50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION—WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY DAVID MITCHELL AND A NEW AFTERWORD BY CHARLIE JANE ANDERSUrsula 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 … 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.
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Memorable. This book, and a short story Le Guin wrote set on the same planet (Winter’s King), made me realize how much gender made me interpret emotional terms and personality.
I love this book so much, I pull it off my shelf for a new read every other year or so.
Science fiction to reality. Le Guinn has always been a leader on my SciFI shelves, and the Left hand of Darkness is eerily becoming more of a reality in our day and age. Her books make you step back and question your values and those of the people around you in ways you never thought possible.
A great read. I read this decades ago and could remember almost nothing of it except the trek over the ice. The politics would have been wasted on me as a teenager, but was intriguing beyond belief now. LeGuin is a master of condensed characterization, complex symbols and irony, and the pace never slows down for an instant. I was engrossed in the flow of the story, and realized how much I’ve been missing story as I read as an academic.
Really good book. Problem was I just finished Foundation and couldn’t help noticing the similarities.
BEST, Top of the pops Sci-Fi! Too wonderful for words. Memorable. Must read!
Great book
This classic, which I read decades ago, still haunts me. LeGuin, a great literary writer, understood that the primary value of science fiction is the opportunity to explore our own present circumstance pushed to an extreme. Written many decades before we began to understand that “gender” is culturally assigned, this novel explores both the possibilities of gender liberation and the devastation wrought by cultural rigidity. The character portrayals are rich and compassionate. This book broadened my understanding of Creation and of human possibilities.
This didn’t do much for me. It was fine, but a bit too slow.
you would think the writer lived upon that planète.
I have read this one many times. Imaginative well developed characters as well as plot and place to be concise. it is my favorite science fiction novel.
A sci-fi classic one of my all-time faves.
One of my all-time favorites – a world undreamed-of, with a twist.
I LOVE this book! I’m surprised it hasn’t been made into a movie or mini-series. So many things to ponder about gender. It just as relevant today (if not more so) as it was when it was first published.
It was very interesting in several regards, sexuality, being an outsider in a very different culture, practical space travel issues, and the approach to dealing with less advanced cultures. Although a little slow at times overall I enjoyed it very much.
The best world building I’ve read in a very long while.
Really was one of the worst books I have ever tried to read. Not sure why it has so much praise.
This book is tied with The Lathe of Heaven as my favorite LeGuin book. She is an amazing storyteller and has such a wonderful imagination. I love her!
This is a wonderful book that delves into our ways of conforming within nonconformity. Also a great story! It encouraged me to think. I heartily recommend it!
I worked 4 yrs. in a library, and 7 yrs. in a book store, and this is one of my most recommended books ever.