Ursula K. LeGuin

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service has announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued in 2021. Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage series, it will pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last few were at the 2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate. (What that rate will be at the time of issue remains to be seen.) It does mean that fewer will be sold (and used) than of a regular commemorative stamp.

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries more
weight now in literary circles?

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-21 17:45:48 UTC

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries more
weight now in literary circles?

It may reflect that there might have been a campaign to the Stamp Advisory
Committee, but they certainly have a vetting process.

Recently deceased novelists who haven't yet been so honored include
Roth, Updike, and Vonnegut.

I was surprised to realize that (during my 40-year hiatus from stamp
collecting) not one stamp for a SF-writer has been issued. For several
years there were issues for 4 or 6 people in a category, and it seemed
that Asimov, Heinlein, and Dick might have been the nucleus of such
a sheet.

Yogi Berra is getting a solo stamp this year, too, even though a
surprisingly large number of the greatest baseball players of the
20th century have died in recent months (not from covid, except
that in Tom Seaver's death it was a contributing factor).

Peter Moylan

2021-01-22 00:11:37 UTC

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service
has announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued
in 2021. Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage
series, it will pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last
few were at the 2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate.
(What that rate will be at the time of issue remains to be seen.)
It does mean that fewer will be sold (and used) than of a regular
commemorative stamp.

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries
more weight now in literary circles?

It may reflect that there might have been a campaign to the Stamp
Advisory Committee, but they certainly have a vetting process.
Recently deceased novelists who haven't yet been so honored include
Roth, Updike, and Vonnegut.
I was surprised to realize that (during my 40-year hiatus from stamp
collecting) not one stamp for a SF-writer has been issued. For
several years there were issues for 4 or 6 people in a category, and
it seemed that Asimov, Heinlein, and Dick might have been the nucleus
of such a sheet.
Yogi Berra is getting a solo stamp this year, too, even though a
surprisingly large number of the greatest baseball players of the
20th century have died in recent months (not from covid, except that
in Tom Seaver's death it was a contributing factor).

Baseball is very popular, while science fiction tends to appeal to the
more intellectually inclined. When "Stranger in a Strange Land" became a
best-seller, it was for all the wrong reasons. Some of the very best SF
never reached the bestseller category, and never will.

I have very high praise for two of Le Guin's novels (The Dispossessed,
The Left Hand of Darkness) (plus respect for her other writings), but I
suspect that the average baseball fan would find them to be rubbish.

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW

Peter Moylan

2021-01-22 01:06:07 UTC

Post by Peter Moylan
Baseball is very popular, while science fiction tends to appeal to
the more intellectually inclined. When "Stranger in a Strange Land"
became a best-seller, it was for all the wrong reasons. Some of the
very best SF never reached the bestseller category, and never will.

I forgot to mention what the wrong reasons were. The central character
in the book could do things, like making people disappear, that ordinary
people couldn't. For some people, that put the book into the same
category as the Superman comics.

The invention of a new religion was an unfortunate side-effect.

--
Peter Moylan Newcastle, NSW

RH Draney

2021-01-22 02:31:50 UTC

Post by Peter Moylan

I forgot to mention what the wrong reasons were. The central character
in the book could do things, like making people disappear, that ordinary
people couldn't. For some people, that put the book into the same
category as the Superman comics.
The invention of a new religion was an unfortunate side-effect.

We already grokked what you meant....r

Tony Cooper

2021-01-22 02:45:15 UTC

On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:11:37 +1100, Peter Moylan

Post by Peter Moylan

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service
has announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued
in 2021. Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage
series, it will pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last
few were at the 2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate.
(What that rate will be at the time of issue remains to be seen.)
It does mean that fewer will be sold (and used) than of a regular
commemorative stamp.

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries
more weight now in literary circles?

It may reflect that there might have been a campaign to the Stamp
Advisory Committee, but they certainly have a vetting process.
Recently deceased novelists who haven't yet been so honored include
Roth, Updike, and Vonnegut.
I was surprised to realize that (during my 40-year hiatus from stamp
collecting) not one stamp for a SF-writer has been issued. For
several years there were issues for 4 or 6 people in a category, and
it seemed that Asimov, Heinlein, and Dick might have been the nucleus
of such a sheet.
Yogi Berra is getting a solo stamp this year, too, even though a
surprisingly large number of the greatest baseball players of the
20th century have died in recent months (not from covid, except that
in Tom Seaver's death it was a contributing factor).

Baseball is very popular, while science fiction tends to appeal to the
more intellectually inclined.

As I read that, you are saying that baseball appeals to the less
intellectually inclined than science fiction.

I am not a fan of science fiction, but I see nothing about it that
requires any intellect. Just a willingness to read something that is
based on an even more improbable world than regular fiction.

