Here’s one thing that’s going right with AmerÂiÂca’s decayÂing postal sysÂtem. They write on the USPS web site: “The 33rd stamp in the LitÂerÂary Arts series honÂors UrsuÂla K. Le Guin (1929–2018), who expandÂed the scope of litÂerÂaÂture through novÂels and short stoÂries that increased critÂiÂcal and popÂuÂlar appreÂciÂaÂtion of sciÂence ficÂtion and fanÂtaÂsy. The stamp feaÂtures a porÂtrait of Le Guin based on a 2006 phoÂtoÂgraph. The backÂground shows a scene from her landÂmark 1969 novÂel “The Left Hand of DarkÂness,” in which an envoy from Earth named GenÂly Ai escapes from a prison camp across the winÂtry planÂet of GethÂen with EstraÂven, a disÂgraced GethÂenÂian politiÂcian. The artist for this stamp was DonaÂto GianÂcoÂla. The art direcÂtor was AntoÂnio Alcalá. The words “three ounce” on this stamp indiÂcate its usage valÂue. Like a ForÂevÂer stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the valÂue printÂed on it.” The postal serÂvice has not said preÂciseÂly when the stamp will be released.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. Or folÂlow our posts on Threads, FaceÂbook, BlueSky or Mastodon.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
UrsuÂla K. Le Guin’s DaiÂly RouÂtine: The DisÂciÂpline That Fueled Her ImagÂiÂnaÂtion
When UrsuÂla K. Le Guin & Philip K. Dick Went to High School TogethÂer
UrsuÂla K. Le Guin Names the Books She Likes and Wants You to Read
Nice porÂtrait of the writer, and artÂwork overÂall!