Novelist Ursula K. Le Guin, known for award-winning sci-fi and fantasy books like The Left Hand of Darkness, died Monday in Portland, Oregon. She was 88.
Le Guin was a writer for most of her life, submitting her first short story at age 11. She wrote about everything from gender roles to violence to conformity, winning multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards, and her Earthsea books have sold millions of copies worldwide. Author Mary Robinette Kowal told NPR that Le Guin was "a gateway drug" into science fiction and fantasy for many readers, and she "embraced new forms of technology" while "constantly pushing boundaries and barriers." In 2014, Le Guin received a lifetime achievement award at the National Book Awards.
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