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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780441788385
ISBN number: 0441788386
Label: Ace Trade
Manufacturer: Ace Trade
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 528
Printing Date: October 01, 1991
Publishing house: Ace Trade
Sale Popularity Level: 5607
Studio: Ace Trade
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
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 very 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 very 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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Rated by buyers 
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"Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein was written at the peak of his writing abilities. This novel was, I believe, his best selling book. I rate this among my ten best reads. Heinlein actually affected the pop culture of the sixties with this novel. This is one case where even the critics of the time in the Sunday Afternoon Newspaper, mostly, raved over a science-fiction novel.
There are stretches of text where Heinlein seems to go on and on, but they are pertinent and worthwhile (as is the 'act within an act' in Shakespear's Hamlet).
While this is an adult novel with adult themes, it is relatively mild along those lines by the standards of 2008. However, Heinlein always had an ability to upset prudes, fundamentalist Christians, and other easily upset folks and that side of him does show in this novel.
Read this book. It is captivating.
Rated by buyers 
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Robert Heinlein's Stranger In A Strange Land is one of those books I've had on my need to read list for nearly twenty years. The problem is I've never been a big sci fi fan, at least in terms of writing. Due to the power of image over word sci fi is the one genre where the nostrum of the film never equaling the book is untrue. The prime example of this is 2001: A Space Odyssey, where Arthur C. Clarke's book, while arguably great, pales to Stanley Kubrick's film, even though both works evolved collectively.
The novel has been hailed not only for its tale, but being a sort of guide to the 1960s morés, written by a notoriously politically conservative figure in Heinlein. Published in 1961 the story is about a human raised on Mars who becomes a Messianic figure, yet unlike the Christ myth the novel never quite makes certain whether its Messiah is good or evil....Still, the book is a very good read, an example of a good idea and solid narrative leading to excellence. A little more realistic characterization, and a trimming of some excess tropes would have made it a great book. The single most obvious example would have been the fleshing out of Mike's motives- not all, but some. On the other hand it could be argued that the whole of the book, much like Ursula LeGuin's The Lathe Of Heaven, is a fantasy- the only question is whether it's Mike's, Jubal's, or the Old Ones' fantasy. In that case Mike's blandness is the vicissitude of dream- strange, but a land we all know.
Rated by buyers 
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With books like "Ender's Game," "Dune," The "Foundation" books, and "Rendezvous with Rama" how can anybody claim this is the greatest sci-fi novel ever written? Aside from a mostly undescribed trip to Mars, aliens, and superpowers in a human, I don't even see how this could be considered sci-fi in the very first place. After reading it, I looked at the copyright date: 1961. Then I thought, "What, did this start the hippie free-love movement????" Sure enough, it did.
Sure, Heinlein wrote it to stimulate some critical thought. And his goal was apparently to have you question conventional social mores. But to me, the new life described is a bit extreme, and depends totally on the influence of an almost magical messiah-type figure from another planet. In other words, it is against human nature. The result sounds fun, but it would be anarchy and unsustainable en masse.
I give it 2 stars, because I thought it was overrated, though relatively well-written. I'll concede it's part of the sci-fi canon, but I recommend other titles for "best!"
Rated by buyers -
This book is absolutely amazing. Draws you in from the very very first page, and after reading it, it leaves you with no questions, but a very insightful look into human nature.
Once you pick it up you will find it hard to put it down to do things like sleep or go to work.
Rated by buyers -
For it's time I could see why it started such a stir, but it wasn't the mind altering experience I thought it would be. A good read if you can pick it up for free, but I don't know I'd buy my own copy.
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