-
The Word for World Is Forest
- Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
- Series: The Hainish Cycle
- Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release date: 12-07-09
- Language: English
- Publisher: Audible Studios
- Whispersync for Voice-ready
Regular price: $17.95
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Biased toward the last 20 years of sci-fi
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The Left Hand of Darkness
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Environmental devastation and economic chaos have turned America into a land of horrifying depravity. Assault, theft, sexual abuse, slavery, and murder are commonplace. And a zealous, bigoted tyrant has won his way into the White House. Directly opposed is Lauren Olamina, founder of Earthseed - a new faith that teaches "God Is Change". Persecuted for "heathen" beliefs as much as for having a black female leader, Earthseed's followers face a life-and-death struggle to preserve their vision.
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Powerful, dark sequel that stands on its own
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In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and amongst the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers - the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe . . . and kill those judged corrupt. But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, Ehiru - the most famous of the city's Gatherers - must question everything he knows.
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Breathtaking
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Catwings
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Ursula K. Le Guin wrote this highly acclaimed novel about a very special litter of kittens. Mrs. Jane Tabby has always longed toget away from the cramped alleys of the city. She knows it is too late for her, but she thinks her longing may be the reason her litter of kittens was born with wings. When they are old enough to fly, she sends the four kittens, who become known as catwings, out into the world to find their home. But they find that danger does not lurk only in city alleyways.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Childhood Favorite
- By CSP on 11-14-17
Publisher's Summary
The planet Athshe was a paradise whose people were blessed with a mystical awareness of existence.
Then the conquerors arrived and began to rape, enslave, and kill humans with a flicker of humanity. The athseans were unskilled in the ways of war, and without weapons. But the gentle tribesmen possessed strange powers over their dreams. And the alien conquerors had taught them how to hate....
Critic Reviews
- 1973 Hugo Award, Best Novella
- All-Time Best Novellas (Locus Magazine)
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What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
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4 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars145
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4 Stars99
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3 Stars47
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2 Stars8
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1 Stars6
Performance
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars130
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4 Stars78
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3 Stars37
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2 Stars6
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1 Stars4
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4 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars123
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4 Stars81
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3 Stars36
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2 Stars7
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1 Stars7
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Archaon
- 07-10-11
She is talent incarnate
Rarely can one find a read so full of deeper, and not instantly obvious, meanings that one has to stop the recording regularly to think about it, while also being wholly enraptured by the tale as it progresses.
Le Guin is a rare breed of writer, a true innovator, a master of literary sorcery.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Margit D. Morawietz
- 06-10-12
Classic Tree Hugger Masterpiece
Ursula LeGuin is so much head & shoulders above most other SciFi/Phantasy writers it's not even funny. This world is beautiful and a dream. Allegory with guns, but not a shoot 'em up. Not for every one,it's somewhat slow. This is not a long novel, but so dense I relisten to chapters just to get it all. And then on re -reading/listening get more. Here the author does not spell everything out but it implied in a masterful way, that it engages your own imaginative function.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Aba
- 02-24-11
Avatar's influence
Clearly, this book inspired James Cameron's Avatar. I enjoyed Avatar on many levels and appreciated very deep messages (and the not very deep messages). The Word for World is Forest is equally mesmerizing. Well worth your time.
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 05-30-17
amazing however sad story.
this short story is very good to start a discussion on colonization and it's long time effects on the communities, skiing other things. it's hard but worthy to read or hear it
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James
- 11-19-15
Worth it for the narrator
Every once in a while you listen to a book that's both really well written and really well read. Kevin Pariseau knows pace, voices, and characterization and made this book more amazing than reading the written word.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Beverley Gelonesi
- 07-10-18
Fascinating story- but not a happy one!
A very thought provoking read, the story being plausible and straightforward, but underlying is profound storytelling showing progression of different mindsets-innocence to violence, sadness and reconciliation.
Definitely worth reading/ listening. But not recommended if you want a light-hearted read!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karelle Scharff
- 06-20-18
Ripped from the headlines 40+ years later
Ursula LeGuin was prescient. This reads like it was written about Trumpsters. God help us.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brian Gryth
- 04-26-18
Still outstanding
Not The Left Hand of Darkness or The Dispossessed, but still great.
An accurate account of what human settlement of other planets could be like. At least as accurate as the benevolent variety.
Athsheans are essentially Ewok just cooler and much more interesting.
This book is a quick and interesting read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Readinguy
- 04-13-18
One of LeGuin's best
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I have. I think it may be LeGuin's most beautiful novel--and that's saying something.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Word for World Is Forest ?
The end of the book is particularly affecting. I've gone back to listen to that part agin.
Any additional comments?
LeGuin dedicates this book to her father, who was an anthropologist. The character of the anthropologist in the story is most likely based on her father, and her affection for that character shows. But her knowledge of how to think about different cultures permeates the book. Even the title turns out to be revelatory.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- ssharon Miller
- 02-14-18
review of world for is green
Reddit many many years ago left a big impression on me as it does now as I can certainly see the concept
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 02-06-18
brilliant, well performed, failed by sound design
the words are not noise to be covered by other noise. scrap the sound design
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Isolde
- 07-18-18
Extraordinary book, belittling narration
This is a wonderful and important book, as relevant as ever. Le Guin makes no attempt to disguise the social and political messages of this story, nor its clear parallels to our world. It is a brilliant use of multiple view points.
The narrator really interrupts this brilliance by using silly voices and accents. Very distracting, unnecessary, and detracts from the impact of this seminal work of contemporary literature. Audible Frontiers needs to improve its production values, and prevent narrators from making bad choices that detract from the reading experiences.