Stranger in a Strange Land
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein is one of those
books I always felt like I ought to have read. It's an important piece
of classic sci-fi that almost any fan of the genre knows about. Even
before opening the book I was aware of the word "grok" and everything it
means.
Thankfully, I was also prepared for the incredible amount of sexism in this book. It's implicit, as in the opening chapters when all the doctors are men and all the women are nurses. Or in the fact that pretty much every man has a wife or female assisstant who does all those little domestic things for him. Or in the fact that, although there are plenty of strong, kick-ass women in this book, every single one of them is defined by her relationship to one of the men.
The sexism is also explicit in some areas. Women aren't allowed at the press conference or in the serious men's meeting to discuss the finances and future of the Man from Mars. They're allowed to bring food and drinks into the room, or take away empty plates, but they can't be present for the discussion. And for as much as the book celebrates free love, there's this sense woven throughout that women are still the property of men. That it's a man's job to be willing to share his woman with other men without getting jealous.
Despite all this, I never quite got angry enough to walk away from the book. There is some interesting philosophy in it. The way the Fosterites incorporate drinking, gambling, and dancing into their religious services was interesting. And the whole religion Mike set up was certainly thought-provoking (even as it was based on some patently false "truths", but that's sci-fi for you).
I guess what I'm saying is that this book is equal parts interesting and rage-inducing. I'm glad that I read it, that I now know what all the fuss is about. But I doubt I'll ever read it again.
Thankfully, I was also prepared for the incredible amount of sexism in this book. It's implicit, as in the opening chapters when all the doctors are men and all the women are nurses. Or in the fact that pretty much every man has a wife or female assisstant who does all those little domestic things for him. Or in the fact that, although there are plenty of strong, kick-ass women in this book, every single one of them is defined by her relationship to one of the men.
The sexism is also explicit in some areas. Women aren't allowed at the press conference or in the serious men's meeting to discuss the finances and future of the Man from Mars. They're allowed to bring food and drinks into the room, or take away empty plates, but they can't be present for the discussion. And for as much as the book celebrates free love, there's this sense woven throughout that women are still the property of men. That it's a man's job to be willing to share his woman with other men without getting jealous.
Despite all this, I never quite got angry enough to walk away from the book. There is some interesting philosophy in it. The way the Fosterites incorporate drinking, gambling, and dancing into their religious services was interesting. And the whole religion Mike set up was certainly thought-provoking (even as it was based on some patently false "truths", but that's sci-fi for you).
I guess what I'm saying is that this book is equal parts interesting and rage-inducing. I'm glad that I read it, that I now know what all the fuss is about. But I doubt I'll ever read it again.
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