Your Essential Ursula K. Le Guin Reading List

Image: Courtesy Ursula K. Le Guin
For nuggets of fiery wisdom and plunges into literary form and purpose from the late, great Ursula K. Le Guin, look to Tin House’s newly published Conversations on Writing, a series of interviews on fiction, poetry, and nonfiction between the author and KBOO’s David Naimon for his Between the Covers podcast. Appetite whetted? Here are five other must-reads from the maestra.
The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)
At the vanguard of feminist science fiction, it’s also one of the best Oregon-made books about camping.
The Lathe of Heaven (1971)
Dreams make new realities in a future Portland of 2002. Climate change? Check. Racism? Check. Sounds like Le Guin was onto something.
Catwings (1988)
The first of this series of children’s books won praise for its charm and poetry. Kittens with wings, people. What more do you need?
Words Are My Matter (2016)
Talks, essays, criticism, plus Le Guin’s now-famous publishing industry smackdown from 2014, and a gloriously scathing riposte to a 2007 review. Wickedly good.
No Time to Spare (2017)
Who starts blogging at 81, after the form has been pronounced dead—and makes it her own? Le Guin is who. No Time to Spare collects some of the best of her online endeavors, on everything from aging to boiled eggs.