Stranger in a Strange Land (Original Uncut Edition)
Author: Robert A. Heinlein
Release: January 1991
Tagline: For the First Time The Original Uncut
Publisher: Ace/Putnam
Genre: Science Fiction, Philosophy, Anthropology
ISBN-10: 0-399-13586-3
Main Character(s): Valentine Michael Smith, Gillian (Jill) Boardman, Ben Caxton, Jubal Harshaw, Anne, Miriam, Dorcas, Duke, Larry, Dr. “Stinky” Mahmoud, Patty Paiwonski, Joseph Douglas, Alice “Agnes” Douglas, Foster, Digby
Synopsis: A human born on the planet Mars and raised by Martians, returns to Earth with no understanding of human (Terran) culture.
Declassified by Agent Palmer: Sixty years later, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ might be essential anthropology reading
Quotes and Lines
“Smith is not a man. He is an intelligent creature with the genes and ancestry of a man, but he is not a man. He’s more a Martian than a man. Until we came along he had never laid eyes on a human being. He thinks like a Martian, he feels like a Martian. He’s been brought up by a race which has nothing in common with us. Why, they don’t even have sex. Smith has never laid eyes on a woman–still hasn’t if my orders have been carried out. He’s a man by ancestry, a Martian by environment. Now, if you want to drive him crazy and waste that ‘treasure trove of scientific information,’ call in your fat-headed professors and let them badger him. Don’t give him a chance to get well and strong and used to this madhouse planet. Just go ahead and squeeze him like an orange. It’s no skin off me, I’ve done my job!” – Captain van Tromp
“Secrecy begets tyranny.” – Ben Caxton
“Which reminds me: I don’t like to be called ‘Doctor’”
“Sir?”
“Oh, I’m not offended. But when they began handing out doctorates for comparative folk dancing and advanced fly-fishing, I became too stinkin’ proud to use the title. I won’t touch watered whiskey and I take no pride in watered-down degrees. Call me Jubal.”
All three of us are prisoners of our early indoctrinations, for it is hard, very nearly impossible, to shake off one’s earliest training.
“Congratulations! A desire not to butt into other people’s business is at least eighty percent of all human wisdom . . . and the other twenty percent isn’t very important.” – Jubal Harshaw
“Democracy is a poor system of government at best; the only thing that can honestly be said in its favor is that it is about eight times as good as any other method the human race has ever tried. Democracy’s worst faults is that its leaders are likely to reflect the faults and virtues of their constituents–a depressingly low level, but what else can you expect? So take a look at Douglas and ponder that, in his ignorance, stupidity, and self-seeking, he much resembles his fellow Americans, including you and me . . . and that in fact he is a notch or two above average. Then take a look at the man who will replace him if his government topples.” – Jubal Harshaw
“Youngster, you can take your instructions, fold them until they are all corners–and shove them in your oubliette.” – Jubal Harshaw
“Beyond that I was ignorant. So I assumed that the government was equally ignorant and went boldly ahead. ‘Audacity, always audacity’–soundest principle of strategy. In practicing medicine I learned that when you are most at a loss is the time when you must appear confident. In law I had learned that, when your case seems hopeless, you must impress the jury with your relaxed certainty.” – Jubal Harshaw
“No, that’s the point. I grok people. I am people . . . so now I can say it in people talk. I’ve found out why people laugh. They laugh because it hurts so much . . . because it’s the only thing that’ll make it stop hurting.” – Valentine Michael Smith
“I grok when apes learn to laugh, they’ll be people.” – Valentine Michael Smith
“Stinky says women should be obscene but not heard.” – Miriam
“Goodness without wisdom invariably accomplishes evil.” – Valentine Michael Smith
“You see, by their standards, we are a diseased and crippled people–the things that we do to each other, the way we fail to understand each other, our almost complete failure to grok with one another, our wars and diseases and famines and cruelties–these will be complete idiocy to them. I know. So I think they may very probably decide on a mercy killing. But that’s a guess, I’m not an Old One.” – Valentine Michael Smith