Stranger in a Strange Land

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Summary: Close-minded conservative loves Stranger in a Strange Land!
Review: The fascinating thing about SiaSL is that it slowly but inevitably draws you away from the "normal" world. We start off with a wrecked spaceship, not a particularly new idea. Then we find that a boy survived on it--a little more surprising. Then we get into a kidnapping and a suspenseful adventure yarn. But just when things seem back to normal, we find that young Mike has learned to "send things away"--make them disappear. Oh well, I won't go into the whole story, but by the time it's over, it will have shocked your socks off! This is the classic novel starting from a small idea and taking it to sometimes unpleasant, always disturbing, but more or less inevitable conclusions.

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Summary: Should be read by everyone
Review: I read Stranger in a Strange Land when I was in was in Middle School, and was recently re-assigned the novel for AP English. The few years difference in maturity has made all the difference. This is the essential science fiction work; both entertaining and a comment on culture, religion, sexuality, and humanity in general. If you're a closed minded conservative, be prepared to be shocked. Heinlein will touch on subjects that you will view as taboo. If you're a little more open-minded, you may actually find that Heinlein can be hysterically funny, in a cynical sort of way. Either way or another, the message can't be ignored. Can you grok it?

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Summary: You either hate it, or absolutely love it.
Review: I love this book. It took me forever to read this book, not because it was boring, the exact opposite. I couldn't get enough of it, I would read chapters and senteces over again untill I could almost recite every word, I loved the plot and the way the story was put together. It is a true masterpiece. It really got my started into philosophy and opened my eyes to alot of things. This book probably changes the lives of most people who read it, I had some of my friend's read it and they loved it too. I can see how this is so popular and gets such great reviews. It is in my opinion one of the all time best books ever written. If your thinking about reading this, stop thinking and just buy it. you won't be dissapointed. I'm buying a new copy because mine is so beat up from lending it to my friends and me reading it over.

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Summary: An incredible book/experience
Review: The unnabridged version of Stranger in a Strange Land was the second Heinlein book I ever read(the first being Door into Summer), and it was one of the most rewarding books I have ever read. Since then I have read several of his short stories(I loved "And He Built a Crooked House"), and several of his larger novels(Number of the Beast being one of them). I have never been dissapointed while reading a Heinlein story, but this one still stays on the top of my list. From the Mars expedition to the mob at the end, this story is an artistic triumph. I only wish that Heinlein had used Valentime Michael Smith in some of his other stories.

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Summary: One of the most incredible novels ever written...
Review: So much has been said and written about this groundbreaking book that I'll keep this short. It never ceases to amaze me to think that Heinlein wrote this decades ago, before I was born! An amazing exploration into the nature of humanity and existence, as revealed to us by Michael Valetine Smith. Long live the Man from Mars and his real life counterpart, Robert Heinlein. And remember, gentle readers, "Thou Art God"...

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Summary: still a great book
Review: I read this in college 25 years ago and just reread it. There is definitely a period piece aspect to it. At the time the commune seemed similar to much of what the culture was preaching. Now it seems quaint and naive. Also, now I can see Heinlein's libertarian views more clearly than I did then. I dont think the Hippie movement will restart, but this was and is great escapist literature.

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Summary: It's obvious that Heinlen has all the solutions
Review: Hmmm...let's see. According to Heinlen, all it takes for a communist, free-love type of society to function perfectly is an unlimited pool of cash and the development of psychic powers! Why didn't we think of this before? The idea that people actually set up communes based on this book makes me ill. Still, it's a compelling story, when the reader is allowed not to be overwhelmed by Heinlen's sledgehammer of philosophy.

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Summary: Irrelevant
Review: I did not enjoy this book. If I were shallow and had no exposure to the world then perhaps this book would move me as it apparently moved others. I found it tedious and bizarre with little bearing on reality. The redeeming feature that apparently moves people is that it exposes the same bad characteristics of humanity that have been recorded for thousands of years beginning with the old testament. I would pass on this book.

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Summary: Excelent!!! I couldn't put it down.
Review: This book is all about man's fear of the unknown. In this book a man who was born on mars, and brought up by martians is brought back to earth, and creates havoc by teaching a new way of thinking. I belive this book is Heinlein's way of telling us how pitiful we really are. A long time ago withces were burned at the stake for "wichcraft". When in reality all they were doing was following a new way of thinking that eventualy became comon. In the early 19th centruy, doctors did not wash their hands because they did not know about germs, and when they found out, they refused to belive it. Stranger in a Strange Land is an excelent tale of how this can happen, and probably will happen in modern society. We think that we are above prejudices and the like, but are we???

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Summary: One of the Best Books of all time.
Review: Required reading for anyone interested in science fiction, especially for anyone interested in the late great Robert A. Heinlein. The book details the adventures and misadventures of a one Valentine Michael Smith who was raised on Mars after the expedition that he was born on failed. After returning to earth on the next expedition to Mars, he falls into the hands of a power-hungry world chief. He escapes from those in power, who are after vast financial and political assets he controls by accident of fate. During and after his escape he learns more and more about the people of his genetic heritage, including something which he thinks is unique to humans in all of the universe: laughter. He then uses his wisdom learned of both worlds to found not a religion, but an advanced school of thought. People who learn at this school (called the "Church of all Worlds" so that his teachings can be more easily dismissed by his opposition) find health, hapiness, and abilities which rival Nietzsche's opinion of the "superman". What he leaves behind could well be the beginning of the next stage of human evolution. Heinlein maintains his legendary literary abilities in this excellent novel.