Ursula K. Le Guin's Letter of Resignation from the Authors Guild
My letter of resignation from the Authors Guild The author, Ursula K. Le Guin, has authorized quoting and/or copying of this letter. 18 December 2009 To Whom it may concern at the Authors Guild: I have been a member of the Authors Guild since 1972. At no time during those thirty-seven years was I able to attend the functions, parties, and so forth offered by the Guild to members who happen to live on the other side of the continent. I have naturally resented this geographical discrimination, reflected also in the officership of the Guild, always almost all Easterners. But it was a petty gripe when I compared it to my gratitude to the Guild for the work you were doing in defending writers’ rights. I went on paying top dues and thought it worth it. And now you have sold us down the river. I am not going to rehearse any arguments pro and anti the “Google settlement.” You decided to deal with the devil, as it were, and have presented your arguments for doing so. I wish I could accept the...