Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang Kate Wilhelm
Introduction by Lisa Tuttle
Illustrations by Luke Hillestad
A haunting meditation on the dichotomies—and surprising parallels—of science and the soul, Kate Wilhelm’s Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang is one of the most celebrated science fiction novels of the 20th century. Winner of the Hugo, Locus, Jupiter and John W. Campbell Memorial awards, it remains as poignant and prescient today as when it first appeared.
In a near-future ravaged by ecological collapse and human infertility, the Sumner family, a large and wealthy clan in Virginia, takes drastic steps to preserve the species—through cloning. Initially, this strategy ensures survival, but as generations pass, the cloned society begins to experience a quiet unraveling. What begins as a utopian solution soon gives way to existential questions about identity, creativity, and the cost of conformity. With prose as elegant as it is unsettling, Wilhelm explores what it truly means to be human in a world where individuality is the ultimate rebellion.
Before the publication of Wilhelm’s novel, part one of Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang was featured in the fifteenth edition of Orbit, an anthology series celebrated for showcasing boundary-pushing science fiction that challenged the norms of the genre. Upon the novel’s full publication by Harper & Row in 1976, Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang was universally hailed by critics and peers alike as a landmark work of speculative fiction by a pioneering voice.
Wilhelm’s novel endures as a profound exploration of humanity’s essence, reminding us that survival devoid of individuality and creativity leads to a hollow existence.
About the Editions
Our edition of Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm is presented in three states. The editions measure 6” x 9” and feature five color and two black & white illustrations by Luke Hillestad, and an introduction by Lisa Tuttle. The illustrations in the Numbered and Lettered states are printed as fine art giclée prints on Hahnemühle Bugra and are tipped on. The text is set in Monotype Bembo and is printed letterpress by Max Koch in Austin, Texas on Accent Opaque, Neenah Cotton and mouldmade Hahnemühle Biblio papers. Typographic design is by award-winning designer Jason Dewinetz.
A Note on the Typography
Monotype Bembo, a timeless Renaissance serif inspired by the calligraphy of 15th-century Venice, gives Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang a quiet, natural beauty. With its warm, understated forms, moderate contrast, and humanist structure, Bembo evokes a world deeply connected to natural rhythms and the enduring cycles of life and decay — themes central to Kate Wilhelm’s novel. The typeface’s graceful serifs and flowing italics mirror the novel’s lyrical reflection on loss, memory, and renewal in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Bembo’s historical depth and serene dignity make it a poignant, almost subconscious partner to the novel’s meditation on what is preserved and what is inevitably lost.
The display typeface Aphrosine—a calligraphic script with a textured, hand-drawn character—was selected to reflect the visual tone of the book’s illustrations. Its fluid, quill-like strokes echo the gesture of the “Molly sketching” image, suggesting something intimate, quiet, and personal. The slight irregularities in Aphrosine’s forms resonate with the painterly textures and unfinished edges of the artwork, reinforcing a sense of atmosphere and tactility.
Artist Edition
Pre-orderThe Artist edition is limited to 500 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Luke Hillestad. It is a full cloth binding with a foil blocked cover. Printed letterpress on Accent Opaque Warm White, it is housed in a cloth covered slipcase and is signed by the artist.
Numbered Edition
Pre-orderThe Numbered edition of 250 copies is quarter-bound in cloth with paper sides. The woven cloth features a detail from the landscape painting used on the dust jacket of the Artist edition and is expertly printed by fine art print studio, Magnolia Editions in Oakland, California using UV-cured acrylic ink.
The paper is handmade Amatruda which is crafted in Amalfi, Italy, by the Amatruda family whose papermaking tradition dates back to the 15th century. This paper is produced using centuries-old techniques that involve manual processes and traditional equipment. Each sheet is made from 100% cotton, features deckled edges which are maintained for our edition.
Head & tail bands are handmade with cloth and endsheets are Colorplan paper. A fold-out of the Artist edition jacket art is included in this state. The edition is housed in a cloth covered clamshell enclosure with velour-lined trays and is printed letterpress on 80 lb Neenah Cotton paper. This state is signed by Lisa Tuttle and Luke Hillestad.
Lettered Edition
The Lettered edition is limited to 26 copies and is handbound in goatskin and handmade paper by renowned paper makers Cave Paper. The binding design draws inspiration from a moment in Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang where the sky is revealed in its pure, star-filled beauty. The upper two-thirds of the cover is covered in dark blue goatskin, evoking the boundless night sky, while the handmade paper below suggests the quiet expanse of the Shenandoah Valley. A constellation of stars, foil-blocked across the leather, recalls the novel’s depiction of a world returned to natural wonder—a quiet tribute to the enduring connection between the earth and the heavens.
Endsheets are flocked velour and head & tail bands are handmade with leather. The edition is housed in a cloth covered clamshell enclosure with a foil blocked spine label and velour-lined trays. Printed letterpress on 150 gsm mouldmade Hahnemühle Biblio paper, renowned for its tactile surface and enduring beauty. This state is signed by Lisa Tuttle and Luke Hillestad.
…more stars than he had ever seen before, and more, it
seemed, each night than the night before: the sky a clear, endless blue by day, velvet blue-black at night with blazing stars that modern man had never seen.
About the Author
About the Collaborators
Lisa Tuttle
Lisa Tuttle began writing science fiction at an early age, and sold her first story before her nineteenth birthday, after six weeks at the Clarion Science Fiction Writing Workshop where Kate Wilhelm was one of the tutors. Her first novel, Windhaven, was written in collaboration with George R.R. Martin. Subsequently she has written another dozen novels and many short stories, gathered into eight collections. A novella, My Death, was recently reprinted as an NYRB Classic.
Luke Hillestad
Luke Hillestad is a classical figurative oil painter from New Ulm, Minnesota. His work is currently with galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Minneapolis and is in museum and private collections around the world. He studied with Odd Nerdrum from 2008-2013 and works in the traditions of Rembrandt and Titian.
Matching Numbers & Letters
A Matching Pre-Order email is sent to owners of our previous publication (Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator) at 9:00 A.M. PT on the day of announcement. If you did not receive the email, contact us here. If your order is not received before the deadline, your designated number or letter will be assigned to the new owner.
Order Limits
Please be aware of the order limits for our editions. You can read more about this in the Order Limits article on our support site.
Illustrations by Luke Hillestad Printed Giclée in the Numbered & Lettered States.
Published editions may differ slightly from mockups and prototype designs.
Illustrations © 2024 by Luke Hillestad