I'm not generally a fan of short stories either, mostly because I like world building and characterisation while short stories tend to cut those (especially world building) in favour of plot. Le Guin's shorts stories are extremely accomplished though, especially in the two more recent collections that I mentioned. All her plots are driven primarily by world-building and then characterisation with plots that arise from those bases. There are whole worlds in the short stories and, yes, one in particular that I rly wish was a full length novel, although several of Le Guin's novel-length fictions are rly connected short stories anyway (e.g. Always Coming Home, Four Ways To Forgiveness, and Changing Planes).

From Elfland to Poughkeepsie is THE famous critical essay, reprinted in Language of the Night. The Dancing at the Edge of the World collection meant more to me but that was probably because I read it at a time when I was ready to get a lot out of it, rather than it being better/best.

Off to the library you go! :-D