Admittedly, being a baseball fan doesn't require intellect. That's
not the purpose of baseball. It allows the watcher to depart from a
world that requires thought and just float along watching other people
doing things with skill and purpose. It can be quite relaxing.

--
Tony Cooper Orlando Florida

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-22 16:04:04 UTC

Post by Tony Cooper
I am not a fan of science fiction, but I see nothing about it that
requires any intellect. Just a willingness to read something that is
based on an even more improbable world than regular fiction.

(When did you last read any? Admittedly the last new SF I tried --
after Heinlein's aberrations beginning with *The Moon Is a Harsh
Mistress* -- was William Gibson's unaccountably lauded first novel.)

Post by Tony Cooper
Admittedly, being a baseball fan doesn't require intellect. That's
not the purpose of baseball. It allows the watcher to depart from a
world that requires thought and just float along watching other people
doing things with skill and purpose. It can be quite relaxing.

Baseball is far more "intellectual," as you put it, than football. "A game
of inches," it's called. That helps account for its decline in popularity
as football caught on.

Bill Day

2021-01-22 16:26:52 UTC

On Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:45:15 -0500, Tony Cooper

I almost never disagree with anything you say, Tony, but as a
long-time fan of science fiction, I think I must take exception.
As with any genre, Sci-fi has layers and categories. Some are silly
'space opera' adventure like the old Buck Rogers comics.... but many
of the better stories require not only a knowlege of basic physics and
astronomy, but also awareness of historical references and embedded
cultural & psychological themes.
I won't bother with citing long lists, but a couple of shorter
stories come to mind: Roger Zelazney's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Rose_for_Ecclesiastes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny

Issac Asimov's "Nightfall"...voted one of the all-time best.

and almost anything by James Tiptree, Jr., a woman using a pseudonym.

Any of those almost require a decent intellect to both understand the
point(s) and to realize their relevance to today's society.

I don't expect you..or anyone... to suddenly delve into a new
genere and try to 'grok' it's depth... *grin*... I just had to add my
2¢ worth on something MY intellect holds dear.

Back to English....

--
remove nonsense for reply

Tony Cooper

2021-01-23 03:33:41 UTC

On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:26:52 -0500, Bill Day

Post by Bill Day
On Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:45:15 -0500, Tony Cooper

I almost never disagree with anything you say, Tony, but as a
long-time fan of science fiction, I think I must take exception.
As with any genre, Sci-fi has layers and categories. Some are silly
'space opera' adventure like the old Buck Rogers comics.... but many
of the better stories require not only a knowlege of basic physics and
astronomy, but also awareness of historical references and embedded
cultural & psychological themes.
I won't bother with citing long lists, but a couple of shorter
stories come to mind: Roger Zelazney's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Rose_for_Ecclesiastes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny
Issac Asimov's "Nightfall"...voted one of the all-time best.
and almost anything by James Tiptree, Jr., a woman using a pseudonym.
Any of those almost require a decent intellect to both understand the
point(s) and to realize their relevance to today's society.
I don't expect you..or anyone... to suddenly delve into a new
genere and try to 'grok' it's depth... *grin*... I just had to add my
2¢ worth on something MY intellect holds dear.
Back to English....

It was not my intent to offend you or anyone else or to appear to
attack the rightful place of Sci-Fi in the fiction genre.

My opinion is based on my interests in reading fiction.

--
Tony Cooper Orlando Florida

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-23 15:28:58 UTC

Post by Tony Cooper
On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:26:52 -0500, Bill Day

Post by Bill Day
On Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:45:15 -0500, Tony Cooper

I almost never disagree with anything you say, Tony, but as a
long-time fan of science fiction, I think I must take exception.
As with any genre, Sci-fi has layers and categories. Some are silly
'space opera' adventure like the old Buck Rogers comics.... but many
of the better stories require not only a knowlege of basic physics and
astronomy, but also awareness of historical references and embedded
cultural & psychological themes.
I won't bother with citing long lists, but a couple of shorter
stories come to mind: Roger Zelazney's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Rose_for_Ecclesiastes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny
Issac Asimov's "Nightfall"...voted one of the all-time best.
and almost anything by James Tiptree, Jr., a woman using a pseudonym.
Any of those almost require a decent intellect to both understand the
point(s) and to realize their relevance to today's society.
I don't expect you..or anyone... to suddenly delve into a new
genere and try to 'grok' it's depth... *grin*... I just had to add my
2¢ worth on something MY intellect holds dear.
Back to English....

It was not my intent to offend you or anyone else or to appear to
attack the rightful place of Sci-Fi in the fiction genre.
My opinion is based on my interests in reading fiction.

