Novel Realities Book Discussion July 8 at Sharon Forks Library The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

 

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

Anxiety-inducing global conflicts, overpopulation, and food scarcity weigh heavy on the mind of draftsman George Orr who believes that his nightly dreams impact reality. Guilt-stricken and terrified by the power of his subconscious, George self-medicates in an attempt to ward off sleep. When George's drug use is discovered, he's forced into a psychiatric treatment program under the care of psychiatrist and sleep researcher Dr. William Haber. 

Like everyone else, Dr. Haber is certain that George is delusional and forces him into an experimental sleep therapy. Even after awakening to a world altered by Dr. Haber’s suggestions during their session, George is unable to convince his therapist that anything has changed. Still, Dr. Haber is so fascinated by George's disorder that he decides to test his new patient's abilities.  

    

Written in 1971 and set in an alternative version of Portland, Oregon in the year 2002, The Lathe of Heaven is a fascinating story about shifting realities that pass unnoticed. George Orr’s unusual dilemma has intrigued me ever since I first encountered the story many years ago and I can't wait to hear what other readers think about it at our upcoming Novel Realities book discussion in July.  

In 1972 The Lathe of Heaven won the Locus Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the Hugo Award. In 1971 the story received a Nebula Award nomination. It has also been made into two television adaptations. 

Though Ursula K. Le Guin passed away in 2018, her stories like The Left Hand of Darkness and her Earthsea fantasy series remain popular while posthumous publications of her writing, new editions of her fiction, inclusion in new anthologies, and nonfiction books like the upcoming, The Word for World: The Maps of Ursula K. Le Guin continue to draw new fans to this iconic American author.  

If you enjoy discussing speculative fiction, please join us for Novel Realities on Tuesday, July 8 at 7 p.m. at the Sharon Forks Library. The book club meets on the second Tuesday of every month and newcomers are always welcome. Our August Novel Realities book selection is The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, a science fiction romance involving time travel. 

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist