Winner of the 1969 Nebula and 1970 Hugo awards.

January 7th 6pm-7 pm

A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants spend most of their time without a gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters.

Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

Ursula K. Le Guin’s (1929–2018) career as a novelist, poet, essayist, translator, and children’s book writer spanned more than half a century and earned her five Nebulas and five Hugos, among many other awards. In 2014, she was awarded the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Her books, whether science fiction, fantasy, or historical fiction, challenge our ideas of what’s natural and inevitable in human relations—and celebrate courage, endurance, risk-taking, and above all, freedom.