A Hugo Review: Best Related Work - Words Are My Matter by Ursula K. Le Guin

Words Are My Matter: Writings About Life and Books, 2000-2016 by Ursula K. Le Guin is a collection of essays, book reviews, book intros and other writings.

Like Neil Gaiman's book, this is one that was hard for me to put down. Unlike Gaiman, I think Le Guin left less of herself on the pages of this book, while still giving us far more than you'd expect. This is another large book with a lot in it, and I admit to wanting to savor it much more than I have time to. The result is another book that I recommend for reading in bursts - a great bedside book.

The good: Lots of different pieces in here, starting with a lot of bits and pieces and poetry, and moving into lovely introductions on various writers. I loved the bits and pieces, and was slightly less interested in the intros and reviews, although they were very well-written. There is a lot to digest in this book, and if I had a couple more months to go over it, I would find more treasures.

The bad: I have always felt a distance from Le Guin that I cannot explain, and I still feel it in this writing. I don't connect with her works like I do with my favorite writers, although I enjoy them. There are a lot of reviews and intros of books that I wouldn't call science fiction or fantasy in here as well - not a problem with the book itself, but problematic for me giving it a high spot in this Hugo category.

Conclusion: Probably the number two spot on my ballot at the moment.

Best Related Work: I've read The Women of Harry Potter, The Princess Diarist, The View From the Cheap Seats, and Words Are My Matter. I still need to read The Geek Feminist Revolution, and Traveler of Worlds.

Reviews of 2017 Hugo Finalists