Someone recommended that I skip straight to Tehanu, the last Earthsea book, and that was let me get Earthsea. I didn't actually follow that advice, I read all of the books in order, but knowing that I had Tehanu coming made it easier to get through the others.

It's not perfect, but I think where the other books are interesting but simple stories for children, Tehanu feels like it was written for those children as they've grown up - it's basically (without spoiling too much) the retirement and twilight years of characters from the rest of the series. And as a result, it feels like a more applicable or relevant story.