[.ca] Ingathering: The Complete People Stories of Zenna Henderson (ISBN 0915368587)

Wistful for what we could be...:
For those who want a scifi tale with blasters and aliens who look green, then go elsewhere. The People look like us but are definitely different. And similar. Mawkish? Not at all. We are shown at our best and at our worst here. I wish I could explain the beauty of Zenna Henderson's prose, the images of time and place she creates. There is one paragraph of Valancy (my favorite character) doing something that I can *see* flash before my eyes, the imagery of the tales are that strong. I don't ever want these tales to go out of print again, it would be a great loss.

Glad the stories are back in print:
These are great stories--the only quibble I have is that Anything Box and Holding Wonder haven't been reissued (I could use new copies of those too!). I disagree with some of the critics/reviewers--many of the stories in the other two books were "People" stories as well, they are just told differently. I am also glad that there were some new stories that are in this book (that weren't in Pilgrimage and The People). I think this book should be required reading in schools instead of Harry Potter and other such drivel.

No better stories for emotional lift:
The People stories are something I read when I need a lift. They can make me teary-eyed, but that's more for wishing the People really were out there somewhere than anything. The basic theme is overcoming differences, and the underlying sameness that unites us all. If you want to teach your children, from about age 8 on up through their twenties, about loyalty, caring, sacrifice, honesty, and the superficiality of "differences," these are the stories that will help you do it. Or read them for yourself, and remember that there really is a Web of Life, and that you are a part of it.

Essential Reading:
There are only a handful of authors that have moved me to laughter, tears, and wonderment in the same book. Perhaps the fact that Henderson herself was a school teacher, has added so much to her stories. I recently retired but I saw so very many of her 'characters' move through my classes year after year. She has a way of reminding us that there is always hope but she never tries to 'gloss'over the fact that death is still very real and painful.She plays emotions as if they were a harp and all who read her are the better for listening to her music.

Best Ever:
I've read all of Zenna Henderson's stories many times over through the years and never tire of them. Each reading is as fresh as the first! There is humor, sadness, joy and just about everything else but it is the pure Goodness of her characters that always shines though. The paperbacks, which have gone in and out of print many times (and are currently unavailable) began intertwining the original "pulp" stories with another story in order to tie then all together and Ingathering maintains this format, and has one previously-unpublished story. This book is a must for anyone whether sc-fi is their "thing" or not.