Golden cover with plants for some reason at the bottom.

Words Are My Matter: Writings on Life and Books

by Ursula K. Le Guin Author

If you were to guess at the future, the odds are you'd have a gloomy prognostication. Between geo-political, environmental, and regressive cultural factors, the future has rarely looked bleaker. Legendary author Ursula K. Le Guin agreed with you. In her acceptance speech for the National Book Foundation Medal, she said "Hard times are coming, when we’ll be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now … to other ways of being, and even imagine real grounds for hope." That speech, entitled Freedom, was also the one where she famously stated "We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable—but then, so did the divine right of kings." You can read those insightful thoughts and comments in Words Are My Matter, where we can gain hope against an uncertain future from the power of words.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)

Comments & Reviews

Goose 2/3/2008: Christianity gets so much unwarranted respect. No one is worried about offending some of the less common cults.
I love this pin by the way, even though the bible is already a piece of shit ;-)

magpie 11/7/2007: eat the tin drum
pass grass

Kelly 6/13/2007: Christians have every right in the world to believe that their religion is the right religion, if not then they wouldn't be too Christian would they?

Poppy 6/6/2006: It's not that I don't like Christians, my whole family is, but it's really annoying when they think they're the only religion and the only people who are right. Nobody knows, or will ever know until they die, what's real and not.

lcfb 4/22/2006: Last time I checked, it was also a constitutional right to make a joke regardless of whom it offends; as long as it doesn't threaten the practice of the religion, it doesn't infringe on the constitutional right to practice it. I agree that good things are done in the name of christianity despite the travesties committed by some of its greedier, more delusional, or more extremist proponents, but that doesn't change the fact that this pin was probably intended as a joke and not necessarily to have any affect on any person's freedom of religion. As tom robbins said,"Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature." I think that includes jokes that some find offensive and others find hilarious, like this one, which stir things up and make us all think a bit.

steve 3/20/2006: The bible was used by southern baptists to justify slavery and has fueled one too many wars, shit it out.

beck_me! 12/27/2005: There are idiots and extremists that make up any religion. Just because it's the most popular in this country doesn't give it any less protection under the Constitution or tolerance. There are people who will take advantage of religion because it has mass potential for power, obviously. The use of the koran to enslave women in the middle east is an exccellent example. Christianity is, as Islam is a valid and loving religion and should thus be treated accordingly with respect. There are plenty of other ways to piss off the religious right without disgracing a religion that preaches love and peace, believe me, I've been doing it all my life.

Seb 12/13/2005: Well yeah it would be if I *were*. I know some brilliant peole who happen to follow the teachings of your boy Jesus, my philosophy teacher for example is one of the most well informed and accepting people I've met, and I'm fairly sure he's a Catholic. I'm not stereotyping Christians or being otherwise bigoted towards you but a joke is a joke, and considering the proportion of right wing idiot christians around here and in America this one seems good for offending the Bomb the Heathens types. Anyway, back to your accusation. I object to a few of the things the bible maintains, especially if it's to be taken literally, but when people aren't using the religion it's companion to as an excuse to hate or hurt others I respect their and your right to believe it, the Principia Discordia or the Spot books as it takes your fancy.

beck_me! 12/1/2005: The actual quest for the holy grail was pointless. It is a prime example of what Christianity was in the Middle Ages, putting too much meaning into trinkets and loosing the purpose of christianity which is a relationship with God. Monty Python's Holy Grail didn't offend me at all because it was making fun of a quest that, for me at least, really had little to do with christ and more to do with the church which held trinkets in high regard while ignoring the actual carrying out of jesus's teachings, corrupting christianity. Monty Python is all in good fun. this pin, however i feel is just rude and in bad taste. oh and the bible is just a reference guide, not a leader. It is the record of happening and teachings to understand and interpret for oneself and not depend on "holy leaders" to do it for you. christianity, at least how i feel about it, isnt about leaders and followers. its about a relationship with a higher being who loves you and wants you to love "him". in short the difference between this pin and monty python is this pin is about defiling a sacred book, and no matter what you think about the religion, doesnt it deserve the same level of respect of other religions? doesnt tolerance and diversity apply to everything, even if it is popular? isnt it just a tad hypocritical to go around saying chrisitians are stupid and ignorant and hate muslims and gays and whatever and preach all the love of diversity and respect when you turn around and do the exact same thing to a relgion?

Seb 11/22/2005: I agree with thms, and I get that what you're saying is very applicable in some situations, Bec, but as one who appreciates the comedic value of insults as well as what the can say (and disagrees with some, though not all of the ones directed at me occasionally) I'm _not_ going to agree universally.
I'd be curious to see what you have to say about monty Python's Holy Grail, though.

thms 11/3/2005: No matter what interpretation is given to it. It's just plain stupid to be led by a book. Any book. So eat that bible. Who needs a leader anyway?

beck_me! 10/4/2005: The fact that it is huge doesn't make insulting people's faith any less offensive and the fact that it has a history of poking fun at other religions doesn't mean that the word is what is corrupt. The fact that Christianity is huge makes it the easiest to corrupt because hey what "good christian" would question christianity right? Its not the word thats wrong its the structure that uses the word to manipulate and produce hatred to fuel their agenda and politics. Don't get me wrong, I despise much about what Christians have created in their religion but that doesn't make it right to poke fun of faith, no matter what form it takes. Its just too close to people's hearts

Seb 9/19/2005: If this was a genuinley anti christian pin I'd agree with you Bec, but it looks like a bit of good natured ribbing to me. As about the largest group of connected sects in the world I think Christianity can handle a bit of fun being poked at it.

beck_me! 9/14/2005: I find this button offensive and You think that just because Christianity has been twisted and courupted doesn't make it a religion? Freedom of religion doesn't just mean for those who are opressed by the larger religion but for those in the majority as well. There are people who don't listen to the mass media christianity but use the bible to teach us and learn from it ourselves. This button is just as ignorant and innapropriate as the politicians using the bible for their own agenda. Don't get me wrong, I love this site and I love what you guys do but really, show some respect.