The Left Hand of Darkness: 50th Anniversary Edition

Book Info: Genre: Science Fiction Reading Level: Adult Recommended for: Anyone, especially those interested in gender roles. Please Note: I picked up a used copy of this after reading Nataliya's review on Goodreads. A opinions are my own. Synopsis: Genly Ai is an emissary from the human galaxy to Winter, a lost, stray world. His mission is to bring the planet back into the fold of an evolving galactic civilization, but to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own culture and prejudices and those that he encounters. On a planet where people are of no gender - or both - this is a broad gulf indeed. The inventiveness and delicacy with which Le Guin portrays her alien world are not only unusual and inspiring, they are fundamental to almost all decent science fiction that has been written since. In fact, reading Le Guin again may cause the eye to narrow somewhat disapprovingly at the younger generation: what new ground are they breaking that is not already explored here with greater skill and acumen? It cannot be said, however, that this is a rollicking good story. Le Guin takes a lot of time to explore her characters, the world of her creation, and the philosophical themes that arise. My Thoughts: This book is part of a series by Le Guin called the Hainish Cycle; these books can be read interdependently of one another. In the introduction to this book, the author says, "Science fiction is often described, and even defined, as extrapolative. The science fiction writer is supposed to take a trend or phenomenon of the here-and-now, purify and intensify it for dramatic effect, and extend it into the future... a prediction is made. Method and results much resemble those of a scientist... the outcome seems almost inevitably to be cancer... somewhere between the gradual extinction of human liberty and the total extinction of terrestrial life... Almost anything carried to its logical extreme becomes depressing, if not carcinogenic." Her point is that she is telling a story, not extrapolating into the future - and she tells a story very well. Genly Ai is a fascinating character; he's so incredibly biased, but tries to maintain a presence among the people on Winter without letting them know how he really feels; watching him grow and change through the course of the book was a wonderful experience. On the other hand, I'm also fascinated by the King of Karhide who, upon learning there were thousands of other civilizations out there, instead of considering that his people were the odd ones, rather claims that they were the only normal ones and all those thousands of civilizations were full of aberrations and perverts. It's a fascinating study on how people consider themselves and only themselves to be the norm. I do wish some form of gender-neutral terminology had been created for this book. Having Genly call everyone "he" even if he considers some of them feminine is distracting. However, this is not, I am fairly certain, something that was really even considered when this book was written (1969) and it was probably quite a shocking and groundbreaking idea at the time. "Consider: Anyone can turn his hand to anything... The fact that everyone between seventeen and thirty-five or so is liable to be (as Nim put it) `tied down to childbearing,' implies that no one is quite so thoroughly `tied down' here as women elsewhere are likely to be... burden and privilege are shared out pretty equally, everybody has the same risk to run or choice to make. therefore nobody here is quite so free as a free male anywhere else." A fascinating thought, and one that is dealt with in only an ancillary way throughout the course of the book, as are all other ideas being expressed by this text. Definitely an interesting book, a great story, wonderful world-building. I'm very happy that I was introduced to this book and took the chance to grab a copy when I had a gift certificate. I think this is an important book that should be study in gender-study classes at the university level; I think it is a book most everyone should read and spend some time thinking about.

