altariel | Books, books, bootiful books, bootiful pea green books

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]