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Philip K. Dick?

Why is "1984" on this list at all? It's an anti-big-government book. It's completely anti-liberal. George Orwell was a conservative (or at least a Libertarian). The only reason this book is on that list is because it makes liberal kids feel cool.

George Orwell was a Anarchist

George Orwell was not an anarchist nor a conservative. He was a member of a british left-wing group that belonged to the so called London Bureau, sister organisation of the spanish POUM (not really trotskyite, but similar). The older he became he got more anti-communist, but all is life he was anti-stalinist (both 1984 and Animal Farm are basically anti-stalinist books). He also left the organisation and probably became a liberal and not a socialist later in his life. But one author mentioned in the list that's not left-wing at all is Orson Scott Card.

Ursula K. Le Guin is a known anarcho-feminist

Chris wrote: "Why is "1984" on this list at all? It's an anti-big-government book. It's completely anti-liberal. George Orwell was a conservative (or at least a Libertarian). The only reason this book is on that..."

George Orwell was a democratic socialist, with some anarchist leanings. Being against the authoritarian Bolshevism of Stalin isn't just the purview of the right wing. He witnessed the Soviet backed communists in the Spanish civil war's brutal suppression of the anarcho-syndicalist communities.

"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I understand it."

This is a wonderful list, my to-read shelf is rapidly expanding.

I'm not sure if Aldous Huxley was a leftist at the time he wrote BNW although BNW can be read as critical to capitalism, & Huxley did turn to the left later. Also Sheri Tepper's politics is a bit bizarre.

1632 by Eric Flint? I do wonder about that one. Seems rather nativist/right-wing.

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin occurs twice.

Communist shouldn't be in the description. Communism is very authoritarian, which seems to contradict left-wing philosophies (Communist countries also tend to be imperialistic, sexist, homophobic, etc.). Communism differs from Marxism as Marxism is a philosophy while Communism is a type of government which on the outside resembles Marxism while in reality keeping a small ruling class of "haves" ruling in an authoritarian style over the majority of "have-nots" while spouting rhetoric that everyone is equal because everyone is poor (that doesn't reflect reality).

Buzz H. wrote: "1632 by Eric Flint? I do wonder about that one. Seems rather nativist/right-wing."
I agree with you - I was startled to see this... very pro-patriot

The Iron Heel by Jack London also occurs twice

Chris wrote: "Why is "1984" on this list at all? It's an anti-big-government book. It's completely anti-liberal. George Orwell was a conservative (or at least a Libertarian). The only reason this book is on that..."
1984 is a thoroughly socialist book. It examines the methods by which class regimes maintain hegemony of ideas, albeit through greatly exaggerated satire. It examines the mutually supporting nature of state "enemies". It even contains the very words "If there is hope . . . it lies in the proles" https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwe...

Alicja wrote: "Communist shouldn't be in the description. Communism is very authoritarian, which seems to contradict left-wing philosophies (Communist countries also tend to be imperialistic, sexist, homophobic, ..."

Richard wrote: "The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin occurs twice."

Communism is definitely a left-wing philosophy. Under communism the producers, the working class, democratically control the wealth of society in the interest of human need rather than profit. What you are talking about could more accurately be called "Stalinism" and "Maoism". The international left is still profoundly influenced by these philosophies even though they have shown themselves to be incompatible with the communism of Marx. A book based on the Cuban revolution could certainly be considered left wing, even if the reality of present day Cuba is neither communist, nor particularly progressive.

Also, communism isn't a "type of government" at all (unless you're using a broad definition of government, I guess). It's stateless by definition.

Chris wrote: "Why is "1984" on this list at all? It's an anti-big-government book. It's completely anti-liberal. George Orwell was a conservative (or at least a Libertarian). The only reason this book is on that..."

Damn right it does.
Also, Orwell was an open socialist.

Missing Olaf Stapledon

Lol, why is a Clockwork Orange on this list? Besides not being a left-wing novel, seems more concerned with free will and a hatred for apathy, the author was himself strongly right-wing. Indeed he even wrote a book attacking the Labour government in the 70s, 1985, and stated in the Paris Review that he was, ideally, a Catholic Jacobite imperial monarchist.

Dune's story has nothing to do with socialism.

Chris wrote: "Why is "1984" on this list at all? It's an anti-big-government book. It's completely anti-liberal. George Orwell was a conservative (or at least a Libertarian). The only reason this book is on that..."

Libs ain't leftist lol. Leftist have always been subversive and insurrectionary. Orwell was an Anarchist until he sold out to liberalism and betrayed the working people to the fascists. 1984 however is a good book about how hierarchies
can be dangerous.

I don't think dune belongs on the list. In fact, it definitly doesn't.

I don't think Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials really belongs on this list. The main struggle of the series is against "The Authority" ( =God), but many major characters enthusiastically participate in hierarchical relationships.

Eg. Lord Asriel, the leader of the revolution, is heavily authoritarian towards those surrounding him.

Lyra, the main protagonist, has the following thought in the 2nd book: "“You had to come through,” she said, furious. No one should speak to her like this. She was an aristocrat. She was Lyra."