The Dispossessed

Though this novel was written in the time of the women's movement, and influenced by the themes and social mores of this time, there is no need to be afraid of bra burning, hairy arm-pitted, men haters in this book. Instead the themes are highly intelligent, a utopian novel exposing the flaws in its model society, and examining themes of capitalism versus socialism, and the tension between what humans aspire to, and what they can achieve. In The Dispossessed, the physicist Shevek bridges two worlds. He grows up on the anarchist world of Anarres and travels to the Urras, which his ancestors fled two hundred years ago. The novel begins on Anarres with Shevek leaving for Urras, then flashes back to Shevek's childhood. It alternates between his life on Anarres and his life on Urras. We understand his decision to leave Urras and his return home. This novel hasn't been out of print since it was first published in 1974. You'd think with themes influence by this time, this novel would become dated, but thanks to some of the more "fundamentalist" American politicians who don't think women should have control over their own bodies, this novel is still well and truly relevant. Another reason Le Guin made this list with The Dispossessed? She was the first person ever to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards twice for her two novels, The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed.