Heinlein Lives

It is no secret that I am a fan of Robert Anson Heinlein. I have read, as far as I know, every published word of his. I encountered The Moon is a Harsh Mistress on a book table at a Libertarian Party Convention in Cleveland in 1972 or 1973. I had never heard of Heinlein at the time, but the title intrigued me and I bought the book.

I have read a lot in my life. I can safely say that no other author, in any genre, has given me as much pleasure as Heinlein -- even Ayn Rand, another author whose works were influential in my life. Like Rand, Heinlein had ideas. While he was sorting out what might work and what might not in his own life, he had his characters deal with many of the same issues. Heinlein believed in personal responsibility, that women were equal to (but not the same as) men, and he could tell a hell of a story.

Bellezza and some of her blogger friends are reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and will be commenting on the book on her blog, over the coming weeks. I hope they like it as much as I did and that they will become Heinlein fans as much as I am. To anyone who might not like The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, don't give up on Heinlein based on that one book. Try something like Stranger in a Strange Land or Time Enough for Love or I Will Fear No Evil. Heinlein even wrote numerous books for teenagers, like Rocket Ship Galileo, Have Space Suit—Will Travel, Farmer in the Sky, and Starman Jones.

Good reading, everyone!