'Complex and haunting . Remarkable' Time 'Beautiful, profound, irresistible' Robert Silverberg 'Splendid and necessary stories' Boston Globe Ursula K. Le Guin was a writer who, through her many beloved stories and novels, created an ever-evolving universe. In this collection of stories, she returns to these worlds, introducing us to ancient civilisations governed by sun and sea, a planet where women greatly outnumber men and a spaceship where five generations have lived without ever knowing clouds, wind or sky. Together, these stories offer mind-bending, exhilarating alternatives to the ways we choose to live. From the legendary author of The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed , here are eight stories that define and defy the meaning of connection, oppression, humanity and hope.