Robert A. Heinlein Books

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Robert A. Heinlein was an American author and aeronautical engineer that wrote science fiction. Born in 1907 in Butler, Missouri, the years Heinlein spent in Kansas City influenced his perception of the world.

But the author eventually abandoned the moral values instilled in him during his childhood. Heinlein attended the US Naval Academy and got married soon after his graduation.

The marriage dissolved a year later. The radical politics of his second wife, Leslyn Macdonald, influenced the author to the point where Isaac Asimov saw fit to call him a flaming liberal.

After serving on the USS Lexington and USS Roper, pulmonary tuberculosis forced the author out of the Navy. During his extended stay in the hospital, Heinlein conceived the idea of the waterbed, preventing other people from patenting the concept by mentioning it in multiple books.

After studying math and physics at the University of California for a few weeks, the author tried his hand at various jobs before finally running for the California State Assembly. He did not succeed.

At that particular point in his life, the Navy’s disability pension was too small to support Heinlein. He took up writing to pay his mortgage. The first story he published (Life-Line) made a bigger splash than he expected.

But then the Second World War came along, and the author returned to the Navy, working in aeronautical engineering and recruiting the likes of Isaac Asimov.

In the aftermath of the war, the author started churning out political nonfiction, inspired by the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Heinlein’s life took several twists and turns in the years that followed.

He made his mark on the publishing arena with a series of stories that appeared in ‘The Saturday Evening Post.’ Then his second marriage fell apart, paving the way for his third and final marriage to Virginia Gestenfeld.

Virginia was an accomplished engineer who read all his manuscripts before they saw the light of day. After writing several novels for young adults, the author turned his attention to adult audiences with books such as ‘Starship Troopers’ and ‘Stranger in a Strange Land.’

But then his work rate deteriorated in response to his ill health. After struggling with chronic exhaustion for several years, doctors discovered a blocked carotid artery.

A carotid bypass operation re-invigorated the author. He wrote five novels before dying in his sleep in 1988.
Robert A. Heinlein Awards

Heinlein won numerous Hugo Awards. He also received Nebula and Prometheus Award nominations.

Robert A. Heinlein Books into Movies

Several Heinlein stories received adaptations, the most prominent being ‘Starship Troopers.’ All told, four films came out of the author’s work, not to mention two TV series.

Best Robert A. Heinlein Books

The author has been praised for pioneering hard science fiction. He frequently emphasized the importance of scientific accuracy in science fiction. Heinlein’s best books include:

Stranger in a Strange Land: Valentine Michael Smith is not like other people. He spent his life on Mars. As such, when he returns to earth, Valentine must come to terms with the vast differences between his perception of life and that of his new neighbors. Life on earth differs drastically from what Valentine knows.

He doesn’t understand the values and prejudices he encounters. Valentine wants to pass his teachings on to the people he meets. But some of the humans he encounters have nefarious intentions. They know that Valentine has a lot of money, and they will do everything in their power to contain and control him.

Fortunately, Valentine is far from helpless. The man has unique talents no mortal being can comprehend.

Starship Troopers: Starship Troopers tells the story of Juan Rico. Rico lives in the distant future. The military Elite rules society. Mankind is at war with an alien species seemingly hellbent on destroying civilization.

Readers follow Rico on his journey from recruit to an officer. Along the way, the protagonist encounters several interesting characters that challenge his philosophical and moral perceptions.

Starship Troopers was Heinlein’s most controversial novel when it first came out. Later on, it gained a following of enthusiastic contemporary readers who frequently debate Heinlein’s intentions. Paul Verhoeven turned the book into a live-action movie.

But the movie has very little in common with the book. Verhoeven kept the character names and the concept. He changed everything else.

When Does The Next Robert A. Heinlein book come out?

Robert A. Heinlein doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Pursuit of the Pankera and was released on March, 24th 2020.

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