The Birthday of the World is a collection of science fiction stories by Ursula Le Guin , an American writer, published in 2002. It consists of eight stories and an author's foreword, connected by a common theme of relations between sexes, family, marriage and sexuality . All stories, except " Confused Paradise " were published earlier. The action of the first six takes place in the world of Ecumenas , which gives reason to attribute the entire collection to the Haina cycle .
| World birthday | |
|---|---|
| The birthday of the world | |
| Author | Ursula Le Guin |
| Genre | social science fiction |
| A country |  USA |
| Original language | English |
| Publishing house | |
| Translator | E. Ratkevich, V. Starozhilets, A. Novikov, L. Mikhailova, O. Vasant, I. Gurova , D. Smushkovich |
| Illustrator | Paul Ell, Michael Whelan |
| Publication dates | 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002 |
| Publication dates in Russian | 2003, 2008 |
All these seven stories are built on the same model: in one way or another they show us, from the inside or through the eyes of an outside observer (possibly a local resident) a people whose social structure is different from ours, whose physiology is sometimes different from ours, but experiencing the same emotions with us . First, create, establish a difference - and then let the voltaic arc of feeling cross the gap: such acrobatics of the imagination never tire of amazing me and delighting me unsurpassed.
Content
Growing Up in Carheide ( Coming of Age in Karhide , 1995)
- Translation into Russian: E. Ratkevich
- Included in the anthology " The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirteenth Annual Collection " (1996) and " Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction " (2005)
- Publication in Russian: 2003, 2008
When I wrote the first story in this book - “Growing Up in Carchide” - I returned to Goethen twenty-five to thirty years later. This time, my perception was not obscured by the prejudices of an honest, but embarrassed terran man . I could listen to the voice of the hethenian, who, unlike Estraven, had nothing to hide. I didn’t have a plot; I could ask questions. I could figure out their sex life. I finally got into the house of Kemmer. In general, she had fun as she could.
The Matter of Seggri (1994)
- Translation into Russian: V. Starozhilets
- Included in the collection “ Volume Two: Outer Space, Inner Lands ” (2012) and the anthology “ The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twelfth Annual Collection ” (1995)
- James Tiptree Jr. Award , 1995
- Publication in Russian: 2003, 2008
The Case of Seggry is a collection of case studies of the planet Seggry over the years. These documents came from the historical archives of Hain - for the local historians they are the same as for the squirrel - nuts. The grain from which this story sprouted was an article on the gender imbalance caused in some regions of the planet - our planet, the Earth - by constant abortion and infanticide of female babies. They believe that only boys should be bothered. Out of irrational, unquenchable curiosity, I conducted a thought experiment that became a story - increased imbalance , turned it upside down and made it permanent. Although I liked the residents of Seggry, and it was interesting for me to speak in their voices, in general, the experiment led to sad consequences.
Unchosen Love ( Unchosen Love , 1994)
- Translation into Russian: A. Novikov
- Included in the anthology " Killing Me Softly: Erotic Tales of Unearthly Love " (1995)
- James Tiptree Jr. Award , 1999
- Publication in Russian: 2003, 2008
I like the idea of a family of four, each of whom can have sex with only two of the three remaining (one of each gender, but only from a different washroom). I like to think over complex social structures that generate the highest tension of feelings and relationships.
In this sense, “Unselected Love” and “Laws of the Mountains” can be called sitcoms , no matter how ridiculous it may sound for a person who is used to the fact that the whole NF is cut down by a blaster in stone. The society of planet O differs from ours, but hardly more than England Jane Austen , and, most likely, less than the world of " Tales of Genji ."
Laws of the Mountains ( Mountain Ways , 1996)
- Translation into Russian: V. Starozhilets
- Locus Award , Locus Award , 1997 and James Tiptree Jr. Award , 1997
- Publication in Russian: 2003, 2008
Loneliness ( Solitude , 1994)
- Translation into Russian:
- Larisa Mikhailova ( Solo of the soul )
- O. Vasant ( Loneliness )
- Included in the collection “ Volume Two: Outer Space, Inner Lands ” (2012), the anthology “ The Best from Fantasy & Science Fiction: The Fiftieth Anniversary Anthology ” (1999), “ The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology ” (2009), Diverse Energies (2012)
- Nebula Award for Best Short Story ( Nebula Award ), 1995
- Publication in Russian: 1996, 2003, 2008
In Loneliness, I went to the outskirts of Ekumena, to a planet resembling the Earth that we liked to write about in the sixties and seventies, when we believed in the Nuclear Catastrophe , and the Doom of the World, as we know it, and mutants in luminous ruins Peoria . Whatever the cause of the demographic decline in Loneliness — most likely the population itself — it happened a long time ago, and the story is not about that, but about survival, loyalty and reflection .
The people in this story - the survivors - as in many of my stories, developed a non-standard system of gender relations; but they have no marriage system at all. For true introverts, marriage is just an extrovert notion. They just meet sometimes. Not for long. And then they return to happy loneliness again.
Old Music and the Slave Women (1999)
- Translations into Russian:
- I. Gurova ( Ecumen: Music of the Past and the Slave )
- E. Ratkevich ( Old Music and Slaves )
- Included in the novel-collection “ Four Ways to Forgiveness ” and the anthology “ Distant Horizons ” (1999)
- Publication in Russian: 2001, 2003, 2008
“Old Music” is a translation of the name of the Heinz Esdardon Aij, which appears in three stories of the suite. Chronologically, that story follows the suite - the fifth act - and tells of one of the episodes of the civil war on Warel. But it exists independently. He was born from a visit to one of the largest plantations up the river from Charleston , South Carolina . Those of my readers who have visited this terrifying and beautiful place will recognize the garden, the house, and the cursed land.
The Birthday of the World (2000)
- Translation into Russian: D. Smushkovich
- Included in the anthology of “ The Year's Best Science Fiction: Eighteenth Annual Collection ” (2001)
- Locus Award Locus Award 2001
- Publication in Russian: 2003, 2008
The action of the title story of the collection, “Birthday of the World”, can take place in the world of Ecumenas, or maybe not. Honestly I do not know. What's the difference? This is not Earth; the inhabitants of that planet are physically slightly different from us, but I frankly wrote them off from the Inca empire. As in many great civilizations of antiquity - Egypt , India , Peru - the king and god are the same there, and the holy is as close and familiar as bread and breath - and losing it is as easy.
Confused Paradise ( Paradises Lost , 2002)
- Translation into Russian: D. Smushkovich
- Publication in Russian: 2003, 2008
The last story - “Confused Paradise” - falls out of this series, and definitely does not apply to stories about Ecumen . Its action takes place in another world, also puffed up and down - the standard, universal world of the sci-fi "future", in that version where the Earth sends ships to the stars at more or less realistic, or potentially available at the current level of science, speeds . Such a ship will fly to the goal for tens, hundreds of years. No time compression, no hyperspace — all in real time.
In other words, this is a story about an ark ship.