10/21/2026
Ursula K. Le Guin, pioneering feminist science fiction writer, was born on this day, Oct. 21, in 1929.
From signed first-edition copies to artists’ books inspired by her writing, the University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections holds many Le Guin treasures. In honor of her birthday, we want to share a few of our favorites with you!
1.Bright Spot Press printed Le Guin’s short story “The Day Before the Revolution” on a risograph in 2019. The story first appeared in Galaxy magazine in 1974.
2.A first-edition, mass-market paperback copy of “The Left Hand of Darkness.”
3.A letterpress-printed broadside of four Le Guin poems, produced by Longhouse Publishers in Green River, Vermont, in 2007. Notice Le Guin’s signature on the item’s title band!
4.Foolscap Press’s artists’ book featuring Le Guin’s “Direction of the Road.” This book was made with letterpress printing, woodcuts and collage on handmade paper, and the reflective tube can be used to view the woodcut image on the left side of the box.
What’s your favorite Ursula K. Le Guin story?
