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#ClassicLSFBc
review
Bookwomble
Galactic Pot-Healer | Philip K. Dick
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Pickpick

#ClassicLSFBC
This is one of PKD's more surreal novels, one of his later ones leading towards the VALIS books, so the plot is minimal and ideas & archetypes are prominent.
The story begins in a future pseudo-socialist dystopia: Joe leads a pointless, unfulfilling life, filling his time with vacuous games played remotely with people he's never met. In an episode of mental crisis, Joe is saved from the secret police by a mysterious alien entity, ⬇️

Bookwomble ... the god-like Glimmung, and escapes to Plowman's Planet to assist the Glimmung in its mission to raise a sunken cathedral and so forestall the processes of entropic decay and deterministic fate.
What it's actually about (I think) is existential crisis. I assume the alien planet's name alludes to Langland's medieval Christian allegory, "William's Vision of Piers Plowman," and PKD's novel should be read as allegorical, also, the Glimmung ⬇️
1d
Bookwomble ... standing in for Piers Plowman, who is an aspect of Christ, though, if so, PKD's representation is far from orthodox.
The dives into the sea to contend with dark simulacra to liberate a representation of the moribund spirit, the sunken cathedral of Heldscala, is part of the Hero's Journey into the unconscious realm, like Christ's Harrowing of Hell, where Joe meets a rotting, undead version of himself.
Given PKD's love of classical music, is ⬇️
(edited) 1d
Bookwomble ... it too much to suppose that Debussy's "La cathédrale engloutie" or "The Sunken Cathedral," a piano piece inspired by the Breton legend of the sunken city of Ys, was, at least in part, an inspiration for the story?
As is typical for a PKD MC, it's not at all certain that Joe ultimately makes the right decisions, nor that he has redeemed his future from his past. 4/5⛪
1d
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Bookwomble #BooksAndMusic
I looked on You Tube for a performance of Debussy's piece, and found this incredible Tomita electronic version. I see in the comments that others made the link to this novel before me 😊
https://youtu.be/RjSHXopRpJY?si=nY-0tmt95kVmoZHHq
(edited) 1d
rwmg Nice review. You almost convince me to overcome my antipathy for PKD and give it a try. Maybe if I run out of other things to read. 1d
Dilara Thank you for the link, that was fantastic! 1d
Bookwomble @rwmg I appreciate the caveat "almost"! ? If it's PKD's writing style or subject matter that you have an antipathy for, then this is unlikely to change your mind as it's representative of both. But, maybe, you will acquire a taste for it through exposure ? 24h
Bookwomble @Dilara You're welcome, and it is fantastic! 😁 24h
29 likes8 comments
blurb
Bookwomble
Galactic Pot-Healer | Philip K. Dick
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I didn't read last month's #ClassicLSFBC selection due to a library delay, but I am reading this month's (not least because I nominated it, so I really should! ?).
I had an uncertain feeling that I had a "Potteries" bookmark that would be an appropriate match, and I was right - in my uncertainty! I don't have one. So the pictured is not the best example of #BookmarkMatching but it shows elements from the baked clay Minoan Phaistos Disk ⬇️

Bookwomble ... (which I picked up when we visited Knossos 🐂 a few years ago), I think I'm in the neighborhood 😏🏺🔖 1w
LeahBergen I like this matching! 😃 1w
Bookwomble @LeahBergen I'm glad I'm getting to use it - I don't think I have done before! 😄 1w
RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble I bought a copy off Ebay, and it's supposed to arrive tomorrow. I hope to finish it before the month is over. 1w
AnnCrystal 🤩🔖💫. 1w
30 likes5 comments
blurb
PaperbackPirate
Galactic Pot-Healer | Philip K. Dick
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Here are some books I don‘t have time to read this month. 😂

🪴 Galactic Pot-Healer - for #classicLSFBC
🗽 Language City - for book club, p. 115/378
⚠️ A Psalm for the Wild Built - for Banned Books Week which is in October this year? Rescheduled accordingly
⭐️ Where the Forest Meets the Stars - for the #keywordchallenge
🔥 The Fireman - for IG group read, p. 463/750
🤠 The Gunslinger Born - for #losersclub with @BarkingMadRead

