So, it's Abbie's turn to pick and her choice is:
A Fisherman of the Inland Sea by Ursula LeGuin
B&N has this to say about it:
The winner of the Pushcart Prize, the Kafka Award, and the National Book Award, Ursula K. Le Guin has created a profound and transformational literature. The award-winning stories in A Fisherman of the Inland Sea range from the everyday to the outer limits of experience, where the quantum uncertainties of space and time are resolved only in the depths of the human heart. Astonishing in their diversity and power, they exhibit both the artistry of a major writer at the height of her powers and the humanity of a mature artist confronting the world with her gift of wonder still intact.
I have always wanted to read Urusla LeGuin. I'm going to be a pain, but Abbie, why did you pick it? What stands out to you? The writing style, the overall message? Were you shocked? Thrilled? Mesmerized? Just wondered!
ReplyDeleteTwo things- one, wow. Brandon, after reading that little description, this sounds like I should be wearing a lot of beads and tye-dye. I promise it's actually really interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnddd... I picked it because it's amazing. Her writing style is wonderful, especially because I am a language nerd who likes really tightly controlled form as well as story. The stories were something I hadn't read a million times, which always helps. And I'll be honest, the last story was a big reason why I picked this. It was kind of an emotional gutpunch.
As far as message, I know she's supposed to be kind of feminist, but there's a lot more going on than that. It's more exploring different sociological/anthropological questions, which makes for interesting and very different writing than a lot of what I've read before.
Sorry if that was more info than you really wanted/gave a crap about. Hope you love it as much as I did!
Actually, that is exactly what I give a crap about! Thank you!! That was much more interesting than the synopsis. Now I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteHaha yeah I hope I dispelled any fears of hippie lit, which is a phrase I just made up.
ReplyDeleteDear Abbie: Congratulations on picking the book that has been the hardest to find so far. Your prize consists of: 2 banana peels, and the hide of a snipe. Please collect them in the lobby.
ReplyDeleteHaha really? Sorry... but I've always wanted the hide of a snipe!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm behind but I'm going to get this book and the new one for July today. No one has anything to say about this one? And I remembered where I studied Ursula Le Guin - in my Folktales class in college. It was driving me crazy. lol
ReplyDeleteI gave this one an honest shot, and it only confirmed my feelings about science fiction...I rarely read a Sci Fi book that I like. Abbie, what did you think?? Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read a genre I wouldn't normally read...even if I only got through the first one and a half stories!!
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ReplyDeleteEmily! This is not science fiction! Trust me. I read it... and did not like it. This was over stylized word play. She really liked to invent her own words, and play around with the constructs of how to tell a story... but science fiction? Not at all. The actual stories themselves were eighth grade at best; I was very disappointed, because Le Guin is a very well respected writer.. but these stories do not live up to her reputation at all. Please don't judge the genre of science fiction based on this book. (In all actuality, The Hunger Games was the closest thing to SciFi we've read so far). I assure you though, this is NOT a good representative of what Science Fiction is, or can be.
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