Thanks for a very thoughtful consideration of a book that I bought in hardcover when it was new, though I too could rarely afford such indulgences then, but I was really eager to read it. The feminist SF approach to conflict and cooperation you describe was very appealing to me, and it was one of the attractive qualities of this book.

I've long followed the practice of referring to authors as, in this case, Vonda when I'm talking about the persons I know, and McIntyre when I'm discussing the books they wrote.