1 four years ago, and the Colorado library system never got book 2. I found it now in Alaska, but it is a direct sequel (like, set a day or two after the events of book 1), and I didn't remember enough to fully enjoy it. Also, while there were supernatural elements, it wasn't nearly as creepy as the first. I suspect it would be better reading them back-to-back, but this didn't work on its own.

underground_bks Normalize recapping the previous book in the series, publishing industry 🙏🏼 2mo

TieDyeDude Someone should make a wiki-style website where anyone can post and edit entries. I've seen a site or two with series recaps, but they are very niche (like one or two people recapping the books they like). 2mo

50 likes2 comments

Bookwomble

The Red Virgin and the Vision of Utopia | Mary M. Talbot

pick

I hadn't intentionally picked up another graphic novel biography by the Talbots, having enjoyed their book about Leonora Carrington last month, and I was pleasantly surprised when I realised they'd created this one from my last library haul.
They pick such interesting people to feature: I'd not previously heard of Louise Michel, the Red Virgin of Montmartre, feminist activist in the Communards (not the electropop band!), the first person on ⬇️

Bookwomble ... record to use the Anarchist black flag, deported to a penal colony in New Caledonia, where she supported an anti-colonial uprising of the Kanak people, praised in absentia by Victor Hugo, eventually returning to Paris to a hero's welcome.
The narrative structure is intriguing, told in flashbacks as a conversation between a now-elderly female friend of Michel and American author and activist, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who had briefly met ⬇️ (edited) 2mo

Bookwomble ... Michel and shared her feminist utopian interests. Really good read: 4⭐ (edited) 2mo

36 likes2 comments

TheSpineView

The Dispossessed: A Novel | Ursula K. Le Guin

bailed

I read this book years ago and I remember feeling lukewarm about it back then. This time I couldn't even finish it. It was very slow and had a lot of political undertones. DNF at around 30%.

#ClassLSFBC @Ruthiella

RamsFan1963 Hopefully you'll enjoy Dhalgren more 2mo

TheSpineView @RamsFan1963 🤞 2mo

54 likes2 comments

Ruthiella

The Dispossessed: A Novel | Ursula K. Le Guin

Question Two: The subtitle of the novel is “An Ambiguous Utopia”. What does that mean to you now after having read the book?

Follow up-would you rather live on Urras or Annares?

BookmarkTavern, wanderinglynn, Readergrrl, Johanna414, KathyWheeler, Lizpixie, BookBelle84, Larkken, julesG, Deblovestoread, majkia, LeticiaToraci, sebrittainclark, kwmg40, rwmg, CatLass007, BookwormAHN, CSeydel, RamsFan1963, TheSpineView, bnp, PaperbackPirate, Bookwomble, Klou, Roary47, MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm, AuthorCjwhitcomb , PageShifter, tokorowilliamwallace, MerlinTheSlightlyAwkward

CatLass007 Years ago I learned that the word utopia was “invented” by an author for a book. I googled the word, and it was first coined by Sir Thomas More from the Greek words for “not” (oh) and place (topics). Literally, Utopia means “no place.” All the fictional utopias that will never come into existence are no place. 2mo

julesG @CatLass007 I learned about the literal meaning of "utopia" when I wrote my thesis about another book by Le Guin (a mere twenty years ago ? I'm officially old). It shocked me at first, but does make sense too. 2mo

julesG Does the subtitle fit? Yes. Can I explain why it works for me? Yes/No/Maybe? I'm not sure I can sort my thoughts into meaningful sentences. I might be able to comment though. Ambiguous, I know. 🙈 2mo

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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I think the conversation between Shevek and Keng (the Terran ambassador) at the end of the book sums it up pretty well. They can‘t agree on whether Urras is Hell or Paradise. I think it‘s important to remember that no two people agree 100% on everything and therefore I don‘t believe that a true utopia is achievable. Each person‘s own perspective molds whether they live in a utopia or not. Shevek prefers his utopia, but not everyone does. ⬇️ 2mo

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Both worlds have their flaws, especially their censorship. It may be Shevek‘s bias influencing me but from what I saw on Urras, they have less freedom of thought. That to me is more important than an easy life or physical comfort. I would choose Annares, it feels more hopeful. 2mo

Ruthiella @CatLass007 That‘s a good point: all utopias are bound to be imperfect. 2mo

