When the topic comes up I like to point out Heinlein was writing StrangerInAStrangeLand , a book some called “The Hippie Bible”, at the SAME TIME he was writing Starship Troopers.

  • MathiasTCKOPM
    link
    English
    23 months ago

    In discussions on this topic people frequently want to use one book, or another, as expressing the views of the author at some period of time. That fails here because two books with seemingly opposing views were written by the same author at the same time.

    • MathiasTCKOPM
      link
      English
      23 months ago

      My take is Heinlein was a professional SciFi author, he wrote what he thought would sell, but given that: he was happy to conduct thought experiments meant to examine positions he may or may not have agreed with, considered, or actively opposed. That said, I think he also often had a self insert character that basically expressed Heinlein’s take.

      I point people at the Notebook of Lazarus Long if they want Heinlein’s take expressed via fiction.