--- product_id: 66530864 title: "The Unreal and the Real: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin" price: "R1175" currency: ZAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/66530864-the-unreal-and-the-real-the-selected-short-stories-ursula store_origin: ZA region: South Africa --- # The Unreal and the Real: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin **Price:** R1175 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Unreal and the Real: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin - **How much does it cost?** R1175 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/66530864-the-unreal-and-the-real-the-selected-short-stories-ursula) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A collection of literary, science fiction, and fantasy short stories by the legendary and iconic Ursula K. Le Guin—selected with an introduction by the author and combined in one volume for the first time. The Unreal and the Real is a collection of some of Ursula K. Le Guin’s best short stories. Spanning realistic fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, and science fiction, the collection showcases her extraordinary range and her enduring explorations of human nature, society, gender, freedom, and alternative worlds. Le Guin received numerous prizes and accolades, including the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, a Newbery Honor, and the Nebula, Hugo, World Fantasy, and PEN/Malamud Awards. Her stories have appeared in collections throughout her career, but this is the first single volume to combine such a broad range of her work. Stories include: - “Brothers and Sisters” - “A Week in the Country” - “Unlocking the Air” - “Imaginary Countries” - “The Diary of the Rose” - “Direction of the Road” - “The White Donkey” - “Gwilan’s Harp” - “May’s Lion” - “Buffalo Gals, Won’t You Come Out Tonight” - “Horse Camp” - “The Water Is Wide” - “The Lost Children” - “Texts” - “Sleepwalkers” - “Hand, Cup, Shell” - “Ether, Or” - “Half Past Four” - “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” - “Semley’s Necklace” - “Nine Lives” - “Mazes” - “The First Contact with the Gorgonids” - “The Shobies’ Story” - “Betrayals” - “The Matter of Seggri” - “Solitude” - “The Wild Girls” - “The Flyers of Gy” - “The Silence of the Asonu” - “The Ascent of the North Face” - “The Author of the Acacia Seeds” - “The Wife’s Story” - “The Rule of Names” - “Small Change” - “The Poacher” - “Sur” - “She Unnames Them” - “The Jar of Water” Review: Fantastic book, poor supply on desertcart's part - The book is great, but desertcart sent me a damaged copy, that had stained pages. Seriously!? Who ships a book like that? Review: SUPERB! - Every serious sci-fi and fantasy fan is aware of Ursula Le Guin's fiction. It has had a profound effect on the genre. Her novels like the 'Earthsea' cycle are classics, and a lot of her imaginative work was in short story form. These are ones she considers her best. These stories serve as an excellent introduction for newcomers to her work. Many blur the line between "serious" literature and science-fiction. While the settings are fictional, the stories deal with very human issues. I've admired her work for a long time, and believe others will be feeling the same way when they read this. Every story is beautifully written, unique and worth reading. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #64,367 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #59 in Fantasy Anthologies #60 in Science Fiction Anthologies (Books) #183 in Science Fiction Short Stories | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 394 Reviews | ## Images ![The Unreal and the Real: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81G9JFcefuL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fantastic book, poor supply on Amazon's part *by F***A on August 28, 2026* The book is great, but Amazon sent me a damaged copy, that had stained pages. Seriously!? Who ships a book like that? ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ SUPERB! *by R***N on March 13, 2013* Every serious sci-fi and fantasy fan is aware of Ursula Le Guin's fiction. It has had a profound effect on the genre. Her novels like the 'Earthsea' cycle are classics, and a lot of her imaginative work was in short story form. These are ones she considers her best. These stories serve as an excellent introduction for newcomers to her work. Many blur the line between "serious" literature and science-fiction. While the settings are fictional, the stories deal with very human issues. I've admired her work for a long time, and believe others will be feeling the same way when they read this. Every story is beautifully written, unique and worth reading. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Worth reading, mixed quality collection *by J***S on December 13, 2016* I read the kindle version (which is a great buy) and had no problems with the ebook. While many of the stories are outstanding classics some are painful to get thru -- though I admit I am not a real fan of short stories so that may have colored my judgement. There is some overlap with (two stories) with her recent novella collection. All in all I enjoyed the kindle version of this collection though I do think the collection was of mixed quality. Due to the ebook price and the selection including some very very good stories it is well worth reading and buying. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/66530864-the-unreal-and-the-real-the-selected-short-stories-ursula](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/66530864-the-unreal-and-the-real-the-selected-short-stories-ursula) --- *Product available on Desertcart South Africa* *Store origin: ZA* *Last updated: 2026-09-19*