Ursula K. Le Guin’s reflections on her early life, literature, writing, gender, and art are equal parts witty and impactful. I was particularly moved by her unusually anthropologically-focused upbringing, her analysis of rhythm in different forms of fiction, her discussion on beauty through the lens of animals and dancers, and the abstract yet poignant way she discusses her inspirations and methods for writing. The titular wave in the mind, an excerpt from a quote of Virginia Woolf (who appears often in this work as a brilliant writer ahead of her time), is a beautiful image that captures how artists catch their inspiration. Ursula K. Le Guin’s essays capture what is clear throughout her writing; a brilliant, multifaceted artist whose view of the world leaps off the page by sheer clarity.