The Dispossessed American Classics Edition

One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels / Winner of the Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Awards

“Le Guin expanded the boundaries of fiction not just by committing to its revolutionary capacities but also by considering deeply, and with great clarity, other ways of being. The Dispossessed, her most intricate and beautifully realized book, . . . a moving story that is also about loneliness, will, and what it means to return home. More than a novel, this is an ontological work of extraordinary imagination and compassion." — Meng Jin, The Atlantic

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, HarperCollins is proud to present this library of American classics drawn from our storied catalog. The Dispossessed is Ursula K. Le Guin’s Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Award–winning classic, a masterful, thought-provoking tale of anarchism and capitalism, individualism and collectivism, and one ambitious man’s quest to bridge the ideological chasm separating two worlds.

It’s the spellbinding story of anarchist Shevek, the galactically famous physicist from the severely isolationist and anarchic Anarres. In the face of great hostility, outright threats, and the pain of separation from his family, Shevek makes an unprecedented trip to the rich mother planet, Urras, defined by warring nations, great poverty, and immense wealth. Greater than any concern for his own well-being is the belief that the walls of hatred, distrust, and philosophic division between his planet and the rest of the civilized universe must be torn down.

Upon his arrival, he finds not the egotistical philistines he expected, but an intelligent, complex people who warmly welcome him. But soon Shevek and his work are seen as a threat, and in the profound conflict that ensues, he must reexamine his beliefs even as he ignites the fires of change.

• A BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE WITH FLAPS: Featuring French flaps and a unique vivid cover design, each book in the collection is published as a deluxe trade paperback that is a part of a stunning series look.
• HARPER COLLINS AMERICAN CLASSICS: This series includes timeless novels, poetry, children’s books, and groundbreaking nonfiction that has shaped American thought, literature, and identity across generations.
• AMERICA’S PUBLISHER: Since its founding in 1817, no American publisher has been so entwined in the history of American letters. Our books enrich, challenge, and defined the American spirit.
• AMERICA 250: The HarperCollins American Classics arrive in time for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.