The Lathe of Heaven is not a new novel, but its relevance is timeless. Published in 1971, it reflects the social upheavals of the 1960s. Ursula Le Guin’s classic is an allegory about power in the hands of people who are ill-equipped to wield it.

George Orr is a colorless, weak-willed man assigned to psychiatric treatment for using illegal drugs. He explains to Dr. William Haber that he needs the drugs to prevent him from having “effective” dreams. In one of them, a relative who’s been trying to seduce George dies in a car crash. When he wakes up the woman is dead—from a car crash. Skeptical, Dr. Haber tests George by ordering him to dream about a horse. When George wakes up, a picture of Mount Hood in Haber’s office has turned into a picture of a horse. Haber insists that it’s always been a picture of a horse. George’s dreams change not only reality; they change history and memories on a worldwide scale.

Realizing the power within his grasp, Haber hypnotizes George and uses his dreams to reshape the world according to his own standards. But George’s whimsical imagination frustrates Haber at every turn, in ways that are sometimes comical, frequently chaotic, and in one case catastrophic. Underlying Haber’s efforts is a mystery: how did George acquire the power to dream effectively?

Le Guin poses a fundamental question: Are people capable of making the world better, or are they doomed to make things worse? “To be God,” George reflects, “you have to know what you’re doing.”

The Lathe of Heaven strikes a delicate balance between entertainment and philosophy. The reader will recognize Haber’s dilemma in the present day, as scientists and politicians seek to solve problems with inadequate solutions. I recommend this well-executed novel with a warning that it contains occasional offensive language and profanity.

Chevron Ross's novels include Weapons of Remorse, The Seven-Day Resurrection, and The Samaritan's Patient. Click here for more information.