#tbr

janeycanuck Your honesty is delightful. 3w
BarkingMadRead The Fireman was really good! 3w
AmyG Hahahaha. I feel this SO hard. 🤣 3w
See All 8 Comments
PaperbackPirate Lol thank you @janeycanuck ! 😆 3w
PaperbackPirate I‘m really enjoying it @BarkingMadRead ! 3w
PaperbackPirate Lol @AmyG 🙌😅 3w
Ruthiella Love the attitude! 😂 3w
PaperbackPirate Lol 😴 🤪 @Ruthiella 🙌 3w
51 likes1 stack add8 comments
blurb
RamsFan1963
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September's selection for #ClassicLSFBC is Philip K. Dick's Galactic Pot Healer. I confess I'm totally unfamiliar with this book, so it should be interesting going in totally blind. Being PKD, I'm sure it's going to be wild and weird. I hope everyone enjoyed August's selection, The Left Hand of Darkness. I think it's one of LeGuin's best novels, and a totally unique world creation.
#ClassicLSFBC @bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView

rwmg I REALLY don't get on with Philip K. Dick's books, so I'll sit this one out, sorry. 3w
See All 8 Comments
The_Literary_Jedi TLHOD was awesome! I‘m looking forward to PKD this month 3w
RamsFan1963 @The_Literary_Jedi If you have a premium account on Spotify, Galactic Pot Healer is available for free. 3w
Bookwomble I'm still waiting for the library to provide me with TLHOD, however I have my own copy of the PKD, I'll jump in on that one soonish 😊 3w
PaperbackPirate I have my copy but I need to finish another book first. Can‘t wait! 3w
49 likes8 comments
review
swynn
Left Hand of Darkness | Ursula K Le Guin
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Pickpick

(1969) It's a story about culture clash and friendship on a world whose natives are sexually neuter for most of their lives, except once a month when they may become either male or female. I remember bouncing off this when I first encountered it in grade school, so was delighted to find it completely absorbing as a thought piece, as a story about cross-cultural friendship, and as an adventure yarn.

This was the August pick for #ClassicLSFBC

review
Bookwomble
The Rainbow Orchid | Garen Ewing
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Pickpick

I had to renew my library card to order The Left Hand of Darkness for this month's #ClassicLSFBC pick, and while I was there randomly picked up this graphic novel, which, to my delight, is a blend of Tintin and Indiana Jones.
Julius Chancer is the young archaeology assistant to London-based antiquarian Sir Alfred Catesby-Grey. It's the 1920s, and Hollywood starlet Lily Lawrence teams up with Julius to help extricate her boozy aristocratic ⬇️

Bookwomble ... father from the clutches of an evil industrialist, which includes an expedition to India to locate the fabled rainbow orchid, chased by hapless henchmen and a more capable Louise Brooks lookalike hench woman.
This is the first of a three part story, and if I can't get the others on loan, I'll be happy to buy the collected edition. Great fun 😊
1mo
31 likes1 comment
review
rwmg
The Left Hand of Darkness | Ursula K. LeGuin
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Pickpick

Classic SF novel about an ice age planet where the inhabitants are neither male nor female except at certain points in their reproductive cycle when they may become either.

I first read this around 1980 and found it enthralling, loving the exploration of the ideas. I then read it again 20-odd years ago when I found the journey across the icecap tedious. This time it was more enjoyable but it didn't have the wow factor from when I first read it.

25 likes1 comment
blurb
rwmg
The Left Hand of Darkness | Ursula K. LeGuin
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blurb
LitsyEvents
Left Hand of Darkness | Ursula K Leguin
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repost for @RamsFan1963

The #ClassicLSFBC selection for August is Ursula LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. I've read this not long ago, so I'll probably pass on the reread, but those who haven't read it are in for a treat.

September's choice is Galactic Pot Healer by Philip K. Dick. It was a tie between this and Software, so I flipped a coin and GPH won. Happy reading everyone!!

#BuddyRead

30 likes1 stack add
blurb
RamsFan1963
The Left Hand of Darkness | Ursula Le Guin
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The #ClassicLSFBC selection for August is Ursula LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. I've read this not long ago, so I'll probably pass on the reread, but those who haven't read it are in for a treat. September's choice is Galactic Pot Healer by Philip K. Dick. It was a tie between this and Software, so I flipped a coin and GPH won. Happy reading everyone!!
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl

53 likes1 stack add5 comments