Books, books, bootiful books, bootiful pea green books

[altariel]

I went book splurging yesterday and, amongst other goodies, picked up three of Doris Lessing's Canopus in Argos series. Unfortunately, they are the middle three. I gather they're independent novels, so can I just dive in with these, or is it still better to wait until I find a copy of Shikasta before starting on them?

Also: Argos, heh. The future has a black ash finish.

I was also finally able to visit the alternative bookshop over the bridge on Mill Road (it's closed on Mondays, the day I'm usually down there, at the yumptious Black Cat Cafe). It delivered up two very cheap copies of The Dispossessed, the recent reprint with the brilliant cover. One has already found a home, but I feel like running a magazine-style competition, so if you'd like this spare, leave a comment explaining why you should have it, and I shall award it to the best answer. (ETA: juno_magic has really raised the stakes on this one!)

This also reminds me that I wanted to do a poll on the lines of "Bach? Or Beethoven?" about Le Guin novels. This is a chance for all those who answered WRONGLY on that poll to get their names off my "when the revolution comes" list. Such generous festive spirit!

[Poll #1109058]

Comments

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

All the times I've walked up and down Mill Road, and I've only just got 'Libra Aries'.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, me too, now you say it!

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

This is a chance for all those who answered WRONGLY on that poll to get their names off my "when the revolution comes" list. And anyone who gets it wrong a second time??? :)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I might not wait for the revolution ;-D

[copracat]

Hand to my heart, I cannot choose between them.

Re: Offering a Good Home to All Kinds of Books!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

*is awed beyond belief!*

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Good answer!

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I've read and enjoyed both, a lomg time ago (I ought to reread them). I voted for "The Left Hand", which I fear was probably the wrong answer. Of course, they are different animals, since the first is really fantasy (with some SF trappings) and the other is quite "hard" SF.

What I liked about "The Dispossessed" was that initially it seemed that we were being presented with a straight contrast between a Utopia and a Dystopia, and it only gradually became apparent that it was far more complex than that. In fact for a while Le Guin had me fooled into thinking that she actually approved of her "Utopia" and that she might actually see its faults as virtues.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I do like The Dispossessed, and was thinking of it only recently. Just not quite as much as I like The Left Hand of Darkness.

Re: Offering a Good Home to All Kinds of Books!

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

* applauds * I would send you my books if I could, you've shamed me. :)

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

I haven't read 'The Disposessed', only the other one. Does that make me a lost sheep in need of saving?

[muninnhuginn]

Also: Argos, heh. The future has a black ash finish.
I thought that was the 80s. It's when bought my stuff. Does that make me fashionable? (Winces at the thought of being fashionable in Argos' terms.)

I'm afraid I voted for The Left Hand of Darkness merely because of the "left" in the title. I'm otherwise indifferent/equally enamored.

Can lend missing Canopuses Canopi volumes of Canopus.

Re: Offering a Good Home to All Kinds of Books!

[septentrion1970.livejournal.com]

I wish I could be as eloquent.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Ooh, now that's a good pitch...

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

My answer to your poll question: Yes. :)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Resist categorization! Quite right too!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I might just take you up on that offer - thanks! Do you think I need to read them in sequence?

Re: Offering a Good Home to All Kinds of Books!

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

That must be the best reason I've ever got to read. *g*

Now if I didn't want to keep all my books for myself.... ;)

Re: Offering a Good Home to All Kinds of Books!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hope you do! How does one go about corralling books? Words just won't be controlled...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I should get round to reading LHoD. It's ages since I've read it. It didn't blow me away, the way that The Dispossessed did.

Re: Offering a Good Home to All Kinds of Books!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm SO not a poet. *g*

I really understand that sentiment!

Maybe book-keepers go to conferences? You know, for lectures and some discussions among colleagues? Would that be an interesting setting?

You know what I was imagining? A sort of terse shepherd, who doesn't say much, but knows his words inside-out.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I really like that ambiguity about The Dispossessed too. Most utopias are giving you the sales pitch, but TD examines all the flaws as well.

[muninnhuginn]

I don't know if reading them in sequence matters. Unusually for me, I did. I don't think it should be a problem. (But I read them as they came out in paperback and haven't gone back to them since so my memory may be playing tricks. And habitually read out of sequence.)

I can bring any missing tomes along to CWIL next time I get there.

Re: Offering a Good Home to All Kinds of Books!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I hadn't seen that before, that's a hoot!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Right, I'll take them away with me for Xmas. And thanks for the offer of the land! I won't be at CWIL till the New Year.