A Wizard of Earthsea is a fantasy novel written by American author Ursula K. Le Guin (pictured). First published by the small press Parnassus in 1968, it is considered a classic of fantasy and of children's literature. Set in the fictional archipelago of Earthsea, the story centers around a gifted mage named Ged. His prickly nature drives him into a duel with an older pupil at a school of wizardry, during which his spell goes awry and releases a shadow creature that attacks him. The novel follows his journey to be free of the creature. Often described as a coming-of-age story, the book explores Ged's process of learning to cope with power and come to terms with death. Taoist themes are reflected in a fundamental balance in the universe of Earthsea, which wizards are supposed to maintain. Margaret Atwood called the novel one of the "wellsprings" of fantasy literature. It was followed by five other volumes sharing a setting; the six works are collectively known as the Earthsea Cycle.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Wizard_of_Earthsea

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1890:

The Forth Bridge, a railway bridge connecting Edinburgh to Fife over the Firth of Forth, opened, becoming an internationally recognised Scottish landmark. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_Bridge

1966:

During an interview, John Lennon of the Beatles argued that the band had become "more popular than Jesus". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_popular_than_Jesus

1990:

College basketball player Hank Gathers died after collapsing during a West Coast Conference Tournament semifinal game in Los Angeles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Gathers

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

not to put too fine a point on it: (idiomatic) Used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement one is making. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/not_to_put_too_fine_a_point_on_it

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough — that we should try again. No. We should not. Focused on process, our creative life retains a sense of adventure. Focused on product, the same creative life can feel foolish or barren.   --Julia Cameron https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Julia_Cameron