Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★★ (4.7/5)
Genre: Science Fiction, Classic, Philosophy

Book Review:
Robert A. Heinlein's ''Stranger in a Strange Land'' is not merely a science fiction novel; it is a cultural phenomenon, a book that ''shaped the sensibilities of a generation,'' as the Boston Globe noted. This original uncut version restores the author's complete, unexpurgated vision, offering readers the full, groundbreaking experience of a masterpiece.

The story follows Valentine Michael Smith, a human born on Mars and raised by Martians, who is brought to Earth as a young man. Completely innocent of human customs, he possesses extraordinary mental powers and a worldview shaped by an alien culture. His journey of discovery becomes a profound and often satirical exploration of human society, religion, sexuality, and love.

Heinlein introduces concepts that have since become legendary in the science fiction lexicon. ''Grokking,'' the Martian verb meaning to understand something so completely that one becomes one with it, entered the English language. The rituals of ''water-sharing'' and the philosophy of ''Thou art God'' challenged conventional thinking and resonated deeply with the counterculture of the 1960s.

This uncut version is particularly significant. As Kurt Vonnegut wrote in The New York Times Book Review, the 60,000 words that were cut from the original 1961 manuscript for economic reasons are now ''at last taking their rightful place in the body of world literature.'' Their restoration more explicitly reveals Heinlein's views on human sexuality, women's issues, and geopolitics, providing a richer and more complete picture of his visionary ideas.

The book's enduring popularity is a testament to its power. The Library Journal called it ''one of the most popular science fiction novels ever published,'' and the Wall Street Journal rightly hailed Heinlein as ''one of the grand masters of science fiction.''

''Stranger in a Strange Land'' is a must-read for any serious fan of science fiction. It is a witty, profound, and deeply human story that challenges readers to question their own assumptions and to consider what it truly means to be human. A timeless classic, now finally complete.