How can "I see nothing about it that requires any intellect" be
taken as anything other than insulting?

Bill Day

2021-01-23 15:40:13 UTC

On Sat, 23 Jan 2021 07:28:58 -0800 (PST), "Peter T. Daniels"

Post by Tony Cooper
On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:26:52 -0500, Bill Day

Post by Bill Day
On Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:45:15 -0500, Tony Cooper

I almost never disagree with anything you say, Tony, but as a
long-time fan of science fiction, I think I must take exception.
As with any genre, Sci-fi has layers and categories. Some are silly
'space opera' adventure like the old Buck Rogers comics.... but many
of the better stories require not only a knowlege of basic physics and
astronomy, but also awareness of historical references and embedded
cultural & psychological themes.
I won't bother with citing long lists, but a couple of shorter
stories come to mind: Roger Zelazney's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Rose_for_Ecclesiastes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny
Issac Asimov's "Nightfall"...voted one of the all-time best.
and almost anything by James Tiptree, Jr., a woman using a pseudonym.
Any of those almost require a decent intellect to both understand the
point(s) and to realize their relevance to today's society.
I don't expect you..or anyone... to suddenly delve into a new
genere and try to 'grok' it's depth... *grin*... I just had to add my
2¢ worth on something MY intellect holds dear.
Back to English....

It was not my intent to offend you or anyone else or to appear to
attack the rightful place of Sci-Fi in the fiction genre.
My opinion is based on my interests in reading fiction.

How can "I see nothing about it that requires any intellect" be
taken as anything other than insulting?

To be clear..I was not 'insulted'. I merely wanted to explain my
opinion and tout the value of the genre. Tony may read..or not read...
anything he pleases. I'd ask you, please, not to use a simple
clarification to add more fuel to your incessant feud with him.

Bill Day

--
remove nonsense for reply

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-23 16:43:37 UTC

Post by Bill Day
On Sat, 23 Jan 2021 07:28:58 -0800 (PST), "Peter T. Daniels"

Post by Tony Cooper
On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:26:52 -0500, Bill Day

Post by Bill Day
On Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:45:15 -0500, Tony Cooper

I almost never disagree with anything you say, Tony, but as a
long-time fan of science fiction, I think I must take exception.
As with any genre, Sci-fi has layers and categories. Some are silly
'space opera' adventure like the old Buck Rogers comics.... but many
of the better stories require not only a knowlege of basic physics and
astronomy, but also awareness of historical references and embedded
cultural & psychological themes.
I won't bother with citing long lists, but a couple of shorter
stories come to mind: Roger Zelazney's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Rose_for_Ecclesiastes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Zelazny
Issac Asimov's "Nightfall"...voted one of the all-time best.
and almost anything by James Tiptree, Jr., a woman using a pseudonym.
Any of those almost require a decent intellect to both understand the
point(s) and to realize their relevance to today's society.
I don't expect you..or anyone... to suddenly delve into a new
genere and try to 'grok' it's depth... *grin*... I just had to add my
2¢ worth on something MY intellect holds dear.
Back to English....

It was not my intent to offend you or anyone else or to appear to
attack the rightful place of Sci-Fi in the fiction genre.
My opinion is based on my interests in reading fiction.

How can "I see nothing about it that requires any intellect" be
taken as anything other than insulting?

His remark had been addressed to Mr. Moylan, who wrote

">Baseball is very popular, while science fiction tends to appeal to the

Post by Bill Day
more intellectually inclined."

Would "offensive" have been preferable to "insulting"? It fits
the later discussion, but not the original statement.

Quinn C

2021-01-23 20:12:12 UTC

Post by Tony Cooper
It was not my intent to offend you or anyone else or to appear to
attack the rightful place of Sci-Fi in the fiction genre.
My opinion is based on my interests in reading fiction.

How can "I see nothing about it that requires any intellect" be
taken as anything other than insulting?

Remember that in Tony's world, one can be a thinker without ever
spending more than 90 seconds on any one topic. He thinks the only thing
that separates him from Stephen Hawking is "different interests".

Tony using the word "intellect" is, to use a common German comparison,
like a blind person talking about color.

Blind man: What is milk?
Friend: It's a white liquid.
- What is white?
- It's the color of a swan.
- What's a swan?
- A bird with an arched neck.
- What's arched?
- I'll show you. Here, touch my arm - this is arched.
- Oh, thanks, now I know what milk is!

--
- You all packed?
- Vagabond shoes and all. And pepper spray. For if we run into
that Trump character.
-- Veronica Mars, S02E22 (2006)

Tony Cooper

2021-01-23 21:39:47 UTC

On Sat, 23 Jan 2021 15:12:12 -0500, Quinn C

Post by Quinn C

How can "I see nothing about it that requires any intellect" be
taken as anything other than insulting?

