One of The Atlantic's Great American Novels
"One of the greats. . . . Not just a science fiction writer; a literary icon." -Stephen King
"Engrossing. . . . [Le Guin] is a philosopher; an explorer in the landscape of the mind." -Cincinnati Enquirer
In celebration of its fiftieth anniversary, a commemorative edition of Ursula K. Le Guin's Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Award–winning classic, a profound and thoughtful tale of anarchism and capitalism, individualism and collectivism, and one ambitious man's quest to bridge the ideological chasm separating two worlds. This special edition includes a new foreword by Karen Joy Fowler.
The Dispossessed is the spellbinding story of anarchist Shevek, the "galactically famous scientist," who single-handedly attempts to reunite two planets cut off from each other by centuries of distrust.
Anarres, Shevek's homeland, is a bleak moon settled by an anarchic utopian civilization, where there is no government, and everyone, at least nominally, is a revolutionary. It has long been isolated from other worlds, including its mother planet, Urras-defined by warring nations, great poverty, and immense wealth. Now Shevek, a brilliant physicist, is determined to unify the two civilizations. In the face of great hostility, outright threats, and the pain of separation from his family, he makes an unprecedented trip to Urras. Greater than any concern for his own wellbeing is the belief that the walls of hatred, distrust, and philosophic division between his planet and the rest of the civilized universe must be torn down. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and explore differences in customs and cultures, determined to tear down the walls of hatred that have kept them apart.
To visit Urras-to learn, to teach, to share-will require great sacrifice and risks, which Shevek willingly accepts. Almost immediately upon his arrival, he finds not the egotistical philistines he expected, but an intelligent, complex people who warmly welcome him. But soon the ambitious scientist and his gift is seen as a threat, and in the profound conflict that ensues, he must reexamine his beliefs even as he ignites the fires of change.
"Le Guin expanded the boundaries of fiction not just by committing to its revolutionary capacities but also by considering deeply, and with great clarity, other ways of being. The Dispossessed, her most intricate and beautifully realized book, channels her lifelong obsessions-Daoism, pacifism, humanity's sacred relationship to the natural world-into a moving story that is also about loneliness, will, and what it means to return home. More than a novel, this is an ontological work of extraordinary imagination and compassion." - Meng Jin, The Atlantic
"The Dispossessed is still one of Sci-Fi's' smartest books. . . . Remains a thoughtful exploration of politics and economics nearly 50 years later." - Wired
"The Dispossessed paints a hopeful and complex portrait of a society rooted in collectivism." - Naomi Klein, The Week
"Le Guin's most philosophical novel. . . . The Dispossessed is a study of character, ideology and the constant of change." - New York Times
"Written with thought, care-even love." - Times Literary Supplement (London)
"Le Guin's characters, sepecially Shevek and his family, are complex and haunting, and her writing is remarkable for its sinewy grace." - Time magazine
"Engrossing . . . Ursula Le Guin is more than just a writer of adult fantasy and science fiction . . . she is a philosopher; an explorer in the landscapes of the mind." - Cincinnati Enquirer
"A seamless creation: every thing is made up, nothing seems arbitrary." - New York Times Book Review
"Brilliantly conceived and stunningly executed . . . The setting is science fiction, but the tradition is humanistic, reducing life to its essentials and examining human beings in a real world." - Chicago Dail