On Gethen, human envoy Genly Ai has been sent to convince the planet’s leaders to join the Ekumen, a loose confederation of planets who do not rule one another, but who cooperate in matters of interest to all Ekumen members. Barriers to Ai’s success include Gethenian pride, antipathy and discord between that world’s rival nation-states, and Ai’s lack of understanding in a global culture fueled by the ambisexual nature of Gethenians. The only native who believes the Ekumen can save Gethen is Estraven, a native whom Ai regards with suspicion. But when politics casts Estraven in a criminal light, Ai is dragged into a fierce powerplay and finds himself imprisoned, beaten, and left for dead. Only by abandoning his prejudice—and learning to trust the Otherness of his savior—can he survive his ordeal. The Left Hand of Darkness was originally published in 1969 and is the title that established Le Guin as a science fiction writer. It’s incredibly intricate, an excellent example of worldbuilding. Politics and governance are well-represented, if convoluted, which makes it all the more believable. The climate on Gethen is wintry; inhabitants and their lifestyles reflect this in every detail. But what captivated me most was the nature of Gethenian sexuality. On Gethen, gender is irrelevant. Though Ai uses predominantly masculine pronouns throughout the narrative, native humanoids on Gethen are not born male or female. They are neither—until they enter “kemmer,” a regular period of increased hormonal activity in which Gethenians are driven to find a partner who is also in kemmer, for sex and procreation. Hormone levels determine which partner becomes the inseminator and which becomes the recipient. If the recipient becomes pregnant, they remain “female” throughout the gestation period, after which they return to normal. This cycle drives the entire culture, coloring every aspect of Gethenian society. Though this isn’t the only detail to recommend the book, it’s definitely key to the story. At the time it was written, Gethenian sexuality drew a lot of attention among readers and reviewers; but it’s still relevant today. While some have criticized Le Guin for homophobia, and while Le Guin later expressed regret that she’d portrayed Gethenian norms as heterosexual, the fact remains that the story explores the nature of gender in our own society, as well as on Gethen. For my own part, I found the development of friendship and love between characters so widely diverse much more meaningful than when or how or even whether copulation occurred. In any event, The Left Hand of Darkness is a classic in science fiction literature, a multi-layered story that explores not only cultural divides but sociological ones as well as deep, philosophical quandaries, a must-read for all sci-fi fans. Groundbreaking and evocative, I found myself rooting for both Ai and Estraven, and was sorry to turn the last page. Only one of multiple novels set in the Hainish series, LHoD can be read as a standalone tale. One caveat: Le Guin runs heavy on detail and subtlety. It isn’t exactly an easy read. If that bothers you, dear reader, push through. I promise the payoff is worth it.

‘I asked if these two psychopaths could not be cured. “Cured?” Goss said. “Would you cure a singer of his voice?”’ (p66) While I always enjoy high quality science fiction, I read this book largely as a matter of cultural literacy. Folks say this is an important, historic work. My experience validates that it is – and that’s an understatement. For some reason, though, I expected that I’d have to fight the book – wrestle with it – to make sense of a tangled, impenetrable, quirky work of art. That was not the case. Le Guin’s calm, penetrating prose, her sharp, understated commentary, and the compelling story made this book a pleasure to read. When it hit the streets in 1969 it was both ahead of its time and sensationally timely. Now, nearly sixty years later, it’s clear this book is also timeless. Of course her treatment of unconventional sexual physiology, together with its social and psychological implications, is arguably this novel’s most famous feature. And yes -- all that is as fascinating and weighty as I knew it would be. But Le Guin casts a much wider net; she left me breathless with the depth and range of her insights on just about every aspect of social norms and what it means to be human. Assuming you have the fiftieth anniversary edition, be sure to read the intro by David (“Cloud Atlas”) Mitchell, and the author’s own opening note. They are both spectacular. Once you’ve read the novel itself, I also suggest that you take the time to read Charlie Jane Anders’ afterward. Together, the three commentaries will contribute substantially toward your understanding and appreciation of this extraordinary novel. If this book moves you, check out Mary Doria Russell’s “The Sparrow”, and its sequel, “Children of God”.

