STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert Heinlein

 Finished Fr 2/10/23

When I finished 'THE SECOND SON' by Charles Sailor it reminded me so much of the theme of Heinlein's novel that I had to reread it. I looked for my copy, but it was nowhere to be found. I got this for the Kindle and it was only five bucks. 

This was also a novel that dealt with a 'new messiah'. 

Sailor's book was more about how the existing institutions (religions & government) would deal with a new manifestation of 'god' and Heinlein's theme was about how people's lives would change after this cosmic occurrence. 

I liked both books, but 'STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND' is the better novel. I can't believe that Heinlein wrote and released this book in 1962. It is truly before its time. 

I think Heinlein did not identify with his main character, Valentine Michael Smith, as much as he did the character of Jubal Harshaw. The gruff, no-it-all, older gentleman who has 'seen and done it all' is more how the author probably viewed his own life.  

How Jubal treats the women in his life would cause a huge backlash if the novel had been released today. It seems that the role for women in 'STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND' is to be sexy, available, and instantly take the advice and counsel of the men in their social and professional circles.  

The sections of the novel that dealt with 'the Fosterites in Heaven' seemed like they didn't even belong in the story. It just made the whole thing seem unnecessarily odd. 

From the novel's review at The Guardian:

"Heinlein said he wanted to slaughter "the biggest, fattest sacred cows" of western society — chief among which is monogamy. Certainly the challenge Michael presents to conventional mores is provocative — and must have seemed especially so in 1961 — and it's all presented in an appealingly gentle way (with the exception of the fact that Jill, one of the lead characters, is prone to homophobia and saying things like: "nine times out of ten, if a girl gets raped it's partly her fault"). The lovey-dovey joy of Michael and his followers also provides an effective contrast with the more sharply barbed satires on religion and the media.

So yes, it's daft, but it's also thoughtful and generally good fun. Heinlein does have a tendency to lecture and harangue, but generally does an excellent job of making palatable some challenging ideas. You have to be a particular type of person to take these ideas entirely seriously, but as "an invitation to think — not to believe" (as the author once described it) Stranger From A Strange Land is a resounding success."