The Diary of the Rose

"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.

"The Diary of the Rose"
AuthorUrsula K. Le Guin
Country United States
LanguageEnglish
Genre(s)Science fiction
Published inFuture Power
Publication typeCollection
Media typePrint
Publication date1976

Story

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

All events were in 1977.

Publication history

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

  1. The Dutch title De Roos in de Winter is reminiscent of the last words of the novelette: "<...>, the winter rose".

References

  1. 1.0 1.1
    1. REDIRECT Template:ISFDB contents
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Ursula K Le Guin - The Diary of the Rose", BBC Radio (retrieved January 28, 2020)
  3. Reginald, R. (September 2010). Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature. Wildside Press LLC. p. 768. ISBN 9780941028769.
  4. Award Years for Locus Poll Award : 1977
  5. Award Years for Hugo Award: 1977
  6. 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.
  7. Dugdale, John (May 21, 2016). "How to turn down a prestigious literary prize – a winner's guide to etiquette". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/21/how-turn-down-prestigious-literary-prize-winners-guide-etiquette. Retrieved December 25, 2018. 
  8. "Nebula Awards 1977". Science Fiction Awards Database. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  9. 9.0 9.1 As cited in: The Diary of the Rose title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
  10. "Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Sixth Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois, 1977", a review at SF Magazines
  11. The Compass Rose, Stories by Ursula K. Le Guin, Kirkus Reviews, July 1st, 1982, posted online Sept. 27th, 2011
  12. Урсула Ле Гуин Роза ветров, collection description at fantlab.ru