The Left Hand of Darkness: 50th Anniversary Edition

by Le Guin, Ursula K.
ISBN: 9780441007318
4.5 (2)
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Used - Trade Paperback - 9780441007318

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Overview

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION--WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY DAVID MITCHELL AND A NEW AFTERWORD BY CHARLIE JANE ANDERS

Ursula K. Le Guin's groundbreaking work of science fiction--winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants' gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters...

Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

  • Format: TradePaperback
  • Author: Le Guin, Ursula K.
  • ISBN: 9780441007318
  • Condition: Used
  • Dimensions: 8.29 x 0.90
  • Number Of Pages: 336
  • Publication Year: 2000

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  • Fascinating exploration of gender roles/relations

    Timothy B. - 3 years 1 month ago

    Ursula K. Le Guin is among the great authors who use science fiction to explore concepts about what it is to be human. She explores our fears and hopes and creates memorable characters that you can invest in. In The Left Hand Of Darkness, we follow Genly Ai, an envoy of the Ekumen of Worlds on his quest to establish diplomatic relations on the planet Gethen. The inhabitants of Gethen are not like the other human species of the Ekumen, they are both male and female, espousing a fluidity of gender when in their "Kemmer" cycle. This state of being for the Gethenian people is the springboard for the story. Le Guin uses this to ask questions of the reader about how we perceive and value others when faced with an idea that isn't standard to our familiarity of judgment. Genly Ai is faced with many critical decisions in his quest to establish a connection with the world of Gethen. Le Guin has proven her talents time and again, having won the Nebula and Hugo awards on multiple occasions, but more importantly, the story is intriguing and will ask you to ponder questions you may not have before.

    HPB Staff Review

  • Speculative Fiction at Its Finest

    Jenny G. - 7 years 11 months ago

    The Left Hand of Darkness is the story of Genly Ai, an intergalactic ambassador to Gethen, a frigid planet whose inhabitants are without a static gender. It focuses on his struggles with both the intricate political customs of the Gethenians and their fluid gender roles. While the plot is intriguing and the setting interesting, the true mastery to be found here is in the message. I found myself contemplating how easily I use gender or even cultural differences as a shortcut, and how these misconceptions keep us from truly knowing each other as individuals. When Genly is forced to reject his preconceived ideas of gender in order to successfully communicate with the Gethenians, he learns a new knowledge both of these people and of himself. Le Guin is one of science fiction's grandmasters and this novel is a fine example of why.

    HPB Staff Review