Comfort reading

Robert Heinlein has to be one of my all time favorite authors. He was the first of the "hard'' Science fiction writers I read. I've read just about all of his 'juvenile"novels, you know the ones aimed at younger readers. His writing style for some people is a bit pedestrian. It's conversational for lack of a better term. Philosophically he always struck me (in his books anyway) as what we would now call a Libertarian. Most of the books I read of his from the late fifties up until the late sixties were pretty straight forward, populated by square jawed rugged individuals that persevered and overcame. Just the sort of stories a young confused and dreamy eyed young whipper snapper needed to feed his ravenous imagination. I spent many a trip to the College Hill branch library scanning the shelves for the likes of Farmer in the Sky,Rocket Ship Galileo, Red Planet, Star Beast and Between Worlds.

Then around 1966 I read a book of his called Stranger in a Strange Land . I am currently reading it for the third time. It's a comfort read so to speak. This book put a lot of crazy ideas in my head. It made me ask a lot of questions of myself. A lot seeds were planted, a lot of doubts sown. This book really started me down the the path of Agnosticism. All the doubts grew and eventually I had to admit that I could no longer believe. After a few years I could no longer maintain the self disillusionment. I could no longer deceive my self. It was the beginning of a process that in a way is still raging inside of me.

I don't think that any one would consider Heinlein's writing as great prose. To be sure there are at least several science fiction writers that are probably better(David Brin for one or William Gibson ). But the man could write a ripping good yarn. He was always entertaining, scientifically sound for the most part and at his best he made you think. He made you confront some really big questions. So any way, reading it again is like a visit from an old familiar friend or a bowl of cream of tomato soup on a cold day. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Recommended reading: Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers(avoid the movie like the plague and the abysmal straight to video sequels.) Citizen of the Galaxy and Glory Road, Orphans of the Sky, Methuselah's Children, Time Enough For love

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