“The Word for World is Forest” by Ursula K. LeGuin – let’s read and discuss!

Welcome back, readers! For this round we’ve chosen Ursula K. LeGuin’s novella “The Word for World is Forest”, a sci-fi story first published in 1972 – more than half a century ago! Oof!

There were numerous reasons for picking it: We’re returning to our roots, since the very first book in this club was also one of Ursula’s. It’s quite short, with just ~120 pages, so we can meet sooner, in just four weeks, and more people might join. Our last book ended with a LeGuin quote, but thematically it also connects to “A Door Into Ocean”, setting up a similar conflict around occupation and resistance, but with a story that (seemingly) unfolds quite differently, so it'll be interesting to compare!

Here’s the synopsis:

> When the inhabitants of a peaceful world are conquered by the bloodthirsty yumens, their existence is irrevocably altered. Forced into servitude, the Athsheans find themselves at the mercy of their brutal masters. Desperation causes the Athsheans to retaliate against their captors, abandoning their strictures against violence. But in defending their lives, they have endangered the very foundations of their society. For every blow against the invaders is a blow to the humanity of the Athsheans. And once the killing starts, there is no turning back.

You can find more information and reviews on the book’s GoodReads page.

Curious to join us? Then order a copy at your local book shop or online:

• The book on Bookshop
• The book on Amazon
• Search for used copies on Abebooks

A very affordable e-book is available (without DRM, even), as well as translations into many languages and audio versions.

Our meeting is scheduled for Sept 02, 2025 and we usually discuss in English for 1.5-2 hours. You definitely don’t need a literature degree to participate! It’s important to us to listen to each other, to treat everyone with respect and to create a safe setting.

The discussion takes place virtually in Zoom and the meeting link will be added to this event on the day it happens. Just check back here half an hour before the meetup starts!

It doesn’t matter if you have actually finished the book or whether you’ve attended before – everyone is welcome, as long as you have read at least a few pages and bring your impression.