"Humanity has encountered only one other species able to travel among the stars. This species, who call themselves the hwarhath, or "people", are also the only intelligent species so far encountered. Of course, we interest and puzzle and disturb each other.... As far as can be determined, the stories in this collection were all written after the hwarhath learned enough about humanity to realize how similar (and different) we are. Our existence has called into question many ideas about life and morality that most hwarhath would have called certain a century ago.... The collection is deliberately popular and accessible, intended for as wide a range of readers as possible. Because of this, some of the ordinary rules of scholarly translation have been ignored or modified. If we are to share the universe with other beings, we should make an effort-all of us-to understand them" --back cover.