Ursula K. Le Guin Has Died at 88

astrangerhere · 01-23-2018, 06:15 PM

From the New York Times:

Quote:

Ursula K. Le Guin, the immensely popular author who brought literary depth and a tough-minded feminist sensibility to science fiction and fantasy with books like “The Left Hand of Darkness” and the Earthsea series, died on Monday at her home in Portland, Ore. She was 88.

Her son, Theo Downes-Le Guin, confirmed the death. He did not specify a cause but said she had been in poor health for several months.

Dazrin · 01-23-2018, 06:24 PM

I just saw this too, very sad news. I absolutely love some of her books.

The NPR link I saw, not much detail yet.

Apache · 01-23-2018, 08:45 PM

Very sad indeed.
Apache

BenG · 01-23-2018, 11:37 PM

One of the best.

cadele · 01-24-2018, 04:19 AM

So very sad to read this. I have been a huge fan of hers since I first read her Earthsea series as a child.

drofgnal · 01-24-2018, 04:25 AM

RIP. A wonderful writer.

Luffy · 01-24-2018, 06:06 AM

May she R.I.P. I've never read her books but I know of her awe inspiring reputation.

bfisher · 01-24-2018, 09:08 AM

Terribly sad to hear of her passing. She was one of the most original writers of her generation - The Left Hand of Darkness was brilliant.

She has been sick for some time - she was 88.

Oddly, yesterday my spot in the Overdrive queue came up for Words are My Matter. I'm on the Overdrive hold list for No Time To Spare: Thinking About What Matters - which just came out, and is certainly aptly titled. I'm looking forward to reading that soon.

It's a great loss to all of us of her voice being stilled.

GlenBarrington · 01-24-2018, 01:06 PM

Yeah, I saw that this morning. I was surprised to discover she was 88, though. In my mind, I always saw her as younger, more my age! (I never saw a picture of her until this morning)

Jozawun · 01-24-2018, 03:45 PM

As Margaret Atwood said, one of the literary greats of the 20th century.

bfisher · 01-24-2018, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Yeah, I saw that this morning. I was surprised to discover she was 88, though. In my mind, I always saw her as younger, more my age! (I never saw a picture of her until this morning)

The first monthly selection I got from the Science Fiction Book Club was The Left Hand of Darkness. It seems like only yesterday

, but its 50th anniversary is next year, so she was in her late thirties when she was starting the Hainish and Earthsea novels.

pwalker8 · 01-24-2018, 06:08 PM

The Earthsea books were one of my favorite series. She was definitely one of the leading lights on the literary side of SF&F.

frahse · 01-24-2018, 11:02 PM

The Earth Sea Cycle (6 books) was marvelous. A favorite of mine.

The Left hand of Darkness was perplexing when I read it, but these days it gets a lot of attention. I always wondered about "pepper pills" (I believe that was what they were called,) but the military later gave me the answer: amphetamine, speed, and now days meth.

I love the sea as much as the land, and have often thought the Wind Mage was out to thwart me as he did Ged.

BenG · 01-24-2018, 11:43 PM

The Coode Street Podcast is repeating an episode from 2011 where Le Guin chats about science fiction and Margaret Atwood with Gary Wolfe and Jonathan Strahan for about an hour.

Quote:

Six years ago Gary Wolfe and I were privileged enough to get to chat with Ursula K. Le Guin about science fiction. The reason for the discussion was Margaret Atwood's book of essays, In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination, which discusses her thoughts on science fiction in some detail. It is a marvelous discussion and one we thought we'd repost, given the sad news of Ursula's death today.

http://jonathanstrahan.podbean.com/e...ula-k-le-guin/

hildea · 01-25-2018, 01:51 AM

A Wizard of Earthsea was one of the first fantasy books I read, and I've reread it and the others several times. Tombs of Atuan especially sticks in the mind -- the images of a young girl exploring a huge labyrinth in darkness, having lots of power in theory as high priestess, but in practice being dependent on the older priestesses, and not knowing who to trust.

I also remember reading the Word for World is Forest and (vaguely) The Left Hand of Darkness as a teenager. I think it's time for some rereading.

01-24-2018, 09:08 AM	#8
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	Terribly sad to hear of her passing. She was one of the most original writers of her generation - The Left Hand of Darkness was brilliant. She has been sick for some time - she was 88. Oddly, yesterday my spot in the Overdrive queue came up for Words are My Matter. I'm on the Overdrive hold list for No Time To Spare: Thinking About What Matters - which just came out, and is certainly aptly titled. I'm looking forward to reading that soon. It's a great loss to all of us of her voice being stilled. Last edited by bfisher; 01-24-2018 at 09:21 AM.

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01-23-2018, 06:24 PM	#2
Dazrin Wizard Posts: 2,631 Karma: 73864785 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: PDXish Device: Kindle Voyage, various Android devices	I just saw this too, very sad news. I absolutely love some of her books. The NPR link I saw, not much detail yet.

01-23-2018, 08:45 PM	#3
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,132 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Very sad indeed. Apache

01-23-2018, 11:37 PM	#4
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	One of the best.

01-24-2018, 04:19 AM	#5
cadele Addict Posts: 372 Karma: 3710372 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kindles, Sony 650	So very sad to read this. I have been a huge fan of hers since I first read her Earthsea series as a child.

01-24-2018, 04:25 AM	#6
drofgnal Wizard Posts: 1,227 Karma: 7838248 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Ipad Pro/Kindle Oasis 3/iPhone 13 Pro Max	RIP. A wonderful writer.

01-24-2018, 06:06 AM	#7
Luffy Wizard Posts: 4,461 Karma: 429063498 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Mauritius Device: Kindle Paperwhite 4	May she R.I.P. I've never read her books but I know of her awe inspiring reputation.

01-24-2018, 01:06 PM	#9
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	Yeah, I saw that this morning. I was surprised to discover she was 88, though. In my mind, I always saw her as younger, more my age! (I never saw a picture of her until this morning)

01-24-2018, 03:45 PM	#10
Jozawun Fanatic Posts: 519 Karma: 2693434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Australia Device: Cybook Gen 3, Pocketbook 902, Sony 650	As Margaret Atwood said, one of the literary greats of the 20th century.

01-24-2018, 06:08 PM	#12
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	The Earthsea books were one of my favorite series. She was definitely one of the leading lights on the literary side of SF&F.

01-24-2018, 11:02 PM	#13
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,314 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	The Earth Sea Cycle (6 books) was marvelous. A favorite of mine. The Left hand of Darkness was perplexing when I read it, but these days it gets a lot of attention. I always wondered about "pepper pills" (I believe that was what they were called,) but the military later gave me the answer: amphetamine, speed, and now days meth. I love the sea as much as the land, and have often thought the Wind Mage was out to thwart me as he did Ged.

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01-25-2018, 01:51 AM	#15
hildea Wizard Posts: 1,218 Karma: 63835638 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Norway Device: PocketBook Touch Lux (had Onyx Boox Poke 3 and BeBook Neo earlier)	A Wizard of Earthsea was one of the first fantasy books I read, and I've reread it and the others several times. Tombs of Atuan especially sticks in the mind -- the images of a young girl exploring a huge labyrinth in darkness, having lots of power in theory as high priestess, but in practice being dependent on the older priestesses, and not knowing who to trust. I also remember reading the Word for World is Forest and (vaguely) The Left Hand of Darkness as a teenager. I think it's time for some rereading.