The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (original 1966; edition 2008)

Although I have never read this before their is something familure. Was this a modern book I would suggest that the authour had been infuenced by previous books I had read, But in this case it is them that have been infulenced by this novel.
This is the coloney seperating from the homeland novel, a now familure tale. We also have the all powerful computer, again often used in modern novels.
Ideas that surprised me were the role of women and the styles of marrage, these were not central to the story line but made for interesting thinking.
I was also interested in that the all powerful computer was not necessary killed but withdrew allowing for a happily ever after ending.
its a clasic for a reason ( )

Flat. That's precisely the word I would use to describe this book. It reads like one of those bad Soviet-era novels that exist solely to describe some political concept. I dislike books that are obviously technical manuals on how to build societies, they just don't make good fiction. It's a blow-by-blow account of a revolution, full of random details nobody cares to know. The characters I found pretty uninteresting. I honestly didn't care if their revolution would succeed or fail.

Another issue is the blatant sexism in this book. In the context of the society described in this book, it seems very odd to me that even though women have 'the choice' and a lot of power, they all seem to choose to stand next to 'their men' and keep quiet, or to stay in the kitchen and pop out babies. Even Wyoming is part of this revolution only because she thinks the Authority irradiated her ovaries and therefore she cannot have normal babies (and therefore be a good wife). ( )

9/2012 Fun to revisit this just as election season gets underway in the US. Makes me want to print up a TANSTAAFL! flag of my own. Brilliant with pockets of misogyny.


8/2011 The story is every bit as good as I remembered. I think that Heinlein had a huge impact when I was forming my own political opinions, and the Libertarian footprint of this book looms large in my philosophy. TANSTAAFL!

The worst part, as always, is the terribly sad ending. I'm braced for it, but it takes me apart every single time. Manny's bewilderment and sadness are so very real.

Bits come off as dated (how could RAH, of all people, fail to imagine a cordless phone?) but it's still one of the best.

The narrator was somewhat problematic for me. His accents were a little off, a little prone to slide from one character to the next, and he said 'TITAN' instead of 'TITIAN' hair.

5 stars for the story, 3 for the narration. ( )

I enjoyed this book about only a few people create revolution and change, and inspire their entire world to first defeat authority and then defeat earth. It was entertaining although parts of it rambled a little bit about all the technical details of revolution. I liked being taken to the very different world of the residents of the moon. An interesting read and one that seems not very far fetched according to the politics of today. ( )

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a political/sci-fi masterpiece. The book tells the story of Lunar (used to exile criminals and their families, once you adapt to life on the moon it was almost impossible to adjust back to the gravity of earth) and their struggle to become a free nation. Lunar while a place of criminals, political exiles or their descendants is like any other countries; yearning for liberty and to be free from the tyranny of their slaves. With the help of a supercomputer with a personality; Mycroft, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a well-paced, action charged, science fiction must-read. Without giving much away this book has a strong political message but done in such a way that the story and climax is never effected. ( )