RIP - Ursula K Le Guin

[User16390]

I am saddened to read of the death of Ursula K Le Guin. She authored two of my favourite books, A Wizard of Earthsea which I first read in class at primary school and The Dispossessed a great Science fiction Novel read as a teenager.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jan/23/ursula-k-le-guin-sci-fi-fantasy-author-dies-at-88

 

[AndyRM]

Sad news indeed. The Earthsea and Hainish series are brilliant.

 

[Inertia]

I haven't read her books, sounds like she was a trailblazer in a male dominated sci fi/fantasy genre.

I thought this article, about how she refused to blurb an all male compilation book was interesting.

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2015/10/gentlemen-i-just-dont-belong-here.html

 

[Yellow Fang]

I thought The Left Hand of Darkness was rather good. The science was pretty good; it was not just fantasy. She invented a mythology for her people. The only other book I've read that done so well was Watership Down. It was rather political, a bit like a John Le Carre book on another planet. Apart from being female, I think Le Guin was an unusual sci-fi writer for the time for being a bit of a lefty. I know Kurt Vonnegut was also rather a lefty, but most sci-fi books I read were largely about eugenics or inter world conflict.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

to blurb

Well that's a new verb for me. What does it mean?

 

[Tin Pot]

I loved the Earthsea trilogy as a kid.

 

[Profpointy]

Well that's a new verb for me. What does it mean?

I assume it means to write the summary or (favourable) review comments destined for the back cover of a book - known as the blurb I believe, although I've not heard the term verbified, but a good usage.

.... if indeed I've understood rightly

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I assume it means to write the summary or (favourable) review comments destined for the back cover of a book - known as the blurb I believe, although I've not heard the term verbified, but a good usage.

.... if indeed I've understood rightly

Google confirms your understanding

 

[Profpointy]

I loved the Earthsea trilogy as a kid.

I read it (them) as an adult, and thought it pretty good and stood up well. The narnia books are great when you're 11 but painful as an adult. I doubt I'd have the patience for re-reading lotr as an adult, though did enjoy the radio series. Pullman's stuff is a good read as an adult though.

Back to Ursula le Guin - I did read a few of her sci books too back in the day. Definitely better writing than the bulk of genre writers