An Introduction to A wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin : audio guide
(Audiobook CD)

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LocationCall NumberStatus
Batavia Public Library District - Adult AVCD 813.54 LEGOn Shelf
Calumet Park Public Library - Stacks813.54 LEG CDOn Shelf
Eisenhower Public Library District - In processCD 813 LEGIn process
Harvey Public Library District - StacksCD 813.54 LEGOn Shelf
Messenger Public Library of North Aurora - Nonfiction813 LEGOn Shelf
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Published
[Washington, DC] : National Endowment for the Arts, 2008.
Format
Audiobook CD
Physical Desc
1 audio disc (44 min., 58 sec.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
Language
English

Notes

General Note
Readings of excerpts and critical analysis.
General Note
"The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, developed in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest"--Container insert.
Participants/Performers
Narrated by Dana Gioia ; Orson Scott Card, Michael Chabon, Michael Dirda, Pico Iyer, Ursula K. Le Guin, Kelly Link, Walter Mosley, R.L. Stine, KenYatta Rogers, contributors.
Description
Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea (1968) is arguably the most widely admired American fantasy novel of the past fifty years. The book's elegant diction, geographical sweep, and mounting suspense are quite irresistible. Earthsea, composed of an archipelago of many islands, is a land of the imagination, like Oz, Faerie, or the dream-like realm of our unconscious. Earthsea may not be a "real" world but it is one that our souls recognize as meaningful and "true." Actions there possess an epic grandeur, a mythic resonance that we associate with romance and fairy tale. Songs, poems, runes, spells --- words matter a great deal in Earthsea, especially those in the "Old Speech" now spoken only by dragons and wizards. To work a spell one must know an object or person's "true name," which is nothing less than that object or person's fundamental essence. In Earthsea, to know a person's true name is to gain power over him or her. "A mage," we are told, "can control only what is near him, what he can name exactly and wholly." Understanding the nature of things, not possessing power over them, is the ultimate goal of magic. Indeed, the greatest wizards do all they can to avoid using their skill. They recognize that the cosmos relies on equilibrium, appropriateness, and "balance"--The very name Earthsea suggests such balance --- and that every action bears consequences. To perform magic, then, is to take on a heavy responsibility: One literally disturbs the balance of the universe. The young Ged is born, a fated seventh son, on the island of Gont and, by accident, discovers that he possesses an innate talent for magic. Even as an untrained boy he is able to use his nascent powers to save his town from marauders. Soon, though, he goes to study with gentle Ogion the Silent, whom he foolishly fails to appreciate. Sent to complete his studies at the Archmage's school for wizards on the island of Roke, Ged grows increasingly proud, over-confident, and competitive. To display his much-vaunted skills, he rashly attempts a dangerous spell --- with dire consequences for Earthsea and himself. Hoping to repair the damage he has caused, the chastened Ged embarks on a series of journeys around Earthsea --- and eventually beyond the known world ...
Local note
AUDIOBOOK CD

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Stone, D., Gioia, D., Card, O. S., Chabon, M., Dirda, M., Iyer, P., Le Guin, U. K., Link, K., Mosley, W., Stine, R. L., & Rogers, K. (2008). An Introduction to A wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin: audio guide . National Endowment for the Arts.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Dan. Stone et al.. 2008. An Introduction to A Wizard of Earthsea By Ursula K. Le Guin: Audio Guide. National Endowment for the Arts.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Dan. Stone et al.. An Introduction to A Wizard of Earthsea By Ursula K. Le Guin: Audio Guide National Endowment for the Arts, 2008.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Stone, Dan., et al. An Introduction to A Wizard of Earthsea By Ursula K. Le Guin: Audio Guide National Endowment for the Arts, 2008.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

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