Robert Heinlein’s Hugo Award-winning all-time masterpiece, the brilliant novel that grew from a cult favorite to a bestseller to a science fiction classic.Raised by Martians on Mars, Valentine Michael Smith is a human who has never seen another member of his species. Sent to Earth, he is a stranger who must learn what it is to be a man. But his own beliefs and his powers far exceed the limits of … exceed the limits of humankind, and as he teaches them about grokking and water-sharing, he also inspires a transformation that will alter Earth’s inhabitants forever…
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I could read this book again and again
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND is a SF classic, prolific SF writer (and pioneer of Young Adult Science Fiction) Robert A. Heinlein’s Big One — the novel that he wrote to showcase his Big Ideas, and cement his place in literary history. And that place is a picaresque about a human child raised by Martians, John Valentine Smith, who spends the first half of the book trying to find his place in America (well, it’s supposed to be Earth, but it’s a very American Earth!) — and when he does, he founds a religion based on an equal mix of Martian *grokking* (to think like a Martian is to consider a problem until you understand it like muscle memory, called “To *Grok* in Fullness”), American Revival Tent Evangelism, and Pure Carnival Hokum. While Johnny is the title character, he’s only one of the stars of this story — the other is Larger-Than-Life Writer/Doctor/Attorney Jubal Harshaw, who employs a revolving series of young attractive women to take dictation for his writing, and to work as a combination of Junior Counsel, Expert Witness and First Year Resident Doctor. If you think this guy sounds a bit familiar, it’s because he’s Heinlein’s Idealized Portrait of Himself in all his Razor-Sharp Minded, ex-Military Libertarian, Crusty but Brilliant Glory.
A classic.
This, relatively early sci-fi book has it all…original, creative, excellent character development & well written by a sci-fi master.
This was my first time ever experiencing this book. And though I loved Jubal Harshaw, the whole book felt long-winded at times. Maybe it was one of the first books about religion and sex, but that’s been done a million times now so it’s hard for me to experience it for the first time. I did like a lot of concepts in the book and felt it was worth the time put in to listen to a classic. Otherwise, I saw the ending coming and was disappointed with how humanity treated Valentine Michael Smith in his final hours, even if it was realistic. All in all, a classic must-read as long as you can put yourself back in Heinlein’s time.
A classic
A classic of Science Fiction. I have read it so many times I have lost count.
Heinlein is my all time favorite writer. He had the ability to wrap a lot of thought provoking up in a great entertaining story. While this was one of his most celebrated and successful novels it was never one of my favorites. While it had a few good characters, the story just never went anywhere that made sense to me. This novel is well worth reading but there are many better choices in his works.
Prophetic of the rise of televangelists is amazing.
One of the all-time greats of fantasy-science fiction.
Key book to understand the 60s
This is Robert Heinlein at his best. His character development is outstanding and humor runs through out. Serious at times but beautifully told.
I read this over 50 years ago. i have never forgotten the message.
This was one of the first Science Fiction novels I read (many years ago) and it still sticks in my mind as a great read. It made me think and question many of my beliefs, which is what a good book should do.
I’ve read several Heinlein books and had no problem reading to the end but I struggled to finish this book. The last quarter just seemed to lose focus.
Set the standard for science fiction realism. Grok!
this was a seminal book in its day.now I find it bit dated
One of my all time favorites. A must read for anyone who can handle sci-fi. Trust me, you’ll Grok it.
Loved this book from start to finish. I could not put it down. This is a book everyone should read. The whole story was so well put forth in the book, you can not like all people in the story!
Read it 50 years ago, and it has not lost its impact on me. One of the best science fiction stories ever written by one of the greatest SCIFI writers of all time.
Read it, you’ll like it.