Remember that in Tony's world, one can be a thinker without ever
spending more than 90 seconds on any one topic.

Do revise that to "Any one topic that interest you but not me".

--
Tony Cooper Orlando Florida

Adam Funk

2021-01-27 12:57:09 UTC

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries more
weight now in literary circles?

I'm surprised too. BTW, the UK recently issued a series of _Star
Trek_ stamps.

<https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/star-trek>

Post by Peter T. Daniels
Yogi Berra is getting a solo stamp this year, too, even though a
surprisingly large number of the greatest baseball players of the
20th century have died in recent months (not from covid, except
that in Tom Seaver's death it was a contributing factor).

I think the Berra stamp should show his famous quote, "I never said
half the things I said."

--
Cats don't have friends. They have co-conspirators.
http://www.gocomics.com/getfuzzy/2015/05/31

CDB

2021-01-22 14:17:35 UTC

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service
has announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued
in 2021. Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage
series, it will pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last few
were at the 2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate. (What
that rate will be at the time of issue remains to be seen.) It does
mean that fewer will be sold (and used) than of a regular
commemorative stamp.

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries
more weight now in literary circles?

The left hand of heaviness is lightness.

Quinn C

2021-01-22 17:16:34 UTC

Post by CDB

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service
has announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued
in 2021. Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage
series, it will pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last few
were at the 2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate. (What
that rate will be at the time of issue remains to be seen.) It does
mean that fewer will be sold (and used) than of a regular
commemorative stamp.

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries
more weight now in literary circles?

The left hand of heaviness is lightness.

You're being unbearable.

--
The country has its quota of fools and windbags; such people are
most prominent in politics, where their inherent weaknesses seem
less glaring and attract less ridicule than they would in other
walks of life. -- Robert Bothwell et.al.: Canada since 1945

occam

2021-01-23 07:52:43 UTC

Post by Quinn C

Post by CDB

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service
has announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued
in 2021. Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage
series, it will pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last few
were at the 2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate. (What
that rate will be at the time of issue remains to be seen.) It does
mean that fewer will be sold (and used) than of a regular
commemorative stamp.

Is this a reflection of the fact that LeGuin's body of work carries
more weight now in literary circles?

The left hand of heaviness is lightness.

You're being unbearable.

</Zen smirk of Kundera>

Jerry Friedman

2021-01-22 03:28:56 UTC

It's a good start.

--
Jerry Friedman

Lewis

2021-01-22 14:07:26 UTC

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service has
announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued in 2021.
Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage series, it will
pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last few were at the
2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate. (What that rate will
be at the time of issue remains to be seen.) It does mean that fewer
will be sold (and used) than of a regular commemorative stamp.

It's a good start.

It is unlikely there will be a postal increase in 2021 as the USPS
generally announced rate changes far in advance.

--
Nothing is impossible for those who don't have to do it.

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-22 16:09:14 UTC

Post by Lewis

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service has
announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued in 2021.
Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage series, it will
pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last few were at the
2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate. (What that rate will
be at the time of issue remains to be seen.) It does mean that fewer
will be sold (and used) than of a regular commemorative stamp.

It's a good start.

It is unlikely there will be a postal increase in 2021 as the USPS
generally announced rate changes far in advance.

As of this Sunday (1/24). a 3-ounce letter increases from 85c to 95c.

(Eat your hearts out, Europeans, and ElseWorlders generally. We don't
even have different letter rates for different efficiencies of domestic
delivery.)

https://www.newsweek.com/uses-price-increase-january-1555793#:~:text=Priority%20Mail%20will%20receive%20an,%243.01%20(previously%20at%20%242.74).

J. J. Lodder

2021-01-22 20:48:58 UTC

Post by Lewis

Post by Peter T. Daniels
It may interest some here that the United States Postal Service has
announced that a stamp honoring Ursula LeGuin will be issued in 2021.
Like the other recent issues in the Literary Heritage series, it will
pay the postage on a heavier letter -- the last few were at the
2-ounce rate, this one is at the 3-ounce rate. (What that rate will
be at the time of issue remains to be seen.) It does mean that fewer
will be sold (and used) than of a regular commemorative stamp.

It's a good start.

It is unlikely there will be a postal increase in 2021 as the USPS
generally announced rate changes far in advance.

Just another symptom of the backwardness of the USA.
Europeans send far fewer snail mail letters,
so their rates had to go up.

We don't care, because we spend next to nothing on stamps anyway,

Jan

Peter T. Daniels

2021-01-22 22:06:19 UTC

Post by J. J. Lodder

Post by Lewis