My introduction to Ursula K. Le Guin was in a college lit class where “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” was on the syllabus. That short story touched me profoundly and I’ve read it many times through the years. Despite that, I’ve never dove further into her œuvre simply because I’m not a sci-fi fan and that was her lane. But I read an article this year that referenced her 1969 novel The Left Hand of Darkness and it intrigued me, especially the fact that it’s become an “early seminal text” for the LGBT community. So glad I put aside my hesitation for science fiction and read this book. Le Guin’s writing is so incredibly descriptive. She places the reader perfectly on the harsh planet of Gethen where she spins quite the tale. The plot involves Genly Ai, an envoy from a group of other planets who has visited Gethen in hopes of convincing the leaders on that planet to join his federation (The Ekumen). Ai is assisted in his quest by Therem Harth rem ir Estraven (side note, one of the things I dislike about sci-fi is all the crazy names) who is an advisor to King Argaven before a spectacular fall from grace. The reason this book is so revered among the LGBT community is a quirk of the people on Gethen. They are nonbinary most of the time, except for a few days ever month when their sexual organs emerge and they get hot and horny for some action. This is called “kemmering” and the best part is, you never know from one month to the next if you’ll be a male or female in your next kemmer. Indeed when King Argaven gets pregnant it throws the whole idea of sexual identity and gender roles out the window. At the heart of this book is the relationship between Ai and Estraven. It evolves slowly, from mistrust to respect to friendship and even includes a bit of sexual tension when Estraven kemmers while the two of them are in a tent (like the pregnant king, that’s another reminder that we’re not in Kansas anymore). I loved this book. It forced me to reconsider things like patriotism and sexuality and societal norms. But it was also a gripping novel with a sad yet satisfying ending. I may never be a sci-fi fan but I will dig deeper into Le Guin’s works. She’s two for two in my book.

Rating: ⭐ 3.5/5 Stars Add one star for Character Development. Add one star for World Building. Add one star for being an Ace Built Society with depth in thought (Over and above criteria) Add half star for plot/story. No star added for enjoyment. Let's start with the good things. I can see why it is considered a classic for the LGBT+ community. The descriptions and the theory behind a near sexless society was rather intriguing to learn. It was well thought out and the confusion of the main character through most of the novel definitely reflects how many people in modern day society feels about these "Sexless" individuals. Our society consistently thinks Sex defines everything from interest to relationships which is entirely not true. For that, I added one star to the rating. It definitely challenges the reader with the idea of how society would naturally function without the basis of sex behind every corner. The world building was fantastic. There were small pieces of lore that broke up any droll, long strung chapters, resetting the reader when doing so. It helped pace the chapters a bit better. Winter is definitely a wasteland that is harsh and forces those who live on it to depend on each other and general human kindness when it is thought to be non-existent on a cold, isolated world. You could feel the winds and the bitter cold in every chapter with the precise and decisive descriptions. I liked the world and the politics of each country. They each had their own short comings and that was explored many times in this novel. I honestly cannot tell which society would be a better choice since both had equal and opposite evils. Another star was added for the character building. The main character struggled the entire time just trying to understand those around him and determine who was actually his ally, when his true friend was guiding him the whole time. My favorite character is Estroven. He is well fleshed out and a very complicated character in his simplicity. The way he thinks and the way he approaches things are right on par with how I see myself handling a similar situation. His story is both a sad and heartfelt one. He is definitely included as one of my top favorite characters. The plot was straightforward and made sense but was very confusing on the way there; hence, being given the half star. I understand looking at this from a confused prideful man's prospective, but the way it was developed and written definitely did not make it enjoyable. This leads to my last point. No stars were added for enjoyment. This book was HARD to read and HARD to really get into. I had to push my way through the ENTIRE book except for a small part on the cross country journey because I love it when characters communicate and bond. I don't know if it was the writing or how it was broken up along the novel, but it was DEFINITELY a CHORE. Since this book was considered a classic for the Ace community, I wanted to do my 'do diligence' and actually finish the book. I had to get the audiobook just to power through right to the end. What was the most confusing aspect was that everyone was defined as a "He" when I didn't know what they were. It made me so confused that it took out any pleasure I had of reading and wrung it out. I understand it is an old book so I am giving it a pass for this. But, that choice of defining an entire race as "He" instead of "They", since they were no gender for most of the year and can switch genders when in kemmering, REALLY messed me up. In the end, I would recommend getting the audiobook with the text in order to get through the roughness of the book's flow. It is a good book to broaden your prospective; however, it isn't one for enjoyment.

