Stranger in a Strange Land

[railfancwb]

I’m a fan of Robert A Heinlein, which is probably not news to many members.

One of his major successes was the novel “Stranger in a Strange Land”. It was published in 1961, but only after Heinlein - under protest - edited it to remove about 60,000 words.

Shortly after he died, a peculiarity of the copyright law allowed his widow to publish the novel in its longer unedited version. For awhile, and maybe still, the novel was in bookstores in both versions.

If you have read both versions, which did you prefer and why?

[gwalchmai]

Not sure, but I think it was Anne who got Mike's cherry. 

[Wyzz Kydd]

I’ve read everything he ever wrote. The extended version is better in my opinion, but I can see why they wanted to shorten it. Readers were used to shorter books at that time.

[railfancwb]

1 hour ago, gwalchmai said:

Not sure, but I think it was Anne who got Mike's cherry. 

Was this Anne speaking?

I’ve been kissed by men who did a very good job. But they don’t give kissing their whole attention. They can’t. No matter how hard they try parts of their minds are on something else. Missing the last bus—or their chances of making the gal—or their own techniques in kissing—or maybe worry about jobs, or money, or will husband or papa or the neighbors catch on. Mike doesn’t have technique . . . but when Mike kisses you he isn’t doing anything else. You’re his whole universe . . . and the moment is eternal because he doesn’t have any plans and isn’t going anywhere. Just kissing you.

Robert A. Heinlein

[Mrs.Cicero]

Well now I'm going to have to find the complete version and read it, because my copy was the edited version.  

 

[railfancwb]

First page of edited version - 1961 published 

[railfancwb]

First page of unedited published 1991

[railfancwb]

Intro and explanation to unedited version published 1991 

[DWARREN123]

I like almost all his work. You could actually see it evolve over time from younger readers to mature adult readers. Some of his ideas were good but others I fine to be a little far out for me.

I have read all or almost all of his stuff.