The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

I just re-read a simple, but powerful, short story — a philosophical parable — by Ursula K. Le Guin. 

I rediscovered it in The Secret History of Science Fiction (a collection of short stories, which I’m thoroughly enjoying so far), but it can be read on-line: The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. [I noticed a small editing error in the on-line version: “…and tall young men where her flowers in their shining hair.” There may be more: I just sanned it quickly].

The story is also included in an excellent collection of Ms. Le Guin’s short stories: The Wind’s Twelve Quarters.

 

A Miscellany of Science Fiction Works

I have the science fiction genre to thank for my introduction to the world of books, and all of the works listed below provided an enjoyable reading experience at some point in my life:

The Man in the High Castle (1962), Philip K. Dick [Hugo Award]

Star Maker (1937), Olaf Stapledon

Neuromancer (1984), William Gibson [Nebula, Philip K. Dick, and Hugo Awards]

The Left Hand of Darkness (1969), Ursula K. Le Guin [Hugo and Nebula Awards]

Dune (1965), Frank Herbert [Hugo and Nebula awards]

A Perfect Vacuum (1971), Stanislaw Lem [Translated from the Polish by Michael Kandel]

Gateway (1977), Frederick Pohl [Nebula, Philip K. Dick, and Hugo Award winner]

The Book of the New Sun (1980 – 83), Gene Wolfe [The books in the series won various awards: the World Fantasy, British Science Fiction, John W. Campbell Memorial, and Nebula]

More Than Human (1953), Theodore Sturgeon

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame (1970), Edited by Robert Silverberg

Ender’s Game (1985), Orson Scott Card [Hugo and Nebula Awards]

The Foundation Trilogy (1951 – 53), Isaac Asimov