=== And you have to wonder how many people became liberals after reading "Stranger in a Strange Land" too.
Why? (Just out of curiosity). That and the Moon is a Harsh Mistress seem to be the two most popular among folks I know.
(I've read a lot of James Branch Cabell but never any Heinlein. Not a lot of Heinlein turnover secondhand. =)
Stranger in a Strange Land belongs to the second sort of Heinlein novels. The first sort are wonderful stories about human resolve and conquering the future. The second sort are... well, I can't get through them.
Check your local used bookstore. Not a lot of Heinlein but you can usually find one or two. Or the bookstore. In general, look for a publication date in the 40s and 50s, most of his best stuff was written then. As an adult, I would recommend "Moon is a Harsh Mistress", "Double Star", "The Door Into Summer", and "Starship Troopers" as starters. The juveniles are wonderful but best if you either already like Heinlein, or encountered them in middle school.