Posted on 04/09/2010 6:49:45 PM PDT by Publius772000
Ask most people about Starship Troopers, and, if they recognize the name at all, they’ll link it to the over-hyped 1997 film directed by Paul Verhoeven. This is unfortunate, as the film did no justice to the Heinlein text. My first acquaintance with the book came in 2003 when I found a 1959 copy in a flea market in Indian Springs, GA for the tidy sum of $5.
I’d never read the book before buying that copy, but I consumed it in a day. The writing was aimed at a young adult audience, but its themes resonate today, regardless of age.
The book, like the film, focuses on the exploits of Juan “Johnnie” Rico, a young high school graduate who decides to gain his citizenship through Federal Service. Heinlein’s post-20th century world is governed by a military republic where citizenship is attained through some form of service, primarily in the armed forces. Rico finds himself funneled into the Mobile Infantry, where he is trained to be a cap (capsule) trooper. During his training, the Earth enters a war against the “bugs” and the “skinnies,” two alien races. The book chronicles Rico’s journey from his entrance into Federal Service through his rigorous training and his time in officer’s school. Unlike the film, much of the book is set in Rico’s various classes throughout his training, most notably his courses on History and Moral Philosophy, which discussed the reasons behind conflict in general and the organization of the government in Rico’s time.
Heinlein’s book, which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960, was both praised and criticized by the science fiction community. Some argued that Heinlein, who was a 1929 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was recruiting for the military...
(Excerpt) Read more at theconstitutionalalamo.com ...
Book is fantastic, I’ve read it probably 20 times. Movie was stupid.
Being a government slave for a while will sure be a great benefit to liberty.
The movie had its moments, but the reason it was stupid was that it tried to make the world some sort of fascist propagandist dictatorship, which is not what Heinlein envisioned. I reread the book a couple of weekends ago in preparation for next school year’s discussion with my AP Gov’t class. I’ll likely read it again a couple of times over the summer as well.
You probably don’t need suggestions, then, but if I were assigning, I’d make sure the kids read the following, in order:
The Door into Summer
Farnham’s Freehold
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
They are all from the pre-Stranger period, which I vastly prefer.
Completely agree. I was uber disappointed and disgusted that they took a deeply philosophical book and turned it into a horrible action movie.
Really? I prefer to watch rocks move!
I love Heinlein. Great writer.
The most conservative/libertarian, pro-war version was part 3, NOT 1.
1) The govt in the middle of the war, kills the anti-war protestors who were doing everything in order to stop the “illegal” war between the insects and humans.
2) It was proven in the end that those “anti-war protestors” were actually lackeys of the media, which portrayed the troopers as killing insects “indiscriminately’.
2) Mostly Christian themed..believe it or not. Even the scene of “angels” coming down in 1 scene.
3) That the looney Christian, whom the others disrespected, was actually correct in the end. YeS, i said CHRISTIAN.
How this movie got past the censors and liberals in Hollywood is beyond me.
All great suggestions, but I also have to balance my summer reading requirements with those of the English classes, so I usually get one shot. I own a copy of The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, and have worn it out. It’s a relatively new copy, though, unlike my old copy of Starship Troopers, which I have to baby and, in fact, had to repair during my last read. I may have to break down and buy a new copy and retire my 1959 edition to the classics shelf.
Simak’s “CITY” is one of my top 5 favorites .
I never watched the 2nd or 3rd films after the ridiculous first movie. But I’ll take the suggestion into consideration ;)
The book was boring, the movie was hilarious and had excellent nudity. Do you want to know more?
That is so yesterday.
/grin
I think he wrote a short story about a gun shop. A great moral story on the right to bear arms.
In part 2, Kelly Carlson from Nip Tuck is fully nude in it. I hope that makes you consider..XD
I read Starship Troopers first, and absolutely loved the book.
I read Stranger next. It was good. It built really well, but I was somewhat disappointed in parts of it.
I'm trying to get into Time Enough for Love, but just can't get there. I think it's spring fever.
I'm just looking for book reviews on his other works. Suggestions on what to read, and why.
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