Customer Reviews

Ingathering: The Complete People Stories of Zenna Henderson

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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.

I am glad to find in "Ingathering" a collection of 'The People Stories'. As a young man I read them and felt that they were a charge to go into the world and teach, accepting people for what they were and for what they COULD be. My only regret in reading the book is to know that there will be no more stories to warm my heart and inspire my connection to the community in which I find myself. If Zenna Henderson has no remaining blood family, she has a larger family in those whom she inspired and encouraged. "The People" are an example of what can be the best in all of us.

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.

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with another story in order to tie then all together and Ingathering maintains this format, and has one previously-unpublished story.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.

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.

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.

Reading the reminiscences of Zenna Henderson fans was refreshing and lovely. They completely understood the greatness of her work. too bad the Critic, only read them for his "job" and didn't discover and enliven these books as vital parts of life. The REal Readers stood up and retold their teenage amazement at discovering these characters.. Approach these books with the open heart of youth and you too will be enriched by the journey.

I am thrilled that the People stories are back in print. I read them years ago. I own all four of the books, including the hardcover edition of Pilgrimage. I love to share these wonderful stories with others. Now they can buy their own copies. For anyone who hasn't read the stories yet I have one caution. This hardcover edition has an introductory story preceding the first titled story "Ararat." "Ararat" is the true first story of the People and originally was published in a science fiction magazine first. I read it in the magazine and almost 40 years later I can still remember the shocking thrill that went through me as I read a certain line that told me that something strange and wonderful was about to unfold. Of course I won't reveal the line and spoil it for others, but all Zenna Henderson readers will know to what I refer. New readers READ ARARAT FIRST!!

A long time science fiction reader

Dunno where the Booklist reviewer got his information, But I was hooked LONG before the TV movie. Even after 35 years, the umpteenth reading of these stories can make me laugh, cry, resolve to be better myself. All these stories of a people shipwrecked among strangers are a real pleasure to read.

Working in education, I often wondered if the "little monsters" were aliens, so I can see the funny side behind some of these stories.

I am not a fantasy fan in general, I prefer hard Si-Fi or Alternative history and I like my science/historical research accurate, but I enjoyed these stories despite this.

The characters are all quite good as is the dialogue, the world that the People live in is fleshed out in a 3-D fashion.

There is a genuine Alienness to "the people" as a race that emerges through the stories, demonstrating their relations ship to us is only skin deep in some interesting repects. They are also fallible, their space craft accident record is abysmal.

These stories are all very optimistic.

Generally I like my aliens "fried", but I'd make exception for "the people", they're simply too nice to shoot. I rarely find myself rooting for the ETs in a book, but I did in this one.