Left Hand of Darkness

Description: The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary's mission to Winter, an unknown alien world whose inhabitants can choose--and change--their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Exploring questions of psychology, society, and human emotion in an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of science fiction.

Review Quotes: "One of the coolest gifts you can get for your favorite sci-fi geek . . . You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but these new Penguin Galaxy hardcovers make it really hard." --Gizmodo

"Serious science fiction and fantasy readers cannot resist the classics. . . . That's what makes the Penguin Galaxy series so appealing. . . . Each of the novels here has earned their place in the halls of literary history. . . . Their small form factor and minimalist covers call out to readers and make them fun to read all over again." --Kirkus Reviews

"[A] science fiction masterpiece." --Newsweek

"No single work did more to upend the genre's conventions than The Left Hand of Darkness." --The Paris Review

"A jewel of a story." --Frank Herbert, author of Dune