Ursula K. Le Guin Imagined A World Without Fixed Gender and Changed Science Fiction Forever
\n\nIn 2014, an 85-year-old Ursula K. Le Guin stood before some of America's most influential publishing figures and delivered a warning they could hardly ignore. The celebrated novelist feared a future in which commercial interests would dictate what writers created, what publishers sold and what readers consumed. Twelve years later, as artificial intelligence increasingly enters the literary world, her words have acquired an unsettling relevance.
\n\nOn her 97th birth anniversary, the author of 'The Left Hand of Darkness' and 'A Wizard of Earthsea' deserves to be remembered for more than her extraordinary imagination. She was also among literature's most outspoken defenders of creative freedom.
\n\nWhile accepting the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters on 19 November 2014, Le Guin challenged the growing influence of commercial interests over literature.
\n\nUrsula K Le Guin (Picture Credit – Wikipedia)
\n\n"Books aren't just commodities," she declared, arguing that the pursuit of profit could conflict with artistic freedom. Her criticism was directed at publishers allowing commercial considerations to influence editorial decisions, excessive e-book pricing for libraries and powerful companies exercising control over the book trade. She…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/lifestyle
