The Lathe Of Heaven

Even before her recent passing, I've known that my lack of experience with the works of Ursula K. Le Guin was a shortcoming I needed to rectify. The only book of hers I've read was The Dispossessed, a book I admired a lot while ultimately finding a bit dry and didactic. (It's also a book I plan on revisiting soon, ideally after reading some more Le Guin and now that I know what to expect, to see if I feel differently about it.) And, as authors paid tribute to the legendary author in the wake of her passing, one novel that I saw mentioned again and again was The Lathe of Heaven, which I knew nothing about.And, man, am I glad I checked it out. Often viewed as Le Guin's tribute to the works of Philip K. Dick, The Lathe of Heaven undeniably feels a lot like a Dick novel, with a surreal hook used to explore philosophical questions about reality and who we really are. But as you'd expect from Le Guin, there's no shortage of more social questions raised here, from the nature of peace to the dangers of global warming, all done within a great narrative that twists and turns underneath you.The hook is simple enough: there's a man named George Orr (yes, the half allusion is probably intentional) who is scared to dream, because his dreams become real. But what makes this hard to prove is that his dreams don't just create reality; they rewrite it, making whatever he dreams not only true, but making it always have been true, so that no one remembers the change but him. That's true until George goes to court-mandated therapy, where his therapist seems to be aware of the change - and his ability to possibly control George's ability.Like she did in The Dispossessed, Le Guin explores any number of ideas about utopias, the role of the individual in society, the question of the greater good, and her concerns about utilitarianism. At what point should the individual give way for society? Where is the cutoff between acceptable sacrifice for the greater good and too much? And what is the responsibility of one person to give it all for the world? But whereas The Dispossessed engaged with these ideas in the forms of detailed discussions, The Lathe of Heaven lets them remain more subtextual, unfolding as a battle of wills between George, his therapist, and a lawyer George brings in to help him. More than that, The Lathe of Heaven unfolds as a bizarre thriller of sorts, with reality constantly bending and shifting underneath us, and Le Guin able to explore the ramifications of so many changes, and what it would take to fix some of the problems in our world.It all adds up to a great book, one that I really enjoyed. And if it's a bit derivative of PKD, well, that's okay, because Le Guin makes it her own, following the political and social ramifications of her conceit, not just the philosophical ones. It's a book I really enjoyed and absolutely couldn't put down, and has me eager to dive into more of an author I don't feel like I ever properly appreciated in her lifetime.

Funny how a lot of books from this time period can feel so loosely --or perhaps organically is a better word?--plotted. But it churns readably along and is interesting by way of its vibe and its concepts. It tackles with fair efficacy some timeless aspects of the human condition and modern society, in ways obvious and subtle. The ending is anticlimactic yet satisfactory. Worth a read.

Book all in good order. The story was just lovely, it swept me away in a nice quick read and I would find myself thinking about the story for days afterwards. Recommend.

This is the first book I recommend for readers who have not yet tried Le Guin 's works. The story is powerful and still so pertinent to today

I liked it better than "The Left Hand of Darkness," but that's not really saying much. The premise is intriguing and there really is much to chew on with this book, which is one of the things I really did appreciate about it.I liked the questions she explored about perception and reality...how we interpret our reality as "the way it's always been" but what if we are seeing things wrong and it is or has been different for others? Her implication (whether she actually believes it or not) is that perhaps there is no absolute reality, which I reject. However, I do find it to be a compelling illustration of how oblivious we are to the lives people around us have lived. Even though I believe we do all live in the same absolute reality, sometimes we are so limited in what we see/understand/experience that we might as well have created a world for ourselves that no one else remembers.Le Guin also seems to make an interesting point that the more we as a society try to cling to certain solutions at the "be-all, end-all" to humanity's problems (i.e. equality, racism, poverty), we actually miss the issue entirely and create more problems for ourselves, which I thought was interesting. (For instance, in an attempt to create true equality in mankind, race/culture was entirely obliterated and all of humanity became gray and this was portrayed as a deep loss) It was a bit unexpected from her as she tends to be liberal in her themes.The thing I liked most about this book was that the "simple fellow" George Orr, was perhaps the man who understood most about the world. He could hold contrasting ideas in his mind. He had an ability to change the world and could hold that power without going insane, but perhaps his greatest accomplishment was just moving forward with a normal life at the end. I think sometimes it is the quiet, unassuming people who fight the real battles of darkness in their hearts and minds and we never know it.I also thought there was a rather interesting message about the arts woven in. That the artist sees the world in a unique way and has the power to create true change...but that art should never be wielded as a weapon.Like I said, an interesting read. Lots of stuff I didn't agree with or wasn't particularly impressed with. I think that may partly be because Le Guin is hugely influenced by eastern philosophy, while I much prefer to explore Greco-Roman philosophy.

Lathe of Heaven is an excellent sci-fi story that “predicts” many aspects of of the modern and post-modern world. . .from 50+ years in the past (when LeGuin) wrote it. The story fluidly weaves through metaverses, dreams and reality. . .and pulls the reader into alternative worlds and potential outcomes. . .

A timeless classic by one of the greats. This book is compelling from start to finish, I can't believe I waited so long to read it. Le Guin truly was a master of the genre. Loved it!

Justly famous. A poetic imagination, a mystery, a love story and a thriller; a clash of humanity and pride, of terror and rescue. Just read it.

Dreams and reality, what comes first and which influences the other….A few main characters is all we have as witnesses. I wonder what it would all mean if there were no observers or testimonies.Aliens!

This gripping science fiction novel from Ursula K. LeGuin tells the story of George Orr, a man cursed with the unwanted ability to make some of his dreams become reality. Because George is terrified by the massive changes his dreams can produce in the world, he is afraid to sleep. He contacts Dr. Hader, a psychiatrist specializing in dreams who, instead of helping him, tries to direct George's dreams for his own purposes.The beginning of the story is confusing, reflecting George's own uncertainty about what is happening to himself. After a few chapters things become more clear and the book turns into a real page-turner.

Ursula Le Guin is so unique. This book had me spellbound while reading it. It pulls you in without forcing itself on you. Makes you think and wonder. For a book so dated in ways it has remained remarkably relevant with age.

Reading these type of books will increase your creativity and thinking. Great book not only sci fi but also great novel.