“Why are things as they are? Must they be as they are? What might they be like if they were otherwise? To ask these questions is to admit the contingency of reality, or at least to allow that our perception of reality may be incomplete… There really is nothing to fear in fantasy unless you are afraid of the freedom of uncertainty.”

The writer Ursula K. Le Guin was born October 21, 1929. I wrote about her work, career, and influence here. Last month the National Book Foundation awarded her its Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. It’s nice to see her getting formal recognition for her work, especially as her age makes itself felt in her daily life. Best wishes, Ursula!