Books

1st UK Edition, 13 x 20.4 cm purple boards with silver titles to the spine. 286[2]pp in original unclipped jacket priced at £1.50 and 30s. net. Together with a T.L.S. from Le Guin to Malcolm Edwards the then editor of a Science Fiction Fanzine called Quicksilver, dated 20th April 1971. In it she addresses questions about 'The Left Hand of Darkness' and the first printing of her short story, 'Winter's King' in Orbit 5' (copy included) which she refers to in the letter as "the genesis of the story". A clean bright book without name inscription or bookplate and just a tiny Foyles label on the verso of the front free endpaper. There is also little tape burn on the fore edge of the front free endpaper, presumably from a previous jacket cover, but otherwise the pages are very clean. The dust jacket which is now protected in a removable, clear cover (not shown) is in excellent condition with the merest hint of dust marking to the rear panel and a tiny 3mm tear on the top edge of the rear panel with a touch of associated creasing. The Left Hand of Darkness is probably the most famous examination of androgyny in science fiction. A major theme of the novel is the effect of sex and gender on culture and society. When the book was first published, the gender theme touched off a feminist debate over its depiction of the ambisexual Gethenians. The book won Le Guin the Nebula Award for the Best Novel in 1969, the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1970, the Otherwise Special Retrospective Award in 1995 and was voted 2nd in the All-time Best SF Novels by a Locus Magazine Poll in 1987 only being beaten by Dune. Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in science fiction and Le Guin's signed letter provides significant insight into the origins of the tale. The letter is written to Malcolm Edwards, then the editor of Quicksilver, a Sci-fi fanzine, while he was still at Kings College Cambridge. Presumably this letter is in reply to research questions regarding the novel Left Hand of Darkness that was to appear in Quicksilver (which Le Guin "looks forward to" in the last line) however, there were only two editions of Quicksilver, in 1970 & 1971. It ended abruptly when Edwards took on editorship of the BSFA magazine, Vector, so the Le Guin article did not appear in Quicksilver. Edwards' first issue of Vector, the 59th, was dated Spring '72 and he explains inside that the contents were originally intended for the never to be published third issue of his own fanzine, Quicksilver even here, there is no Left Hand of Darkness article. Malcolm Edwards would go on to become Sci-fi editor at Victor Gollancz in 1976, where Ursula Le Guin would be one of his authors and later Orion and eventually Chair of Gollancz, a true publishing legend. A wonderfully insightful item. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you require further images or have any questions. All books are packaged with great care.

The Left Hand of Darkness is a science fiction novel by U.S. writer Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1969. The novel became immensely popular and established Le Guin's status as a major author of science fiction. The book is a part of the Hainish Cycle, a series of novels by Le Guin, all set in the same universe, where the people of different planets are attempting to co-operate with one another. The novel follows the story of Genly Ai, a human native of Terra, who is sent to the planet Gethen as an envoy of the Ekumen, a loose group of planets. Ai's mission is to persuade the nations of Gethen to join the Ekumen, but he is hindered by lack of understanding of Gethenian culture. Individuals on Gethen are ambisexual, with no fixed sex, which is a central theme in the novel.