Ingathering: The Complete People Stories of Zenna Henderson Kindle Edition

I actually bought two copies--one was sent to a friend who had written a similarly Christian, not non-sf book.The take on the old Jerry Rubin counterculture title is prompted by the sheer charm of this book, which seems toi have eluded even the most positive of professional reviewers who must be either ignorant or dismissive of what is frankly Christian Science Fiction. But unlike other believer-jarring specimens (such as Michael Moorcock's "Behold the Man" or, even worse, "For I Am a Jealous People" by Lester del Rey"), this is a loving, sympathetic series of what-of tales based on the premise: What if earth were visited by alien humans (you can tell the unsympathetic critics by the word "humanoid") who are more spiritually advanced than we are? Many group the stories under the "psi powers" heading,(as if they were materialistically McCaffrey-like), which is so much nonsense. (As a general reporter, I've written articles about church events from which editors have pointedly removed most religious references.) The extraterrestrial abilities are clearly connected with spirituality, something you don't have to be a Bible-be.ter (which I certainly am NOT) to comprehend. In fact, Henderson, by evidence of this and some non-People stories (e. g., "The Closest School"), is strongly anti-fundamentalist (but not vindictively so, another aspect of her Christianity)It is unfortunate that these stories don't seem to be better-known; that is the only reason they might not be considered "beloved" on the scale of Asimov's Susan Calvin stories or McCaffrey's Menolly. That said, this is a Must-Have, if only for the author's ability to write plain English about seemingly technical matters without technobabble or even technical detail in a way that is matched only by Ray Brabury--and Henderson is clearly NOT such a Luddite. Her writing is not notably "feminine," but it is straightforward, if sometimes experimental (jarringly so in the hippy-era "Katie-Mary's Trip"). She is not given to C.L. Moore-like tours-de-force. It is fitting and proper that she was a mainstay of "The Magazine;of Fantasy and Science Fiction;" I believe John W. Campbell (who did buy from McCaffrey) would have hated her. Henderson can be matter-of-factly goofy ("The Indelible Kind") and has the ability to suggest maddeningly unwritten stories ("Shadow in the Moon," which is greatly reminiscent of Robert A. Heinlein's "Requiem," in which we learn that one of the People was a crewmember on the Enola Gay. (A fellow fan was greatly surprised when I pointed this out to her.)I find that having visited the Grand Canyon-Meteor Crater region of Arizona is a plus for nearly all Henderson stories, but it is not essential. I do find it hard to imagine that someone who is, or has forgotten childhood contact with teachers, will be missing something, as many of her stories are from a teacher's point-of-view (I can't imagine being un-teacher-minded and reading the non-People story "You Know What, Teacher?"). Young people almost NEED to read Henderson, especially the stories that are aimed directly at them (again, a non-People story, "Crowning Glory") Which is to ask, "Why haven't the rest of Henderson's stories been collected into a single volume?"ETA: I was astonished to discover, after putting out my own book (set in a classroom of first-graders) how much of Henderson I had retained after 35 years (especially "The Indelible Kind" and "The Closest School").

I read all these stories back in the 70’s and they were magical and made me wish I was of the People. I just now re-read all her books and they are still just as magical but also surprisingly accurate in regards to how technology has happened even before some of the tech actually happened in”real life”. These are beautiful stories that stand the test of time and need to never be forgotten.

Read these decades ago. Was nice to find the complete collection. It was like meeting an old friend. Good read for a sci-fi connoisseur

