The Diary of the Rose
| "The Diary of the Rose" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ursula K. Le Guin |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Published in | Future Power |
| Publication type | Collection |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | 1976 |
"The Diary of the Rose" is a 1976 dystopian science fiction novelette by Ursula K. Le Guin. It was first published in the Future Power collection.[1] The story happens in a totalitarian society which uses brainwashing by "electroshocks" to erase any political dissent.
Story[change | change source]
The story is the diary of psychodiagnost ("psychoscopist") Dr. Rosa Sobel. She worked for state security to enter the mind of Flores Sorde and look for signs of "political psyschosis." Sobel used a brain-mapping device called a psychoscope.
Conversations with Sorde caused Dr. Sobel to understand politics in a new and different way.[2]
Awards and nominations[change | change source]
All events were in 1977.
- Jupiter Award in the novelette category[3]
- Runner-up in the Locus Award for Best Novelette.[4]
- Hugo Award finalist[5]
- Le Guin refused a Nebula Award for "The Diary of the Rose." She protested the Science Fiction Writers of America's canceling Stanisław Lem's membership. Le Guin thought the SFWA disliked Lem's criticism of American science fiction and that he lived in the Eastern Bloc. She did not want to receive an award "for a story about political intolerance from a group that had just displayed political intolerance" toward communism.[6][7] She withdrew the novelette shortly before the announcement of the winners. The SFWA asked her not to do that since she had in fact won, but Le Guin insisted on the withdrawal.[6] The award was instead given to Isaac Asmiov's "The Bicentennial Man."[8]
Publication history[change | change source]
The first publication was in the Future Power collection in 1976.[1] The same year it was translated into French.[9]
In 1977 it was published in the anthologies Psy Fi One: An Anthology of Psychology in Science fiction and Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Sixth Annual Collection.[10]
It was part of the author's collection The Compass Rose in 1982.[11]
It was translated into French (Le journal de la rose, 1976), Dutch (Het dagboek van de roos, 1978; De Roos in de Winter,[nb 1] 1985), German (Das Tagebuch der Rose, 1979), Italian (Il diario della rosa, 2003),[9] and Russian (Дневник Розы, 2008)[12]
BBC Radio first broadcast an audiobook version of The Diary of the Rose 2009.[2]
Notes[change | change source]
- ↑ The Dutch title De Roos in de Winter is reminiscent of the last words of the novelette: "<...>, the winter rose".
References[change | change source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Future Power publication contents at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Ursula K Le Guin - The Diary of the Rose", BBC Radio (retrieved January 28, 2020)
- ↑ Reginald, R. (September 2010). Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature. Wildside Press LLC. p. 768. ISBN 9780941028769.
- ↑ Award Years for Locus Poll Award : 1977
- ↑ Award Years for Hugo Award: 1977
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Le Guin, Ursula (December 6, 2017). "The Literary Prize for the Refusal of Literary Prizes". The Paris Review. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ Dugdale, John (May 21, 2016). "How to turn down a prestigious literary prize – a winner's guide to etiquette". The Guardian. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
- ↑ "Nebula Awards 1977". Science Fiction Awards Database. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 As cited in: The Diary of the Rose title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- ↑ "Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Sixth Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois, 1977", a review at SF Magazines
- ↑ The Compass Rose, Stories by Ursula K. Le Guin, Kirkus Reviews, July 1st, 1982, posted online Sept. 27th, 2011
- ↑ Урсула Ле Гуин Роза ветров, collection description at fantlab.ru