While the deaths of MES and Hugh Masekala have, not surprisingly, been mentioned here, I’ve seen nothing on that of Ursula K Le Guin, which had a more profound affect on me. Let me put that right now.
Her SF novels such as The Dispossessed and Left Hand of Darkness (which I suspect were a strong influence on Iain M Banks) brought something new and thoughtful to a testosterone- dominated genre. Her Earthsea books are probably the best known and those stories of a young child going off to a school for wizards may have been an influence on … ah, you’re ahead of me.
However, it’s her short stories that I love the most. My absolute favourite is The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas (if i’ve Done this right, there should be a link to it included). I first read this in my teens and it had a very strong affect on me. To this day, it’s a yardstick that I measure my life by: am I walking away from Omelas? If you’ve never read it, please do – it’s 4 pages of brilliant writing that will more than repay the time it takes.
And, as always when I write about something here, I’m conscious that there are those who are better informed and/or better writers – so please don’t feel shy about adding to this and acknowledging the death of this major talent.
Thanks Lando I was going to start a thread on her, glad you did. She’s one of the few writers both loved by me and Ms Moles, her for the Earthsea trilogy which she read as a teen, me for a fistful of novels and short stories that are amongst the best SF ever written. The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossed and The Lathe of heaven are wonderful novels, The Word for World is Forest as good a novella and her short stories are unmatched. She belongs to a core of writers, along with Philip K Dick, JG Ballard, Robert Silverberg,Samuel R Delaney, Frank Herbert, John Brunner etc that made the sixties in SF as the sixties was in music (discuss).
Just as a throwaway, it’s impossible to imagine Margaret Atwood was not deeply influenced by her, as a female SF writer and one who introduced ideas of sexual politics and identity, psychology and environmentalism into the genre.
Thanks, Lando. Horror fans may be sad to learn that Jack Ketchum has also passed in the last few days.
I love the Earthsea books – the trilogy foremost, the fourth less so, but I liked the final novel and book of short stories. The ideas behind the the Earthsea world were immense and profound. I didn’t like her science-fiction – but then I don’t like science fiction at all. The only fantasy books I’ve ever liked are Le Guin and Tolkien. So, she’s up there with the master in my opinion.
Having Studio Ghibli make a film of your books is surely pretty high praise:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Earthsea_(film)
I’m a lover of Sci-Fi, I only tried one of UKLG’s books, please don’t consider me ignorant but it was a long time ago and I don’t remember the title. My point is I wasn’t impressed by the book, very bleak if I remember correctly, but I will try some more of the ladie’s novels. You guys have got me interested.
I’ve just read ‘The ones who walk away from Omelad’, thanks for that link LC, very thought provoking.
Glad you liked it. Not quite sure why it made the indelible mark on me that it did but there you go.
I made a brief comment in the 2018 obituary thread, but am glad that somebody took the step of giving her a dedicated thread all of her own. I loved the Earthsea Trilogy for its geography, its lore, its darkness and its overcoming of that darkness. She made that world come alive and each story was a guide to another part of that curious map of the archipelago at the front of each book. I reread them again recently and they stood up just as well to a nearly 50 year old as they did to a 9 year old. There was a reverence and awe for magic and for its ebbing that was there in Tolkein, but not in the Potter books that seemed like a poor theft of the best ideas in the Earthsea series.
Thanks for starting the thread, Lando.
UKLG remains one of my fave writers. I think she was really important for me as a younger reader as she frequently gave such a direct & persuasive female perspective on any number of things. No big deal in itself but an ‘antidote’ to plenty of blokey stuff I read & a reminder that macho bollocks in books is just macho bollocks. Through her I also got to dig Marge Piercy & Margaret Atwood which is reason to be grateful in itself.
I recently re read The Disposessed which stands up as brilliantly fresh & is frequently on university political philosophy reading lists.
My other particular faves remain The Lathe Of Heaven & The Left Hand Of Darkness.
A great writer & humanist.
What a wonderfully Arthurian name she has. I have never knowingly heard of her. Huge fan of Banks without the M, actually never tried his sci-fi, so UleG may introduce both herself and IMB to me. I have a £100 gift to burn, traditionally to be spent on books.
Happy Days! Try the short story and see what you think.
Thanks for bringing this to light. I wasn’t aware of the author, but I’ve already shared the short story with my daughter, and am looking forward to discussing it with her later. May need to investigate further.
What a beautiful story (The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas). Thanks for that.
Excellent story. I’ve suggested my 16 year old daughter read it, too. Cheers.