Description
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The Literary Arts Series began in 1979 with a John Steinbeck stamp. The objective of the Literary Arts Series is to honor America’s most renowned authors. As the USPS put it, “These skillful wordsmiths spun our favorite tales – and American history along with them.” The series honors both well-known and lesser-known authors, making it like an encapsulation of America’s rich and varied literary history.
History the stamp represents: Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was a well-known American author who wrote in several different styles. She published science fiction, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry, as well as literary criticisms and English translations.
Le Guin was born in Berkeley, California, to author Theodora Kroeber and anthropologist Alfred Louis Kroeber. With two scholarly parents, the four Kroeber children all developed a love of reading from an early age. Le Guin was especially interested in science fiction and fantasy novels as well as myths and legends.
It wasn’t until the late 1950s that Le Guin began her writing career. Her first big hit was A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), followed by The Left Hand of Darkness (1969). Many critics describe these as Le Guin’s masterpieces. In fact, she was awarded the coveted Hugo and Nebula awards for best novel for the latter piece. She was the first woman in history to receive both awards.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s writing was different from many other authors at the time. She ignored typical ideas about writing fiction and addressed real-life issues such as race, gender, and sexuality. These concepts made Le Guin’s novels relatable to a wide audience and earned her a place among the literary greats.
'5 books of 100 First-Class Forever® USPS postage stamps. *The slash over “Forever” in the image is to protect it from being used to produce counterfeit postage. Actual stamps will not have this.
