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domdib

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Le Guin is a writer who, for me at least, really understands and likes people. Perhaps that relates to her deep knowledge of anthropology, mentioned by others. She also deeply respected indigenous cultures. The two are combined in "Always Coming Home". And if you want a fascinating, multi-perspectival take on racism and slavery, the "story suite" "Five Ways to Forgiveness" is masterful. And of course, the "Earthsea" novels are incredible, and have the best-written dragons I've read. She is just fantastic.

If you want to get a sense of her mature utopian and anthropological thinking, then read "Always Coming Home". It's not a conventional novel but more of a series of observations on a post-apocalyptic society in California. The framing device is of an anthropological investigator from another time/place interviewing people in the society or hearing their stories and poetry (she also wrote good poetry). It even has accompanying music which she collaborated on with Todd Barton.

And Robyn Miller also scored the beautifully atmospheric music for Riven. Austin Wintory's work on the three parts of the Banner Saga is quite an achievement.

Through childhood association, my favourite is the first three Earthsea books, but probably her greatest writing is in her post-apocalyptic semi-utopia Always Coming Home, and maybe her most moving writing is in the 'story suite' Five Ways to Forgiveness (originally Four Ways...) on societies dealing with racism and slavery. Needless to say, her short stories are marvellous too.