Stranger in a Strange Land

(No Spoilers) Robert A. Heinlein is considered among the most prolific science fiction authors of all time. He was one of the first to unleash science fiction to the mainstream world, and he broke boundaries that most authors of the time wouldn't dare to cross. Unfortunately, his counter culture and sexual revolution ideas are outdated in the modern era. In fact, portions of the book are misogynistic and offensive. I'd never read Heinlein before, and I give him a lot of leeway due to his era, but my inner feminist yelled at me while I read Stranger in a Strange Land. The book is about Valentine Michael Smith, the Man from Mars who is brought to Earth under odd circumstances and attempts to acclimate to society. Mike is a wonderful character, but the light really shines on Jubal, the lawyer/writer/philosopher who takes in Mike and becomes a surrogate father. I found myself able to empathize with Jubal, to understand and befriend him. Whereas I found Mike to be too alien. But perhaps that was Heinlein's point. The female characters in the book are one-dimensional or purely there so male characters have someone to fornicate with. I found nothing to attach me to the heroine, Jill, or the various other women. If you can get past the misogynist tendencies, you'll find Stranger in a Strange Land to be an eye opening novel about the human condition. Our hate for things different, our resistance to change, and our ability to blindly follow a crowd. Heinlein uses science fiction and his characters to touch on politics, religion, and sexual repression. Things that at the time of his writing were at the forefront of revolutionary thought. If nothing else, Stranger in a Strange Land demonstrates the roots of science fiction and how the pen can move to change the world. Just put a muzzle on your inner feminist and take it for what it is. (3 Stars)

One of best and most representative of Heinlein's works. Some people don't get the point is to question preconceptions and to think through the meanings in the book. The whole story is so "meta", done way before that was a meme. Or better said, good books were that way before society had to create the symbol to understand the idea. I've read this book a million times and are reminded about lessons I have learned and should never have forgotten. I'll probably read it a million times more. First among equals, in my mind, with the likes of Dune and Lord of the Rings.

I used to like this book. The older I get, the more this book annoys me. Jubal is nosy and overbearing. Other characters are thin wrappers for Heinlein's vicarious hedonistic would-be immortal fantasies, just like every Heinlein book. At least some of Heinlein's other best sellers are good, if you skip all the father-daughter humping. The plot starts off ok and devolves into Age of Aquarius mindless fembot sex cult by the end, but TO SAVE EARTH.