| Stranger in a Strange Land | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 545 reviews)
Sales Rank: 89238
Category: Book
Author: Robert A. Heinlein
Publisher: Ace
Studio: Ace
Manufacturer: Ace
Label: Ace
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 448
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 0441790348
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780441790340
ASIN: 0441790348
Publication Date: May 15, 1987
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
One of the greatest science fiction novels ever published, Stranger in a Strange Land's original manuscript had 50,000 words cut. Now they have been reinstated for this special 30th anniversary trade edition. A Mars-born earthling arrives on this planet for the first time as an adult, and the sensation he creates teaches Earth some unforgettable lessons. "A brilliant mind-bender."--Kurt Vonnegut.
Amazon.com Review
Stranger in a Strange Land, winner of the 1962 Hugo Award, is the story of Valentine Michael Smith, born during, and the only survivor of, the first manned mission to Mars. Michael is raised by Martians, and he arrives on Earth as a true innocent: he has never seen a woman and has no knowledge of Earth's cultures or religions. But he brings turmoil with him, as he is the legal heir to an enormous financial empire, not to mention de facto owner of the planet Mars. With the irascible popular author Jubal Harshaw to protect him, Michael explores human morality and the meanings of love. He founds his own church, preaching free love and disseminating the psychic talents taught him by the Martians. Ultimately, he confronts the fate reserved for all messiahs. The impact of Stranger in a Strange Land was considerable, leading many children of the 60's to set up households based on Michael's water-brother nests. Heinlein loved to pontificate through the mouths of his characters, so modern readers must be willing to overlook the occasional sour note ("Nine times out of ten, if a girl gets raped, it's partly her fault."). That aside, Stranger in a Strange Land is one of the master's best entertainments, provocative as he always loved to be. Can you grok it? --Brooks Peck
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| Customer Reviews: Read 540 more reviews...
 A book that everyone, regardless of genre preferences, should read January 5, 2009
Stranger In a Strange Land is one of the best books I've ever read. While I have been a big fan of science fiction for many years, this is the first Heinlein book I've read, and I regret not having read any of his works before now. However, I would not necessarily classify Stranger as a purely science fiction work. It is a book that spans many genres.
In this novel, Heinlein exposes the evil inherent in the human race, but shows that there is hope. The society that Valentine Michael Smith offers to his fellow humans is absolutely beautiful. I wish that the human race as a whole could actually live this way, although it is, unfortunately, likely impossible.
Stranger in a Strange Land is a novel that everybody should experience. It is a philosophical musing that exposes the reader to a poignant, touching utopia, a possibility for the human race whose hope surpasses that of any other work I've read. It should be approached with an open mind and with the ability to, if applicable, set one's conservative moral values aside and see the inherent beauty of the world that Heinlein has created. Read it and ponder Heinlein's world. You will not regret it.
 A Must Read for the Sci-Fi Connoisseur December 30, 2008
I can grokk it, but that doesn't mean that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The groupie-come-cultish morality of the story put a damper on what was an inspiring plot. Understandably, religion and potlics are inescapable evils under such a scenario, however, Michael never attains a human quality that renders emotional catharsis -or even- the associative experience readers expect share with their protagonist on their journey. Always an outsider looking in, Michael may have grokked the typical american, but I doubt that the typical human could have possibly grokked Michael without getting creeped out. Other than the value of this text as a plausible case of socio-economic and religious impact for a sci fi work, it's only other redeming quality is it's historical recognition as a forerunner for better works by others. Heinlein did it first.
The best and most imaginative of Heinlein's fiction December 27, 2008
Heidlein's vigorous imagination is on full display in STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. At first a 'fish out of water' tale that transforms into a rather ironic messiah account, it is arguably his best work. It sometimes reads like a blue print for founding one's own religion, but as a not so subtle critique of nuclear families, traditional western organized religion (Christianity), capitalist society, as well as psychology, it works quite well and is still provocative many years later. It deserved the HUGO award that it won as much now as in 1962.
While many of its key principles and postulates fail in practicality, the core questions asked are worth asking. While this reviewer personally disagrees very much with Heinlein on a broad spectrum of things, asking tough questions and presenting alternatives to the norms accepted in society has always been at the core of the best science fiction. Worthy as these questions are, many of Heinlein's proposed solutions are problematic.
If anything was learned in the 60-70s, it is that group 'families' founded on free love (a contradiction of terms) fail because we (the entire human race) are incapable of escaping our own corruption. Call it fallen, or simply call it selfishness, but regardless, we are not meant to live in relationships as Heinlein has described, nor will we ever.
Additionally, it is a common theme in science fiction to expect the human condition to drastically change through our acquisition of psychic powers. The same 'hard core' sci-fi writers and readers who will profusely argue against the existence of God (because, they say, there is no proof of His existence) will allege that humans at some point will develop these god like powers, despite there being nothing remotely close to evidence to support that contention. In fiction writing, this is simply Dues Ex Machina, and a way for Heinlein in this case, to give the protagonist a chance at establishing a subversive 'anti' church.
A book that is filled with many ideas, only some of them good, and an incredibly ironic look at Heinlein's ultimate agenda, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND is a science fiction classic that is a must read for any sci-fi fan.
Stranger in a Strange Land-Robert A. Heinlein December 14, 2008
This book is the undabridged version, which Robert A. Heinlein originally submitted to his editor. There were many cuts made and the book was published in the abridged version. Recently, I learned that Mr. Heinlein's wife had the unabridged version printed and went looking for this version, which I found on Amazon. Thanks, Amazon, for making it so easy to find this book.
I grok and cherish this book December 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book was a strange, fantastic trip, and is definitely one of Heinlein's best books. Unlike some of his other novels, the sex in this book actually fits in better. There are many points about religion and humanity brought up in this book, and many things to think about/chew on. The ending threw me for a total loop, but after a while, it made sense to me. If you're looking for a fantastic read, pick up this book!
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