It's said that author Zenna Henderson was "saddened" when people wrote to her insisting Cougar Canyon and The People MUST be real. Well, my dear and beloved Zenna, it was your own fault. You somehow tapped into the deep subconscious longings (memories, even?) of millions of people, and they believed. In fact, while "The People" stories are categorized as science fiction, they're much more. The People are who we would love to be, our innermost aspirations to goodness, cooperation, power well used and a deeply ethical center. By now, most people who would be interested know that The People are refugees from a planetary disaster who evacuated their world and headed off in all directions. Some few landed on Earth and, hiding their differences, tried to fit in here. And oh, what differences! Where we harnessed the power of machines, they grew their mental powers, enabling them to fly ("lift"), see into other to help them heal emotionally ("sorters") and physically ("sensitives"). and much more. These enchanting abilities exist in the setting of very decent people you're sure to love, and believe.My high-school age introduction to the series was "Pottage," a story of reclamation and small heroisms that become as big as sunrise. It was an apt introduction, and to this day, nearly 50 years later, I can't read it... or even talk about it... dry-eyed. Somehow Zenna Henderson taps into language in an unusual way, accessing emotions and forgotten innocence. Her characters are earthy yet somehow angelic, flawed in their way, but devoted to growth. While Ms. Henderson spent some time as a religious person, and the stories are filled with Biblical references and allusions, the only thing we know of The People's belief system is something they call "the Presence," and that life does not end with physical death. There is no preaching here, nothing to separate. And if some consider the stories "mawkish," I sorrow for their loss. This is not mere sentimentality. The power of the prose itself would be enough; the vein of goodness that runs through it raises it to the level of literary treasure.I could go on, but what a disservice I would do to the divine prose of Zenna Henderson, who tells her story best in her own way. Once you've begun to read INGATHERING you may find yourself hungering to read the rest of these stories, and believing more about your own capabilities and depth in this life. I cannot recommend this book highly enough except to say that, if I were to be stranded on the proverbial desert island (as Earth became to the early People) and could have only one book for the rest of my life, it would be this one, without hesitation. Lift, and enjoy.

I didn't really like the font, but that was not enough to take away from my enjoyment. Loved "The Anything Box" when I first read it, and had not known of some stories in this volume.So I was very pleased with the book, its condition, and the as-expected delivery.

I first read Zenna Henderson's stories as a teen and college student and fell in love with them. It reminds me of what we all long for: true friends, strength to get through trying circumstances, and love, both here and in heaven. To no longer fear death, but rather rejoice when someone is called back into God's presence!Now I'm much older and yet when I heard her stories were available on Kindle, I immediately went out and bought them and was not disappointed. Her stories are just as enthralling and insightful now, when I am a senior with grown children, as they were when I was a kid. In many ways I can relate to them even more as I have experienced the seasons of life I had not yet gone thru back then. So, whether you are a teen, college student, parent or senior, pick up her stories and read them. You will be glad you did!

I have been looking for print versions of these stories for 20-30 years since my 2nd hand (at least) paperback copies finally fell apart. These are a thoughtful collection of stories showing the interaction between a hidden population of refugees and the indigenous population.These are not 'all action', cliff hanger stories but are well written and worth returning to every few years.

I first read Zenna Henderson’s books about the People whenI was a teenager,back in the 1950’s. I enjoyed them then and have enjoyed them each time I have reread them over the years. They are giving me great pleasure as the stories again unfold before me. A great read.The

I bought this book as a gift. I am hoping the recipient enjoys it as much as I have. I first came across it in paperback form when I was sixteen, more than fifty years ago. I read it so many times the paperbacks fell apart. I have since purchased it both in hardback and as an e-book for my own reading. The chapters are each a story yet all fit together to collectively form one story. I absolutely love this book.

I'd known about the "people" stories since I was a child half a century ago, but this is the first time I'd seen them all in one book.It arrived on time and in good condition,at a time when illness forced me to stay in bed all day and read it.The stories were written by a lady teacher from the region where the series are set.The fantastic parts of them seem as real as the settings certainly are. Some of the writing could be considered to be biased towards the lady reader a bit,and ploughing through the whole lot in one go wasn't quite as pleasing as I'd hoped,but on the whole I'm glad I did.It's also a handy window on small-town America all those years ago,albeit a somewhat strange one.This collection was put together by out and out Henderson fans,buy it and you'll probably join them.

I had all of The People books in the 60's. I saw the TV movie and loved it. The people stories are about a race of people that landed on Earth after their planet was destroyed. They are trying to blend in with the people of Earth.