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analog_gal's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
kopacetic_'s review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Firstly - Thank you to NetGalley for this opportunity to read and review The Language of the Night: Essays on Writing, Science Fiction, and Fantasy by Ursula K. Le Guin
I first learned of Ursula K. Le Guin in one of my Anthropology courses and immediately fell in love with her work. So, as soon as I saw The Language of the Night on NetGalley I knew I had to request it. I was floored, excited and felt so honored when the request was approved. Her work always inspires me and really makes me think and this collection of essays did not disappoint. One of my favorite things is Ursula K. Le Guin acknowledges her evolution as an author and human and isn’t afraid to say she was wrong or that her beliefs have changed. That is such a rarity in today’s society and is so refreshing to see. While I don’t have too much experience with the science fiction genre, I feel that there is still so much wisdom to be gained and applied to my own life and writing journey.
I first learned of Ursula K. Le Guin in one of my Anthropology courses and immediately fell in love with her work. So, as soon as I saw The Language of the Night on NetGalley I knew I had to request it. I was floored, excited and felt so honored when the request was approved. Her work always inspires me and really makes me think and this collection of essays did not disappoint. One of my favorite things is Ursula K. Le Guin acknowledges her evolution as an author and human and isn’t afraid to say she was wrong or that her beliefs have changed. That is such a rarity in today’s society and is so refreshing to see. While I don’t have too much experience with the science fiction genre, I feel that there is still so much wisdom to be gained and applied to my own life and writing journey.
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favorite books about writing and about speculative fiction, written by one of my favorite authors. I first read it over twenty years ago, have dipped into it since then, but hadn't re-read it in its entirety until now. I don't agree with every word Le Guin says ... but I agree with most of them. If you are interested in Le Guin's own writing, or in writing in general, or in fantasy and science fiction in particular, then I recommend this book very highly. Le Guin speaks about art and craft; truth and entertainment; about style (including a wonderful section on style as shown by dialogue); about liberty and loneliness and responsibility. I marked passage after passage as notable. Here is a quote from the final essay in the book, not my favorite quote in the book by any means, but one that speaks to me as a writer of science fiction:
And the science fiction writer really should be aware that he or she is in an extraordinary, enviable position: an inheritor of the least rigid, freest, youngest of all literary traditions: and therefore should do the job just as well, as seriously and entertainingly, as intelligently and passionately, as ever it can be done. That's the least we can ask of our writers--and the most. You can't demand of artists that they produce masterpieces. You can ask that they try.
notvictorhugo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
bertacreus's review against another edition
4.0
Aquest llibre és un recull d'articles i assaigs d'Ursula K. Le Guin. Tot i que es divideix en seccions, hi ha temàtiques que es repeteixen al llarg de tot el recull: el ritme i la sonoritat de la paraula escrita, el procés creatiu o el paper de la dona en l'àmbit literari. També hi trobareu assaigs sobre la bellesa i la vellesa, crítiques polítiques i socials, i trencament de prejudicis, entre altres.
Le Guin té una manera d'explicar les coses tan senzilla en la forma però tan complexa en el contingut que, sense adonar-te'n, et fa entrar per viaranys profundíssims. No té pels a la llengua, assenyala sense miraments, però alhora també és crítica amb els seus jos passats. En aquest llibre, veurem fins a quin punt la literatura l'obsessionava; fins i tot hi trobareu anàlisis que va fer ella pel seu compte (per exemple, dels premis literaris guanyats per homes i dones vs. nombre de llibres publicats segons gènere, o càlculs de síl·labes de grans obres mestres per buscar patrons rítmics).
M'ha agradat molt la seva defensa aferrissada i racional de la dona escriptora i del camí que encara queda per batallar, així com la seva obsessió malaltissa pel ritme, perquè la comparteixo absolutament (i m'ha ajudat a entendre per què de vegades m'enamoro tant d'alguns llibres). En destacaria subjectivament el fet que sabés posar en paraules coses/sensacions/accions que a mi em costa horrors d'explicar sobre com funciona el cap quan escrius. És un llibre que m'ha plantat llavors.
Com a contrapartida, només puc dir que algun article concret el vaig acabar llegint de passada perquè em semblava poc interessant (pels meus gustos). Però precisament la gràcia és poder llegir el recull com més us plagui. Crec que he comès un error, i és el de llegir-lo tot seguit. Si el comencés ara, el combinaria amb altres lectures, perquè hi ha molta cosa per rumiar.
Le Guin té una manera d'explicar les coses tan senzilla en la forma però tan complexa en el contingut que, sense adonar-te'n, et fa entrar per viaranys profundíssims. No té pels a la llengua, assenyala sense miraments, però alhora també és crítica amb els seus jos passats. En aquest llibre, veurem fins a quin punt la literatura l'obsessionava; fins i tot hi trobareu anàlisis que va fer ella pel seu compte (per exemple, dels premis literaris guanyats per homes i dones vs. nombre de llibres publicats segons gènere, o càlculs de síl·labes de grans obres mestres per buscar patrons rítmics).
