Stranger in a Strange Land is a science fiction novel about the first human born on Mars who was raised by Martians and then brought back to earth once it was possible. This man, Valentine Micheal Smith, has a difficult time understanding earth people's conventional thinking about many things, especially with sex and religion. After being a celebirty for much of his first years on earth, he and a nurse whom he befriended begin travelling all over the country, meeting various intresting people, with each one having an effect on Valentine's understanding of the world. Eventually, he begins to understand religion and the concept of God and establishes his own church where everyone belongs to everyone, meaning that the typical sermon would consist of a massive sex orgy. Starting this religon causes the government and most people to begin viewing Valentine more and more as sick and public outrage against him grew, despite the fact that everyone in his church was immensely more happy and healthy than those not in it. The novel ends with Valentine calling a giant meeting of all members of his church who watch as he goes outside to be stoned to death by those who hate him, all the while saying how he loved them all, a clear refrence to Jesus and his crucifixtion. This book was a masterpiece of revolutionary ideas and full of symbolism and is truly one of the best science fiction novels of all time.

Our book group wanted to try a classic sci-fi title but this probably wasn't the best choice. Most could not even finish it. A couple of us who had read it many years ago thought the rereading didn't improve it any. Disliked the role of women in the book and felt it just seemed dated. ( )

Easily in my top 10 list. Sweet, funny, enlightening, tragic, thought provoking. This is one that I've ready over and over and still, every time I read it I discover something new. ( )

I just re-read for the SF & Fantasy book club. I've read it a dozen times over the years. Worth the time & was no effort. It's incredible to me that he captured the 60's so well & it was first published in 1961. It would have been a lot less shocking toward the end of that decade, but he actually foresaw so much of the societal upheaval we had. Typical of Heinlein, one of his main characters is a crusty old genius, Jubal Harshaw, who pontificates a fair amount & he kept his sexual revolution within limits that I could accept, unlike his works a decade later & beyond. He takes our basic preconceptions about society & religion out & examines them closely, often through Jubal's cynical POV (which I often agree with, so I like it). I can never put mine back unchanged. It helps to read this occasionally, if only to gain some perspective to look at my current society.As an SF novel, he does have his gadgets, but leaves the science of their workings to our imaginations. In other words, he doesn't date his work with a lot of pseudo-science that is outdated. It helps this book stand the test of time a lot better. While the setting is sometime in the near future, it easily stays that way - it has since I first read it 35 years or so ago, anyway.He also has Psi powers, which are available to any person who has the intellect & discipline to learn the Martian language & logic systems. The characters are interesting, if not particularly deep or complex. A lot is left up to the reader, which I prefer. He sketches the outline & let's me fill the character in with my own prejudices. Occasionally, he swats them down.All in all, it's an excellent book & a must read. ( )

Powerful look at earth and its culture from an outside perspective. ( )