I’ve read so many of Heinlein’s quotes on FR that I decided to read some of his books. I started with “Stranger in a Strange Land”, the uncut version. Based on your post, maybe I should have started with something else. The other one I have is “JOB: A Comedy of Justice”. Maybe I will give that a go later this month. After “Stranger”, I was not going to read anymore of his books because of the “hippie” factor.
Robert Heinlein old-fashioned? Never! He’s been ahead of us all for decades.
Knittnmom - Stranger in a Strange Land was the 1st book Heinlein wrote after his stroke. His books got progressively more ‘odd’. Read his early books. I read ‘Podkayne of Mars’, about a teenage girl, when I was 14. Perfect introduction to science fiction! ‘The Moon is a Harsh Mistress’ is his best work. I consider it undervalued, and one of the best books of the 20th century.
I’m a huge RAH fan but I confess that I just skip his books from the 70’s on. Too much sex and woo-woo stuff for me. But his earlier stuff is gold! As already noted, THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS may be his best book, and it’s well worth reading. I also love STARSHIP TROOPERS (a very good book turned into a wretched movie that had nothing to do with the book except the name), HAVE SPACESUIT, WILL TRAVEL, and just so much of his early stuff. Worth another look!
“After ‘Stranger’, I was not going to read anymore of his books because of the ‘hippie’ factor.”
If you want to wash the hippie out of your brain, check out “Starship Troopers,” which is infinitely better than the travesty of a movie it spawned. The absolute best, however, is “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress,” my favorite libertarian novel.