Memoirs of a Spacewoman is a science fiction novel by Naomi Mitchison, already a noted novelist and poet and sister of the famous biologist J.B.S. Haldane. It was first published in 1962 by Victor Gollancz Ltd. Plot summary The aforementioned Spacewoman in question is a scientist and explorer. At this point, humans have explored many worlds in a number of different galaxies. Their quest is for knowledge and to be helpful to whom they encounter, but there is a strict rule against 'interference'. It is assumed to be in the far future, but no dates are ever given and it's mentioned that time works differently on different planets. The story is a retelling of the narrator’s experience training and career as a space explorer. The narrator, Mary, is a specialist in 'communication' - a kind of telepathy that allows her to communicate with nearly every species she comes across in her exploration. She operates in a society where women are just as likely as men to be leaders, though she herself prefers not to lead. She operates in a more utopian society where leadership is not gender-specific, but Mary does make it clear that she does not want to lead herself. Their society is also one that does not engage with the same rules of sexual expression that we do. Mary is aware of her female sexuality and is free to enjoy it as she pleases. This results in her having multiple children. Four of her children are described as “normal” as they were conceived just as any other child. Viola, however, was conceived after her ovaries were stimulated through her interaction with a martian, resulting in a haploid child, who was healthy nonetheless. Major themes There are no space-opera thrills and fights: rather there are a number of different worlds with interesting biologies. The expansive worlds that the book explores allow for the discussion of a number of different important ethical issues. One of these discussions focuses on the ethical treatment of animals. The story exemplifies situations where animals were treated as “intellectual equals, or, in certain subjects, superiors”. These actions were taken as an end in themselves, not a method of forming a greater relationship with other humans. This take on sympathy and empathetic treatment towards animals likely stems from Mitchison’s view on the treatment of colonized people of the time. Throughout her life, Mitchinson had seen the