The book club “New Scientist” has just read the novel by Ursula K. Le Guin “Lizan
Hollands; Benjamin Bink/Oregonsonsky/A.P./Alam
After our head read Alex Foster Roundabout Circulationin which the rotation of the Earth begins to accelerate, the new book club of scientists went to two completely different worlds in the novel by Ursula K. Le Guin DeprivedSince 1974, this conscientious science fiction classic has been moving between two temporary frames: in one of them, a physicist, Shek leaves his house on the deserted moon Anarre to work at the university on Urras, a neighboring, much more abundant planet; In another, we see how he will grow up on anarra in his anarchist society.
I first read Deprived In the second year of the university. Then I was amazed at the structure of the novel and the anarchist principles of the home society of Sheke. What is the best time to read radical fiction than when you are a student with a new face, after all? However, this time I was much more involved in human elements of history. I feel that I understood the character of Sheke is much better in the second reading, even if I did not always like him.
Many members of the book club were delighted when we announced Deprived There will be our following reading. “This is my favorite book Le Guin, although it is really difficult to choose it,” says Kelly Jensen in Our group FacebookWhile it was on a heap of Rachel Hand for some time. For some readers, this was the first time when they took the Le Guin novel that Theo Down-Le Gin, the son of Ursula, is described in piece For New scientist as “jumping to the deep end of the pool.” Eek.
But, despite his frightening reputation, some readers liked how Deprived So saturated with ideas about politics, physics and language. Laura Akers says that “it is absolutely great that Le Guin makes these people work on the physics of the” time “of the Continuum of Space Time.” Elizabeth Drammond Young was “immediately engaged” and liked “linguistic/behavioral links: how people swear, introduce themselves, contract, call themselves, etc. (an needsan is a good example of a linguistic joke!)”. It is interesting what Einstein would make from the novel!
However, one thing is clear: despite his egalitarian principles, few of us want to live on anarra. People there “cannot seriously appreciate their life forms for themselves, as we can on earth,” says Laura. “Despite the fact that they are not wasteful and always realize their ecosystem, they should always focus on how to manipulate it so that they can stay alive. On Earth, we have a luxury to be able to enjoy nature, be surprised at its nuances, etc., and I would not want to give it away. Imagine that you have no animals! “
Gosia Furmanic is not so sure: “On the one hand, yes, it’s great that there is no operation, and people in principle can do what they want/call for, and, no matter what. On the other hand, people are people, and it seems that people do not always work, people can be sent everywhere to work to work. ”
This is what appeared in My conversation with Marcus HippsEditor in the large publisher Le Guin Gollancz. “All, of course, is so much about the point of view,” he told me. “I would be fascinated by learning what someone grew up, who grew up, say, Eastern Germany before I thought about this book, because I think that they can have a very, very different opinion and accept it.” I would!
Perhaps the most controversial element of the novel was his representation of women. Some readers were disappointed with potentially sexist paths in the book and found that our view of Anarres and Urras was filtered from the point of view of man. “I actually thought that the book showed the author’s internal prejudices, it was probably expected when it was written,” says Gosia. “From how relations were depicted (for example, the first relations of the Shelek in the camp of the trees), to a strong distort to monogamy Cis Hetero (despite the fact that we do not have a marriage! But we still have only couples ??).”
Others felt that the gender policy of the novel was more deliberate. “Le Guin wanted us to at least think about the status of women in ours, and Anarritisi, society,” says Niall Leighton. “I do not think that it is safe to assume that it protects the position on how utopia should look in any description of the Anaarritis society.”
With such a large number of complex ideas for study, it is not surprising that not everyone found the book with easy reading. Phil Gursky was not a fan and stopped reading on page 160, since he “had absolutely no idea what was happening”, while Steve Swan “was to continue in the early stages.” Judith Lazell perfectly summed up this point of view: ““ Faces ”was not an exciting reading; Too much philosophy, not enough history. ”
I see that Phil, Steve and Judith mean it. There is a strange moment for me in the book, when all ideas become stunning. I am not alone: “Ursula Le Guin is an absolute master, and I am a big fan. I understand why this received so many awards, there are some really deep thoughts that are included in various political systems, ”says Alan Perrett. “However, I am not convinced that long philosophical debates do not distract from history, although – as always – the maestro manages to finish the book in a completely satisfactory way.”
Fortunately, many members of the book club ultimately really enjoyed DeprivedThe field “I liked this book,” says Niall. “I think this is one of the most influential books on my thinking, since I read it as a teenager.” “The end was my favorite beat,” says Rachel. Terry James liked the last 50 pages of the novel is also the best, calling him “a wonderful trip of imagination.”
We leave behind an imaginary science fiction world for the next new scientists of the book club and enter the world of neurobiology with a prize work of scientific literature. I am very glad to say that we will read the winner of the Royal Society Prize Triedi Science Book: Our brain, our Self Neurobiologist and doctor Masud Hussein. In seven exciting thematic studies, Hussein shows how the neurological conditions of all forms and sizes can undermine human identity and a sense of belonging. This book, which our reviewer Grace Wade called “intriguing and informative” in February, is one for fans of Oliver Sax, and, indeed, anyone who is interested in finding out more about neurobiology.
You can read excerpt from the book HereThe field also has a unique idea of the process of awards from Sandra KNAPP, a taxiist of the plant at the Museum of Natural History in London and the chairman of the judicial group. IN This pieceShe explains why Our brain, our Self She was cut over other fantastic notes and what she learned from this “very compassionate” book. Please share your thoughts in our Facebook groupAnd let us know if you like our next reading.
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