Ingathering: The Complete People Stories of Zenna Henderson

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with another story in order to tie then all together and Ingathering maintains this format, and has one previously-unpublished story.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

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Summary: Stories of hope and hardship, from otherworldly immigrants.
Review: Ingathering is a compilation of wonderful short and longer stories, published by Henderson over a number of years. Some sweet and hopeful, some heartwrenching, they all tell stories in the best storytelling tradition, of a People who had to flee their Home, and end up scattered and separated, on Earth. Worth reading over again when life seems discouraging

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Summary: To get that special "lift" when you are down, read Henderson
Review: It is not easy to read books like these in Pakistan but one or two stories in anthologies have given me a terrific "high" about myself and the world around me. Highly recommended for any one who wishes to see what hiding one's gifts can do to "People". To find that they are all here together calls for a celebration

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Summary: Truly a classic
Review: It's not often that you can write a review before you've seen the book. This is an exception however. I read these individual stories years ago in library books, however then entered an interregnum where they were unobtainable. I am looking forward to rediscovering old friends and making new ones! Zenna is an author of the Golden Years who somehow got lost - totally unjustly.

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Summary: 30 year search ended!
Review: It's not often that you can write a review before you've seen the book. This is an exception however. I read these individual stories years ago in library books, however then entered an interregnum where they were unobtainable. I am looking forward to rediscovering old friends and making new ones! Zenna is an author of the Golden Years who somehow got lost - totally unjustly.

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Summary: This book provides illumination for the soul.
Review: Long ago, my first introduction to Science Fiction was Zenna Henderson's series about the People. Living through times in America's history when people were being persecuted because they were visibly different (the civil rights period) or because they thought and acted differently (the age of the flower children and activism against social inequities), I found reading about a people who were different and persecuted but retained their inate goodness, kindness, and sense of self worth to be not only uplifing but a call to battle. I determined to go out and embrace the uniqueness of all the people on this planet. In my travels around the world, I tried to personify the teachings of Ms. Henderson and learned that I CAN lift myself and others (spirtually, if not physically), platt sunshine to warm the minds and souls of those around me (at least emotionally), read the thoughts and emotions of others (using my intuition and empathy), and be a healer (by just listening to and caring about those I met). The gift I received from reading Ms. Henderson's books was far greater than the enjoyment of meeting her people -- her gift enabled me to become one of The People.

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Summary: Readers Remember Joyfully/ Critic fails totally
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Readers Remember Joyfully/ Critic fails totally
Review: 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.

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Summary: Enjoyable high school required reading
Review: Remember high school and those horrendous required reading lists? Zenna Henderson's People series was on that list, and I rank it as the single most enjoyable requirement for high school graduation! Her characters and plots are believable, accurate, and add a positive mysterious air to our earthbound everyday lives.

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Summary: Teacher, please tell us more!
Review: That is what I wrote to Zenna several years ago, and I was saddened to receive a letter from her sister, saying that Zenna had been "called back to the Presence" a few years earlier. She had the ability to weave magic into her stories, and to make the reader feel and know what was happening. From Perdita and Low, to Lucine, to Valancy and the rest, Zenna made her characters come alive, and gave the feeling that these were not imaginary people, but real ones. These were not made-up events, but she was describing life somewhere in this world that was as it *should* be. Another reviewer said that there would be less suicide if more teens would read these stories, and I agree wholeheartedly. I know they changed my outlook on life. A special thanks to the compilers of "Ingathering" for their work!And please, AMAZON, keep this one in stock forever!