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Ursula K. Le Guin still sneaks up on you

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Ursula K. Le Guin still sneaks up on you

Thomas Whitmore <thomas.whitmore@maplepost.org> Sat, 27 Jun 2026 07:57:08 -0400

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From: Thomas Whitmore <thomas.whitmore@maplepost.org>

Newsgroups: rb.arts.books.sci-fi

Subject: Ursula K. Le Guin still sneaks up on you

Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2026 07:57:08 -0400

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I was thinking about science fiction authors that almost everybody seems to respect, even if they came to the genre from different doors. Ursula K. Le Guin is one of those for me.

The Left Hand of Darkness is not loud in the way a lot of science fiction is loud. It works slowly. The worldbuilding matters, but the human questions are what stay in your coat pocket after you close the book.

I like science fiction that does not just ask, 'what if the machine changes?' but also asks, 'what if people had arranged life differently from the start?' Le Guin was very good at that.

--
Thomas W. / keep the receipts

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