This is a strange book. To my eyes, read for the first time in 2008, the book struggled to establish emotional resonance. What I liked about it: the questions it raised about gender identity by creating an utterly new perspective, a world peopled by an androgynous species of individuals who can assume either sexual identity and do so only on a once-per-month basis by entering "kemmering". Each individual can sire or bear children interchangably. How this might impact a society is an interesting question, and one the author explores admirably. What appealed less was the prevalence of political angling. The author spends a good deal of time describing the schemes of national officials vying for political advantage, disproportionate to the emotional impact. Frankly, these parts bored me, along with some lengthy descriptions of icy terrain. I had to skim through these parts. The book felt like assigned reading, although it was freely chosen: it had the dry feel of a creation whose impact and relevance has already peaked. However, the real value to me was the inclusion of some profound and deep insights about the human condition, often woven in as dialogue from a character's lips or as musings of the narrator--sometimes making better philosophy than fiction. Overall, I don't begrudge the time I spent reading this book, and I admire what the author has done: creating a fictional race of others different from ourselves, and making them real enough so that we can see ourselves freshly through their eyes, is not an achievement to take for granted.

Deeply engaging, deeply compelling, and a beautiful return to Le Guin after many years. Her Earthsea books were ones I enjoyed, but ones that I maintain I read at the wrong time. It has always been my intention to return to them, but not before delving into some of her science-fiction—for which she is often lauded—and after my experience with The Left Hand of Darkness I can certainly see why. The Left Hand of Darkness is a sci-fi novel that values ideas, emotions, and conversations, over things like action, intrigue, or excitement; though it has all of those too. Le Guin is a master in voice, tone-setting, atmosphere, and she displays that here, on the alien world of Gethen (Winter, colloquially) through the Ekumen's envoy, Genly Ai. We explore a new world through his eyes. An alien world through the eyes of an alien, and when that sort of thing is done right (building a world through context, and experience) it really lands for me. The culture clash. The learning about something or someone utterly unlike yourself. And I think that's it's not just done 'right' here, but perfectly. The novel is explorative in many ways, though. Le Guin was far ahead of her time here, I think, exploring gender roles through the sexual physiology on Gethen. And the experience of becoming enmeshed in a new way of thinking, on a new planet, is one that envelops the reader at the same time that it envelops Genly.

It's taken me a few books to get into the rhythms of Ursula K. Le Guin and to understand how she approaches her stories. In many ways, my issues with The Left Hand of Darkness are the same issues I had with The Dispossessed, my initial exposure to Le Guin as an adult. Both are novels more about their ideas and worlds than any traditional plot; they are stories, yes, but ones told entirely through inference - through the ways that a society can shape an individual, through Le Guin's ideas about how we think about our own relationship to our communities, through the exploration of character as a product of our civilization, and not the other way around. All of which goes to explain why I think I admire and respected The Left Hand of Darkness more than I truly "enjoyed" it. I was completely immersed in Le Guin's world of Winter, where the inhabitants' gender changes and shifts over their lives, leading to a world similar to our own, but one where the traditional gender roles never truly developed in the way they did on our own. This seemingly simple change ripples throughout the world of Winter, giving Le Guin a way to comment on how gender defines so much of our own lives, all without ever explicitly saying such. Is there a story to The Left Hand of Darkness? There is, as the representative of a galactic order attempts to convince the world of Winter to join it. But that story often feels secondary to the book, pushed to the background to allow Le Guin to immerse the reader in folklore, power plays, societal rituals, and more. Really, this is a book - much like many episodes of Star Trek - about looking at an alien society and seeing our own through it. And while some aspects of the novel work better than others (I will defer here to Charlie Jane Anders's remarkable afterword that looks at the novel's exploration of gender through the eyes of a transgender woman, evaluating what it does well and where it falls flat), there's no denying that Le Guin has made a world that lives and breathes mightily. It is a remarkable achievement, but for all of that, it's one whose pleasures are more from the world it makes than any story or plotting, or even characters. It is a masterful piece of writing, but one that you may "enjoy" less than you respect.