Ruthiella @julesG You bring up one thing I really love about Le Guin and about classic sci-fi in general - it‘s endlessly debatable and open for further thought. I may not come to a conclusion, but I like thinking about it. 2mo

Ruthiella @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm The freedom on Annares from work as a means to assure one‘s future (retirement, social security, home ownership, etc.) was really appealing to me. I really don‘t even care about owning books as long as there‘s a public library to access. I would pick it too as well, I think. But people who game the system like Sabul, would drive me nuts. (edited) 2mo

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Ruthiella Absolutely, Sabul really irked me. I felt towards the end though that Shevek and his friends had found a way around that a little bit. And him giving his theories to be broadcast to all the races in the solar system is, I think, another way for the people on each planet to subvert their established systems and communicate with like-minded peoples without the bureaucratic red tape. That‘s my naïve, optimistic hope at least. ? 2mo

kwmg40 I'm tempted to say I'd prefer Anarres because it seems to provide more freedom but when there's a scarcity of resources, there really isn't freedom at all. Shevek and friends are pressured into choices that they didn't truly want to make. 2mo

Ruthiella @kwmg40 Great insight. It makes me wonder if with more resources, if that kind of anarchic society could ever be maintained. 2mo

49 likes11 comments

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm

The Dispossessed: A Novel | Ursula K. Le Guin

pick

4 ⭐️s
The beginning is a bit slow but boy that second half of the book flies by! I‘m much more used to action-packed sci-fi, so I wasn‘t expecting something so philosophical. But I loved it. The themes this book touches on are extremely relevant today. There were times I disliked Shevek, but overall I think he‘s a character that will rattle around comfortably in my brain for a long time. I‘m definitely hooked on this author now! ❤️
#ClassicLSFBC

Ruthiella Wow! You flew through that! 😃 I think, however you, @kwmg40 and I are the only ones who read it. Do you think I should post a couple discussion questions anyway? (edited) 2mo

RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella I'm almost finished, about 50 pages to go. 2mo

25 likes2 comments

RamsFan1963

The Dispossessed | Ursula K. LeGuin

1. Working after being off for a 3 day weekend. Looking forward to getting my new glasses so I'm not half blind.
2. The Dispossessed and The Mysterious Case of Rudolph Diesel
3. Sarcastic, Introverted
Thanks for the tag @TheSpineView
#motivationalmonday @cupcake12

Cupcake12 Love the answer to no.3 Hope you have a good week x 3mo

TheSpineView You're welcome! 3mo

40 likes2 comments

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm

The Dispossessed: A Novel | Ursula K. Le Guin

My copy finally came in from the other library to mine! Let‘s see if I can get it read before February. 😅
#ClassicLSFBC

Ruthiella Wishing you luck! 🤞 3mo

35 likes1 comment

kwmg40

The Dispossessed: A Novel | Ursula K. Le Guin

pick

This novel felt a little dated and had long passages of political theory that I didn't completely absorb, but otherwise, it was an excellent story contrasting two worlds that differed greatly in geography, social norms and political structure.

It gave me lots to thin about and I'm looking forward to the #ClassicLSFBC discussion. @RamsFan1963

kwmg40 This was my third and final book finished for #JoyousJanuary. Didn't meet all my goals but still happy with the progress. Thanks to @Andrew65 for hosting!

#BacklistReadathon @clwojick @TheAromaofBooks
#BookSpinBingo #DoubleSpin
#192025 #1974 @Librarybelle
#gottacatchemall @PuddleJumper (prompt 70: “Rookidee: Brave character“)

3mo

kwmg40 #52bookclub24 (prompt 10: “Told in non-chronological order“)
@Kristy_K, @LaraReads, @KarenUK, @Hooked_on_books, @BarkingMadRead, @Crazeedi, @brittanyreads, @Magpiegem, @BookBelle84, @Larkken, @jenniferw88, @julesG, @Deblovestoread, @MidnightBookGirl, @Librarybelle, @triplem80, @Tove_Reads, @Read4life, @Bluebird, @BarbaraBB, @eeclayton, @hissingpotatoes, @Book_Lover95, @TheAromaofBooks
3mo

Librarybelle Yay! It fits quite a few prompts! 3mo

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Hooked_on_books I‘m finding that cover mesmerizing 🤩 3mo

BarbaraBB Still need to read this. 3mo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3mo

55 likes6 comments

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