November 8, 2020

Le Guin and Fargo covid-19: day 232 | US: GA | info | act

Today, I started Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Dispossessed with really no knowledge of what it is about. It is subtitled “an ambiguous utopia,” so I assume that it will be somewhat political in nature. So far, so good: it follows Shevek, a physicist and anarchist who is leaving his world as a “traitor” bound for another. I assume disclosures and exposition are forthcoming.

I have been meaning to read more of Le Guin’s work, as it is highly regarded and plentiful. Though The Dispossessed is the fifth novel in the Hainish Cycle, it seems to be a good one to start with. I did teach The Left Hand of Darkness about twenty years ago. I couldn’t have done a very good job, as I do not remember much about it. I have it on my queue to read again.

I have also started the new season of Fargo, and it feels as strong and quirky as the former three. It’s a gangster story about rival ethnic and racial families and their attempts to live in peace at the same time they seek power and influence. I’ve watched a few episodes, and it’s immediately excellent.