M'ha agradat molt la seva defensa aferrissada i racional de la dona escriptora i del camí que encara queda per batallar, així com la seva obsessió malaltissa pel ritme, perquè la comparteixo absolutament (i m'ha ajudat a entendre per què de vegades m'enamoro tant d'alguns llibres). En destacaria subjectivament el fet que sabés posar en paraules coses/sensacions/accions que a mi em costa horrors d'explicar sobre com funciona el cap quan escrius. És un llibre que m'ha plantat llavors.
Com a contrapartida, només puc dir que algun article concret el vaig acabar llegint de passada perquè em semblava poc interessant (pels meus gustos). Però precisament la gràcia és poder llegir el recull com més us plagui. Crec que he comès un error, i és el de llegir-lo tot seguit. Si el comencés ara, el combinaria amb altres lectures, perquè hi ha molta cosa per rumiar.
magratajostiernos's review against another edition
4.0
Una lectura totalmente inspiradora sobre la literatura de fantasía y ciencia ficción, sobre el arte, la manera de escribir y sobre diferentes autores que impactaron a Le Guin.
No voy a negar que cada vez que mencionaba a Tolkien (y son muchas) o a Virginia Woolf yo chillaba.
Creo que es un libro indispensable para los fans de la autora y para quien quiera ver una perspectiva muy particular sobre la literatura de género en plenos años 70... hay cosas que se han quedado desfasadas y algunos pensamientos quizás evolucionaran con los años para la autora, pero resulta un testimonio fascinante.
Y bueno, con Ursula, siempre se aprende.
No voy a negar que cada vez que mencionaba a Tolkien (y son muchas) o a Virginia Woolf yo chillaba.
Creo que es un libro indispensable para los fans de la autora y para quien quiera ver una perspectiva muy particular sobre la literatura de género en plenos años 70... hay cosas que se han quedado desfasadas y algunos pensamientos quizás evolucionaran con los años para la autora, pero resulta un testimonio fascinante.
Y bueno, con Ursula, siempre se aprende.
bhaines's review against another edition
great time. source of references for other science fiction. covers ground that seems perpetually relevant especially in science fiction/fantasy "discourse": what is art vs. entertainment, what is the value of "fandom", is science fiction a lesser genre, pronouns make an appearance.
the topic of science fiction being "literature" got a little repetitive.
agree with most of her opinions
fun to read, great voice, very quotable.
on allegory (and writing advice):
the topic of science fiction being "literature" got a little repetitive.
agree with most of her opinions
fun to read, great voice, very quotable.
on allegory (and writing advice):
Even when they begin to realize that art is not something produced for critics, but for other human beings, some of them retain the overintellectualizing bent. They still do not realize that a symbol is not a sign of something known, but an indicator of something not known and nor expressible otherwise than symbolically. They mistake symbol (living meaning) for allegory (dead equivalence).
remind me of Tolkien's objection to allegory re: lotr.
On "imaginative fiction":
On "imaginative fiction":
That it is told in the language of fantasy is not an accident, or because Tolkien was an escapist, or because he was writing for children. Is is a fantasy because fantasy is the natural, the appropriate language for the recounting of the spiritual journey and the struggle of good and evil in the soul.
yeatsish
good quote from august wilson
good quote from august wilson
[To] disseminate the moral proposition so completely in a mass of living experience that it is never directly sensed as you read but only apprehended at the end as a result of the life you have shared in the book. This is the real challenge and triumph of the novel.
On making art:
I kept on pushing at my own limitations and at the limits of science fiction. That is what the practice of an art is, you keep looking for the outside edge. When you find it you make a whole, solid, real and beautiful thing; anything less is incomplete
reminds me of Sontag:
if within the last century art conceived as an autonomous activity has come to be invested with an unprecedented stature - the nearest thing to a sacramental human activity acknowledged by secular society - it is because one of the tasks art has assumed is making forays into and taking up positions on the frontiers of consciousness (often very dangerous to the artist as a person) and reporting back what's there
though context is different, she's talking about weird erotic fiction.
Fandom, she takes both sides a little. That uncritical support for the genre cheapens it as an art:
Fandom, she takes both sides a little. That uncritical support for the genre cheapens it as an art:
In science fiction, sometimes it seems that so long as it's science fiction at all, the fans will love it -briefly... The mediocre and the excellent are praised alike by aficionados, and ignored alike by outsiders .
but also gives the sci-fi writer
a community of intensely interested people, a ready audience, ready to discuss and defend and attack and argue with each other and the artist, to the irritation and entertainment and benefit of all.
"Kids will devour vast amounts of garbage (and it is good for them) but they are not like adults: they have not yet learned to eat plastic."
Some things do feel dated: obsessed with Jung, uses "autism" in a specific negative sense a couple of times. Some things I maybe disagree with: her position on "myth" and what is a true myth and what isn't I understand clearly. what is true scifi and what isn't. Big shots at comic books.
everyone should read lord dunsany.
jmercury's review against another edition
4.0
A delightful treat for fans of science fiction and fantasy, particularly writers and artists of all kinds. Le Guin discusses art, method, psychology, criticism, and more in these heartfelt, witty, and direct essays and speeches. I would highly recommend this to fans of her work, and writers looking for guidance for the spirit.