The Moon is a Harsh Mistress…for as long as I have known who Robert Heinlein is, which probably dates back to my teens, I have loved the title of this book. I would rank it at or very near the top of my favorite book titles. It is a sauve title that rolls off the tongue and at the same time has something of a pulp feel to it.
It is rapidly approaching All Hallow’s Eve and I have a good share of gothic reading yet to do, not to mention the other books that I am currently engrossed in (see ‘Currently Reading’ in sidebar)…so why am I talking about science fiction?
Well, I was perusing Sci Fi Chick’s site yesterday and noticed that she had checked this book out from the library. In reading her post it turns out that Bellezza is broadening her horizons and boldly going into the genre of science fiction and has decided to try a little Heinlein. Although I actually read much more fantasy than science fiction I still claim it as my favorite genre, being one I continue to enjoy immensely as well as being the genre that cemented my love of reading as a wee lad. Bellezza has issued a challenge: to join her in reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and to discuss it on her site starting the 28th. I hesisitate to do this mostly because I haven’t quite finished my R.I.P. Challenge. In all honesty I have read more than 5 books for this already and have told numerous participants that substituting books in their original list is fine but for some reason I am feeling guilty about doing this myself. At the same time my last book, The Mystery of the Sea, is one that has always felt more like a cold weather book to me and so I have been reluctant to start it.
So…I’m going to go ahead and join in. I have not read any Heinlein this year and I have really enjoyed his works that I have read in the past. Plus there is a Kansas City connection there. I have had this book for several years now and I am really in the mood for some science fiction. Hopefully I can get this done within the next week, especially considering the fact that I am still up to my neck in all things Middle-earth: I started The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien the other day and am loving it.
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Is anyone else messed up like I am? Wait…that is a retorical question!!! I mentioned a few days ago how being sick, in combination with some unseasonably cold weather, had me in November-Lord of the Rings mode. What I didn’t mention is that the same weather had me singing Christmas carols all day. Yesterday was the same way. There was a chill in the air and a scent in the air that was very reminiscent of December. It has been hard to resist walking around the house singing Christmas songs. In fact for a brief moment I was doing my best Judy Garland impression with ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ last night! Thank God I have the Tarts Halloween party coming up next week and hopefully a hayride this weekend so I can get back on track emotionally/psychologically. If not I may find myself going Griswold much, much earlier than normal this year!!!
I didn’t hearing any Christmas tunes yesterday. How disappointing. Good luck on the
Heinlein book. There’s no way I can squeeze in another book right now though especially
since I had to pass up on CAPTAIN QUIRK! 🙂
I read “Stranger in a Strange Land” for a college project a few years ago. Good stuff.
Yes, I think you disappointed Jerry yesterday!!! 😉
Enjoy the Heinlein. I won’t join in, tho I’ll certainly listen in on the discussion. I read it years ago, and ca’t say it’s worth a reread at the moment.
But please stop with the Christmas carols already.
I’ll try Isabella, I’ll try! Its hard though because I already have it scheduled to put up the Christmas lifhts and tree on my birthday weekend which is just a month from now. All I need is a few flakes of snow to tip me over the edge!!!
yea, glad you’re joining in!
I heard my first christmas song last night on tv, am NOT ready for it for various reasons.
Stranger in a Strange Land is one of my all time fav books 🙂
I’m not actually ready for it yet either. Want to savor Halloween and the month of November first, but I do love the holiday season and will embrace it as early as is sane to do so.
Time Enough for Love is my favorite Heinlein book. I have read and enjoyed Friday and Number of the Beast as well.
Haven’t read Stranger only because it seemed to be very 70’s oriented and for some reason didn’t appeal to me. I need to read it sometime though since it seems to be his most popular work.
Okay, well, I wasn’t singing Christmas carols today, but I did do some Christmas shopping.
Does that count?
I love not only the title of the Heinlen book, but the cover as well.
I couldn’t find a good picture of the cover, it actually looks much better. Both the earth and part of the moon are actually a cool shade of blue that looks really good against the black. I like this cover as well.
I’ve done some Christmas shopping planning already and will start shopping soon.
“The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” is one of my favorite book titles as well. So is “Stranger in a Strange Land.” But Heinlein also came up with a few stinkers, like “Space Cadet” and “Starship Troopers.” I own “Starship Troopers,” but in all honesty, the title is what’s keeping me from reading it. That, and my friend didn’t like the book.
One of these days I’ll get around to it. Promise.
I haven’t read Starship Troopers simply because I thought the movie was horrible. I was expecting something different at the time. I might like it more with a second viewing knowing what it is but just can’t bring myself to waste precious minutes that way.
i started reading it at lunch today.. a few chapters.. it’s not looking good for me.
the style of speach, taking out the’s and a’s is really annoying.
and unless the story starts to pick up, i’m going to get bored very quickly.
I started it as well and its not bothering me too much yet, I assume it is just this specific character who talks this way….and I’m assuming he is the computer character but I haven’t read enough to know.
If truth were told, Carl, I’m not all the way finished with my R.I.P. challenge either. I have one more to go. Is it cheating to substitute The Moon Is …? It seems a little eerie to me. I love the very beginning, where the computer “plays a joke” and gives away “ten million billion American dollars to a class-seventeen employee.” What a riot! I’d love to be a computer and mess up things on purpose sometimes! I have the same cover as the one you pictured on my copy; it is quite beautiful. I am looking forward to discussion with whomever wishes to join in.
I’m really liking it so far. It is a little different trying to get past the language but that’s okay. I look forward to discussing it as well. I also would like the computer to make a mistake like that in my favor…so long as I didn’t ever have to turn around and pay it back.
I haven’t read Heinlein in ages but I do so enjoy him. I agree that The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is one of the best titles ever. Except I can’t remember if I’ve read it. That’s disturbing. Maybe that just means I have to read it again. Unfortunately I have too many books in progress or next up to do it right now. Sigh.
I love the sense I’m getting that Heinlein is poking fun at technology. One of the things I want to do, in my post on the 28th, is to look at what was going on in America in 1966 when this book was published. I was only five, so I don’t remember much, but it seems to me that he’s jesting at Russians (Sputnik) as well as Americans. Maybe it’s mankind in general, I’m not that far. But I see a wonderful edge of satire threading its way through the part I’ve read.
I was 2 years from being born in 1966 so I have even less of an idea than you do about what was going on then!
Don’t yell. I “think” I “may” have read a Heinlein book back when I was an unrespecting teenager…
So, Carl, that makes you the same age as my little brother. 😉 I’m getting past the strange sentence structure, especially as the inside flap said Heinlein wrote that way in anticipation of dialect in 2027. So interesting, to change the rules of our language in one’s writing…
It reminds me of a Russian speaking broken English. Maybe Heinlein thought Russia would have taken over the world by 2027!
This is why I love talking books; even if one doesn’t necessarily LOVE the book they are reading, a piercing comment can make it come to live. I never thought of that excellent view: Russian take over, because of course there was that fear in the 60’s. And, I do LOVE this book. It’s fascinating. So, more talk on the 28th.
I am an old Robert Heilein fan from the 70’s Ahhhhh! yes, I am that old. I think I have read them all. Stay in touch. I sent you an email no reply hmmm.
Which email address did you send it to Cynthia? I’ll go back and make sure my filter didn’t delete it or something because I don’t recall getting one from you. You’re not that old Cynthia, Jenn See was quite a bit younger than me and I don’t consider my mother old!