Thank you so much for the review and for the message. I've been wanting to get acquainted with Le Guin for so long, but did not know where to start from. Now I do✨️
Update: I just finished the book. It’s just amazing. It’s powerful, emotional, and a great study. It has a lot true to say. Your video is also great of pointing out the book’s strength. And I love that you display the quotes that you share. It’s easier to absorb words when seen.
I read this book for the first time when I was maybe 13 years old in 1998. And it’s worth pointing out that the conversation about gender then was almost exactly the same as it was in 1969! Very little had changed, though change was coming. Honestly though, I think this novel more than stands on its own aside from any political/sexual implications. It’s just a fantastic book with fantastic characters, told in a really unique and fascinating way that’s never really been repeated, the way the novel is primarily constructed out of Genly AI’s Ekumenical reports and Estraven’s journal entries. My own little contribution to the fame of this novel? I made my older brother read it (who is a pro rock climber) and as a result there is a really classic V9 Boulder problem in Magic Wood, Switzerland called “The Left Hand of Darkness”. Heh. It’s also rewarding to revisit and go back to. I had a little moment on my recent re-read when I was looking closely at the chapter titled “Estraven the Traitor”, where you hear the mythical story of “Arek and Therem”, which clearly held a great deal of meaning to our Estraven, as he and his brother name their child “Sorve” which is the name of the brothers’ father in the story. Then at the end you learn that this was all collected by “G.A.”, almost certainly after Estraven’s death. It was like discovering another little tragic footnote to their love story I had never picked up on before. Edit: slight correction to your video - “Gethen” does not translate to “Winter”. Gethen is what the people on that planet call it themselves - Winter is what the very first ekumenical investigators called the planet when they were secretly surveying it.
Just commenting, not yet watched the video, because this is in my Christmas holiday to do list! I loved her Word for World so much. So excited to read this. Will watch this video after.
3:40 Fun fact that's actually impossible. Eventually a mutation would come about that bias an individual towards producing the small gametes. And well, it would be easy for them to have more children who, in turn, have that mutation, and then have more children and so on and so forth. Then you have just normal males. A couple of evolutionary biologists did the math on it a few years back. Not that this distractics form the book or anything. So the evolutionary biology is 50 years out of date? It would be wierd if she did know that, and it's a story anyway. I'm just saying i wouldn't tie this to people who chooses to socially consider themselves non-binary. Humans are one of the least sexual diamorphic species on planet already. A few people's brain chemistry is bound to be more or less in between male and female. So pregnant kings are pretty unesssary.
I’ve tried to read Infinite Jest but the storytelling style is a real struggle for me. I think he’s a fascinating guy so I will keep giving him a try. What would you recommend?
@@RickMacDonnell Ohh I see!! That’s totally understandable; I’m reading Infinite Jest right now. I would recommend the books Oblivion and Brief Interviews With Hideous Men. They’re full of short stories, and the stories “The Depressed Person” and “Good Old Neon” are standouts for me (from both the books). If you like nonfiction, his essays “Consider The Lobster” and “E Unibus Pluram” are great. Btw I love your channel and your videos are really comforting for me 🙂
This Left Hand of Darkness winning a Hugo and Nebula is less impressive when you know they both gave the award to the misogynist trash heap that is Larry Niven's Ringworld the very next year. Anyway, if you want to consume this story again in a different way, I cannot recommend enough the BBC radio play that was made of it.
I like to think it was more impressive that she managed to win them *because* the climate in the late 60s/70s was such that someone like Niven was winning these. Between 1954 and 1977 Le Guin was the only woman to win it. Pretty stunning.
Don’t ask me why I have a hard time enunciating my own name. Can’t explain it.
Thank you so much for the review and for the message. I've been wanting to get acquainted with Le Guin for so long, but did not know where to start from. Now I do✨️
Good luck!
Update: I just finished the book. It’s just amazing. It’s powerful, emotional, and a great study. It has a lot true to say.
Your video is also great of pointing out the book’s strength. And I love that you display the quotes that you share. It’s easier to absorb words when seen.
I’m so happy that you loved the book, Andre! Thanks so much for the comment. Made my day!
