Book Discussion: The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Leguin

[Tom, Supreme Laser]

This is the fourth of six threads to discuss books on the show nominated by Kickstarter backers!

Carrie Smith picked "The Lathe of Heaven" by Ursula Le Guin.

She writes:
"I haven't read it in a while but it has always stuck with me and was recently released for the Kindle so now might be a good time to mention it."


Who's read it? Any of you planning to read it? Let us know what you think!

[Tamahome]

PBS did a very good adaption years ago with Bruce Davison. It's probably on youtube.

[Joe Informatico]

I read yet a few years ago, but it might be worth a reread. I remember it being pretty short.

[Trike]

Tamahome wrote: "PBS did a very good adaption years ago with Bruce Davison. It's probably on youtube."

So it is!

It's definitely low-budget and possibly cheesy by today's standards, but if you set your expectations accordingly, it's a really good movie.

Now that I think on it, I don't believe I've ever read the book. I've only seen the adaptations, and the PBS one is superior.

"Jor-jor!"

[Thane]

This could be the greatest book ever written, but if it doesn't involve Captain Kirk or Guy Fleegman I will be sorely disappointed.

[Ally]

I will give any book by Le Guin a chance.

[Ben]

Great book, it has dated a bit - more than some other le Guin's but still well worth a reread and its not that long. The Dispossessed is my favorite of hers but it is not the best starting point for her SF (The Left Hand of Darkness would be my recommendation for that).

[kvon]

I've read it a couple times over the past decades (and seen one or two tv versions). Like Ben, Dispossessed is my favorite, but LoH has some haunting scenes that stick with me...like a certain Beatles tune.

[Joanna Chaplin]

So I've just finished it today, did anybody pick up some extremely Taoist themes and metaphors in there, also? To be fair, all I know about Taoism, I learned from The Tao of Pooh, so I'd appreciate info from anybody who has actually studied Taoism.

[kvon]

Lots of le Guin books have Taoist themes (including a translation of a Taoist text, Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way). In LoH, there was a definite distinction between striving for rightness, and trusting the universe to right itself. George is more successful the more passive he gets. (Note I have not actually studied Taoism in depth)