The Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969)

Finished: 8/11/22

Grade: A+

Genry Ai is an alien envoy to the icy planet Winter. In the midst of political conflict and cultural differences, he attempts to recruit the planet to join the Ekumen, a confederacy of spacefaring planets.

The largest difference between the humans on Winter and those of other planets is that for most of the time the humans on Winter are genderless, and only become gendered during a monthly phase of sexual potential called Kemmer. During these phases they will choose a gender depending on preference or the circumstances and one person may be male during one month's kemmer phase and female during the next.

I loved this book. Really good. I feel like I just want to read everything Ursula K Le Guin wrote.

The Voyeurs by Gabrielle Bell (2012)

Finished: 7/21/22

Grade: A

This is one of those autobiographical comic books that I like so much. Gabrielle Bell is a comic artist who works primarily in daily journal type comics and this is a collection of those.

The art is warm and wonderful. The book gets a little boring in the way that these books have a tendency to do. Reading someone's journal is not always a thrill ride. It's usually more of a meandering stroll. The experience is closer to reality but less exciting than something designed to have a beginning middle and end.

The Word For World Is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin (1972)

Finished: Sometime in July

Grade: A+

After colonizing a small forest planet called Athshe, humanity immediately enslaved the peaceful natives, and began clear cutting the forests for lumber. One Athshean stages a violent rebellion to free his people and save his planet but in the process he must introduce the concept of mass violence to his once peaceful culture.

This book was really good! 10/10 science fiction. Written in 1972 but until I read the back cover I assumed it had been written this year. Thrilling. Beautiful. Heart-wrenching. A clear vivid world populated with real people.