Une amie m'a recommandé ce livre, et je ne regrette pas l'achat. Super bien écrit, personnages et univers très intéressants, et une intrigue bien menée... il y a une petite touche Star Trek (TOS/TNG) si vous aimez ça aussi. 10/10

Ursula Le Guin is the boss of science fiction. This and Dispossessed are my most prized science fiction books of all time. She is the master and all else pale. A good book has a great story line that is built as you read and uses the Greek heroic forms, but a great book teaches us things and leaves us a different person because of our experience of reading. The Left hand of Darkness is not a new book and others have written in a similar vein - see Glory Seasons from David Brin so if you have read them LHOD doesn't have the same impact but when it first came out it was startling. I have been reading the LHOD for over 20 years and go back to it every few years. It does take a while to build so you have to get to page 80 before things become clear - there is a lot of world building to get through... It is not relevant to offer a synopsis as the machinations are relatively unimportant - a bit like James Cameron's Avatar Pretend blue guy meets real blue woman and after a few bad patches becomes good friend - it is the alien people in an alien world that asks you to suspend your assumptions and learn a new way of dealing with the world. This is a book that gets you to explore who you are. It is a story write not so much with words but emotions, values and beliefs. Yes it is a work of mastery.

I have been meaning to write about this book but its profoundness incapacitates me for words. This is my first of the author and although I struggled with the language initially but that is what makes the fine tapestry of this work of genius. The world building is simply phenomenal. Gethen is an Ice Age world rippled with its own complexities. Gethenians are androgynous people for most part of their life cycles and this is how author explores the question of what constitutes our personhood if the gender is stripped off. Le Guin has built this world with its unique fabrics of anthropology, spirituality, geography, politics and cultures. A Terran Native, an emissary from the Ekumen, called Genly Ai , is trying to build an alliance between Gethen and Ekumen. This alliance is for an inter-planetary trade of material and knowledge, for the greater good of the mankind. He has spent two years on this strange planet and gets embroiled in the Gethenian fabric as he pursues his objective. Gethen is a divided world in itself. The nations have their own political motives and issues to grapple with. Karhide, ruled by a Regent, believes in presence more than progressiveness. Orgota, on the other hand, which looks promising as a commensal, has its own deviance to tackle with. We get a glimpse of this divided Gethenian world through these two countries. In the midst of all this, a man stands with a towering passion for the betterment of mankind and that's Estravan. He is the only person that understands Genly's objective and is selflessly invested in it for it builds a prospect for the mankind at large. For Genly, Estravan becomes the person , he initially trusts the least. It takes him a lot of time to undo himself. Le Guin has brilliantly captured this shared humanity between Genly and Estravan, both an exile in their own ways, invested for the greater good of the world. The chapters on their escape from the Orgota farm, as they make their ways through the treacherous terrains of glacier, volcano weather and the upheavals of a shared humanity have been richly narrated. She has illustrated the legends and the myths that design the cultural fabric of Gethen, shape the Gethenian's personhood. In the same measure, she has marvellously built upon the spiritual cultures of Handarrata and Yomeshta in a way that they meet the body politic. The book reinscribes patriotism and poses pertinent questions as to how a landmass bound within a boundary defines one's love for it and how beyond that boundary, it becomes unlove and if at all, the love for a certain shape of a landmass is well intended. This book requires a meticulous cinematic adaptation but whoever takes up this job, I hope they are in-depth enough with its multifacetedness.

Ursula K LeGuin is one of the greatest among the likes of Philip K Dick, Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asymov... I remember seeing the film Avatar and how much it reminded me of "The Word for World is Forest", another touching work from LeGuin. With "The Left Hand of Darkness" LeGuin opens our hearts and minds about pressing themes like gender, love, loyalty. Great works stay with us much longer after the last page. This one will stay with me forever.

My first book from Ursula K. Le Guin and I absolutely loved it. She is able to tell the story that transports you to a different world that feels lived-in and real. The pacing is great, in just 300 pages an epic story unfolds. I definitely am going to read more of her works. The only thing I didn't like about this edition was the foreword and afterword. The foreword was nicely written but did contain mild spoilers which I would've preferred to avoid personally. The afterword sounded quite judgemental about certain aspects of the book which I did not fully agree with and wish it wasn't the closing note.