Reflections on Enchantress from the Stars and Other Essays

In the title essay of this ebook science fiction author Sylvia Engdahl discusses her Newbery Honor book Enchantress from the Stars--which she intended for teens rather than children--pointing out reactions to it that she finds disturbing. The story is literally about relations between species that have evolved in different time frames on separate planets, she says, and to interpret it as an allegory about intercultural relations on Earth implies that some cultures of our world are more "primitive" than others, a view long ago rejected by anthropolgists. Though there is much in the book that does indeed apply to people of our own world, the elder species' attitude toward younger ones does not, since we of Earth are all members of the same species. It is relevant not to how we view each other, but to how we view our relation to the rest of the universe--for example, whether we should expect extraterrestrial civiliations to send the radio messages across space that many scientists now hope to receive, or to arrive here in UFOs either as invaders or to solve Earth's problems for us. How young people picture aliens is important whether or not we ever meet any, for it affects society's outlook toward the future of Earth.

Other essays in this ebook are about Engdahl's five other Young Adult novels, her five adult science fiction novels, and her viewa on writing for young people. Also included are two autobiographical essays illustrated with photos.

Please note: This ebook is one of three that replace Reflections on the Future, which dealt with several different topics that have now been separated. Most of the essays in this one were in that book. A paperback book containing a few essays from each of the three current collections is available under the title Selected Essays on Enchantress from the Stars and More.