Billed a a collection of Le Guin's "mainstream" short stories, nonetheless, this includes 2 out and out fantasy stories ("Olders" and "The Poacher") and one which can only be described as a "tall tale." ("Daddy's Big Girl.") Others range around in the "magical realism" genre, and others are explorations of basic human relationships.... Le Guin, as always, is an excellent writer. (that said, I thought the first story in this collection is probably the weakest piece I've read by her - an odd choice to open the book.)
Ursula LeGuin is a brilliant science fiction writer.... these stories however are not science fiction. They are stories, almost vignettes, of ordinary people and ordinary existence. But Ursula LeGuin fans are likely to enjoy all that she writes...
