Saga Press Launches a Celebration of the Work of Ursula K. Le Guin

Ursula K. Le Guin is undoubtedly one of the titans of science fiction and fantasy—indeed, perhaps, the most influential living genre writer. Her books—the Earthsea Cycle, The Dispossessed, The Left Hand of Darkness, and dozens more—have won countless awards and earned the respect of readers and critics both within and outside of SFF circles (an accomplishment, considering the literary establishment likes to pretend science fiction doesn’t exist unless the book has “Atwood” on the cover).
Today, Saga Press announced a trio of forthcoming books from the author, dropping between now and October 2018 (yes, 2018, but it’ll be worth the wait), that encompass the scope of the lauded wordsmith’s career. October 18, 2016 will see the debut of two collections of Le Guin’s work. The Found and the Lost is a comprehensive, never-before-assembled collection of all 13 of her novellas, while The Unreal and the Real, being published for the first time in a single, hardcover volume, brings together 39 of her most-lauded short stories.
Finally, in October 2018, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publication of A Wizard of Earthsea, The Books of Earthsea offers just that: more than three decades worth of stories set in the archipelagos of Earthsea, presented alongside full color and black-and-white illustrations by award-winning illustrator Charles Vess.

“It took me thirty-two years to write Earthsea and then 16 more years to get it published as what it is, a single story from beginning to end,” Le Guin said. “Authors and wizards learn to be patient while the magic works. An author knows it’s working when it leads to collaboration with a wizard like Charles Vess.”
“Having the privilege to publish one of the world’s greatest writers here at Saga is an unending fount of joy for me,” said Joe Monti, editorial director of Saga Press. “This publishing program is a celebration of Le Guin’s writing, which will place many of her lauded works in formats that new readers can come to with a fresh eye and appreciation.”
We bugged Joe Monti into giving us a look at the confirmed table of contents for each book, and the material collected across these three volumes is, without exaggeration, nothing short of breathtaking for anyone who has ever been moved by the work of this master storyteller. Here’s what you’ll find inside…
The Found and the Lost: The Collected Novellas of Ursula K. Le Guin
Vaster than Empires and More Slow
Buffalo Gals, WonÕt You Come Out Tonight
Hernes
The Matter of Seggri
Another Story or a Fisherman of the Inland Sea
Forgiveness Day
A Man of the People
A Woman’s Liberation
Old Music and the Slave Women
The Finder
On the High Marsh
Dragonfly
Paradises Lost
The Unreal and the Real: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin

Part I: Where On Earth
Introduction
“Brothers and Sisters”
“A Week in the Country”
“Unlocking the Air”
“Imaginary Countries”
“The Diary of the Rose”
“Direction of the Road”
“The White Donkey”
“Gwilan’s HarpMay’s Lion”
“Buffalo Gals, Won’t You Come Out Tonight”
“Horse Camp”
“The Water Is Wide”
“The Lost Children”
“Texts”
“Sleepwalkers”
“Hand, Cup, Shell”
“Ether, Or”
“Half Past Four”
Part II: Outer Space, Inner Lands
Introduction
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”
“Semley’s Necklace”
“Nine Lives”
‘Mazes”
“The First Contact With the Gorgonids”
“The Shobies’ Story”
“Betrayals”
“The Matter of Seggri”
“Solitude”
“The Wild Girls”
“The Fliers of Gy”
“The Silence of the Asonu”
“The Ascent of the North Face”
“The Author of the Acacia Seeds”
“The Wife’s Story”
“The Rule of Names”
“Small Change”
“The Poacher”
“Sur”
“She Unnames Them”
“The Jar of Water”
The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition (October 2018)
Introduction
“Earthsea Revisioned” (a retrospective essay by the author)
A Wizard of Earthsea
The Tombs of Atuan
The Farthest Shore
Tehanu
Tales from Earthsea
The Other Wind
“The Word of Unbinding”
“The Rule of Names”
“The Daughter of Odren” (never before published in print)
In November, The Found and the Lost and The Unreal and the Real will be published together as The Selected Short Fiction of Ursula K. Le Guin, in a handsome box set, suitable for any gift-giving occasions that might occur during the colder months of the year. Gifts for everyone on my list: sorted.