The Left Hand of Darkness
Publisher
Ace Books
Publication Year
1987
ISBN
9780441478125
Pages
304 pages
Genre
science fiction
Format
novel
Item Type
Fiction
Annotation
A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants’ gender is fluid. 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 strange, intriguing culture he encounters.
Grade Level
9-12
Lexile Measure
970L
Diversity Topics
LGBTQ (Gender and Sexuality); Androgyny; gender fluid; masculine characteristics; feminine characteristics
Main Character
adult male
Family Formation
mother and father
LGBTQ+
androgynous people
Awards
Outstanding Books for the College Bound, 2002 Fiction
Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007
James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award, Winner
Keywords
psychology; society; aliens; emotions; winter; government; fantasy; weather
Diversity Impact
direct
STARS Citation
Le Guin, Ursula K., "The Left Hand of Darkness" (1987). Diverse Families. 1778.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/diversefamilies/1778