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A review by flamepea
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
3.0
What if your dreams could alter reality?
That is the case for George Orr, an ordinary man who happens to be a "dreamer." At first, it might seem fantastical, then scary or perhaps sceptical at your most absurd dreams being able to alter reality. We see the massive weight it bears on Orr and how the unreality or memory paradox traumatically impacts him.
Simple fix
See a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist wants to save humanity and fix societal oppression and, have a career boost. Not so bad? But unfortunately, the oversimplification of problems, working with the subconscious mind and playing God doesn't work so well.
The Lathe of Heaven is my first introduction to an [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg] book and, while some pages left my confused, it proved to be a notable insight of Le Guin's style.
That is the case for George Orr, an ordinary man who happens to be a "dreamer." At first, it might seem fantastical, then scary or perhaps sceptical at your most absurd dreams being able to alter reality. We see the massive weight it bears on Orr and how the unreality or memory paradox traumatically impacts him.
Simple fix
See a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist wants to save humanity and fix societal oppression and, have a career boost. Not so bad? But unfortunately, the oversimplification of problems, working with the subconscious mind and playing God doesn't work so well.
The Lathe of Heaven is my first introduction to an [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg] book and, while some pages left my confused, it proved to be a notable insight of Le Guin's style.
Spoiler
Themes tackled such as famine, greenhouse effect, race and warfare were handled in a creative yet sensible manner. Dr Harber's ill-attempt at getting ride of famine instead addressed the wrong issue; overpopulation. It is shocking how relevant and many still blame overpopulation as the root cause of people going hungry. Instead, it is capitalism causing unequal food distribution. Finally, race, while humans can't be "colourless" I think it shows that in an egalitarianism society, culture and our differences are embraced.“This was the way he had to go; he had no choice. He had never had any choice. He was only a dreamer.”
2020 Women of the Future - Buddy reads