I read this book for the first time when I was maybe 13 years old in 1998. And it’s worth pointing out that the conversation about gender then was almost exactly the same as it was in 1969! Very little had changed, though change was coming.
Honestly though, I think this novel more than stands on its own aside from any political/sexual implications. It’s just a fantastic book with fantastic characters, told in a really unique and fascinating way that’s never really been repeated, the way the novel is primarily constructed out of Genly AI’s Ekumenical reports and Estraven’s journal entries.
My own little contribution to the fame of this novel? I made my older brother read it (who is a pro rock climber) and as a result there is a really classic V9 Boulder problem in Magic Wood, Switzerland called “The Left Hand of Darkness”. Heh.
It’s also rewarding to revisit and go back to. I had a little moment on my recent re-read when I was looking closely at the chapter titled “Estraven the Traitor”, where you hear the mythical story of “Arek and Therem”, which clearly held a great deal of meaning to our Estraven, as he and his brother name their child “Sorve” which is the name of the brothers’ father in the story. Then at the end you learn that this was all collected by “G.A.”, almost certainly after Estraven’s death. It was like discovering another little tragic footnote to their love story I had never picked up on before.
Edit: slight correction to your video - “Gethen” does not translate to “Winter”. Gethen is what the people on that planet call it themselves - Winter is what the very first ekumenical investigators called the planet when they were secretly surveying it.
Just commenting, not yet watched the video, because this is in my Christmas holiday to do list! I loved her Word for World so much. So excited to read this. Will watch this video after.
I love these in depth reviews. So great!
Glad you like them!
Enjoyed hearing more about this one iys in my tbr, but I've never really looked up what themes it delves into. Even more interested now.
I'm a bit surprised that it doesn't show up on more "underrated classics" lists, to be honest
This is a book I will definitely read this year, and now I am even more excited for it.
Let me know how it goes!
OMG. I haven't been on TH-cam much so I didn't realize you were back. Got some catching up to do. Hope you had a wonderful break.
Came back a few months ago. Trying out a new format these days. I hope you like it!
Great recommendation, I’ve always meant to read this and not got round to it!
Stop running 10K’s and go back to being a dweeb 😂
Been on my TBR for ages. What the hell, Sheard? Read it, already.
YEAH, WHAT THE HELL, SHEARD?
3:40 Fun fact that's actually impossible. Eventually a mutation would come about that bias an individual towards producing the small gametes. And well, it would be easy for them to have more children who, in turn, have that mutation, and then have more children and so on and so forth. Then you have just normal males. A couple of evolutionary biologists did the math on it a few years back. Not that this distractics form the book or anything. So the evolutionary biology is 50 years out of date? It would be wierd if she did know that, and it's a story anyway.
I'm just saying i wouldn't tie this to people who chooses to socially consider themselves non-binary. Humans are one of the least sexual diamorphic species on planet already. A few people's brain chemistry is bound to be more or less in between male and female. So pregnant kings are pretty unesssary.
Random question/just wondering- have you ever read anything by David Foster Wallace? (I’m really into him right now.)
I’ve tried to read Infinite Jest but the storytelling style is a real struggle for me. I think he’s a fascinating guy so I will keep giving him a try. What would you recommend?
@@RickMacDonnell Ohh I see!! That’s totally understandable; I’m reading Infinite Jest right now. I would recommend the books Oblivion and Brief Interviews With Hideous Men. They’re full of short stories, and the stories “The Depressed Person” and “Good Old Neon” are standouts for me (from both the books). If you like nonfiction, his essays “Consider The Lobster” and “E Unibus Pluram” are great.
Btw I love your channel and your videos are really comforting for me 🙂
@@rosy_guitar_6424 Brief Interviews was going to be my next attempt, so thanks!
This Left Hand of Darkness winning a Hugo and Nebula is less impressive when you know they both gave the award to the misogynist trash heap that is Larry Niven's Ringworld the very next year.
Anyway, if you want to consume this story again in a different way, I cannot recommend enough the BBC radio play that was made of it.
I like to think it was more impressive that she managed to win them *because* the climate in the late 60s/70s was such that someone like Niven was winning these. Between 1954 and 1977 Le Guin was the only woman to win it. Pretty stunning.
I think you actually talked me out of reading this.