Best Robert Heinlein novel?

That's strange, I was struggling to remember whether Heinlein wrote 'Job'. The story is one that very much stuck in my memory, even if I couldn't instantly remember if it was a Heinlein book, or not.

I loved the irony of the whole thing - that the poor guy is batted from one parallel universe to the next and the only thing he appears able to do in order to make ends meet is washing up. The whole second coming/heaven and hell description was particularly amusing. I've not read a lot of Heinlein's work, but of those I've read, this get's my vote.
 
Yes, the decription of heaven and hell was very refreshing (im talking about those "hellicius symptomps" of the pit etc. ...).
i know this story will stay with me for quite a while.
 
Stranger, without a doubt. I could quote Jubal Harshaw all day long... I just love the characters, the humor, the insight on religion, politics, and morality... and the way it was extremely readable in junior high/highschool. For the issues it covers, it does so in a very entertaining, insightful, clever way.

And really, it has Jubal Harshaw. Some of the best lines ever!
 
Must admit, I haven't read much Heinlein in years, but one thing that strikes me looking through this thread is the sheer number of different titles sited by different contributors as their favourites. I think that just goes to show that the man wrote many very enjoyable books and that his position in the SF firmament is no accident.

My opinion, for whatever little it's worth, is that Starship Trooper and Glory Road (perhaps because it's so surprisingly different) take some beating. And what about Revolt in 2100? A sadly overlooked book, in my humble opinion. Have to confess that Friday contains one of the best openings to any SF novel I've ever read (Tricia Sullivan's Maul aside) but I felt it lost its way as it progressed, and Stranger in a Strange Land, whilst ingenious, never entirely won me over. Loved The Door into Summer as well. As for an out-and-out favourite... who knows?
 
I think one of the reasons I so like Heinlein is that his views and mine are often so antipodally different; therefore, on a first read they often annoy me or tick me off.... but then I find myself going back to them and enjoy the way he hones my abilities to argue my own corner, or to have me reexamine my own views. As a writer, I think he uses a modern form of the tall tale quite well; his being influenced by Twain is obvious, of course; and I find myself going back to many of his books time and again. (On the really getting under my skin part, Starship Troopers and Double Star did that quite well... they are now among my favorites of his novels.)

Yes, I think Heinlein's place is secure, not least because, like Bradbury and a handful of others, he's seen to transcend the boundaries of sff and be accepted by people who don't normally read imaginative literature. He's of an older school, definitely, but I'd say that much of what he has to say remains quite relevant today... there are surface changes, yes; but the underlying issues he deals with are still very much with us. As a controversialist who often took unpopular positions to sting people into thinking (Farnham's Freehold, for example or, when it was first published -- and now again, for that matter -- Stranger in a Strange Land), he's difficult to beat. Hope I can make it to the centennial celebration next year, but I rather doubt it; at least I'm glad they're holding it; the man deserves such.
 
My favorite is Time Enough for Love followed closely by Stranger in a Strange Land. Both books radically changed my up until then rather naive view of the world.
 
Nice to see Time Enough for Love listed, as that's one of his novels that seldom gets mentioned these days... largely, I think, because of its somewhat episodic structure, which makes it a rather difficult book for some; and the fact that it came at the peak of his breaking out into dealing with various aspects of sexual mores (I Will Fear No Evil going even further with this, though with questionable success), and that puts a good many people off, as well. But it's a challenging book in many ways, and I'm glad to at least see someone list it as an important work of RAH.
 
I love Number Of The Beast, The Unpleasant Profession Of Jonathan Hoag, and the Menace From Earth, the short story within called By His Bootstraps is a timeloop masterpeice.
And I have to brag...I have ALL the books he ever wrote, even the funny political guidebook; Take Back Your Government.
 
j. d. worthington said:
I think one of the reasons I so like Heinlein is that his views and mine are often so antipodally different; therefore, on a first read they often annoy me or tick me off.... but then I find myself going back to them and enjoy the way he hones my abilities to argue my own corner, or to have me reexamine my own views. As a writer, I think he uses a modern form of the tall tale quite well; his being influenced by Twain is obvious, of course; and I find myself going back to many of his books time and again. (On the really getting under my skin part, Starship Troopers and Double Star did that quite well... they are now among my favorites of his novels.)

Yes, I think Heinlein's place is secure, not least because, like Bradbury and a handful of others, he's seen to transcend the boundaries of sff and be accepted by people who don't normally read imaginative literature. He's of an older school, definitely, but I'd say that much of what he has to say remains quite relevant today... there are surface changes, yes; but the underlying issues he deals with are still very much with us. As a controversialist who often took unpopular positions to sting people into thinking (Farnham's Freehold, for example or, when it was first published -- and now again, for that matter -- Stranger in a Strange Land), he's difficult to beat. Hope I can make it to the centennial celebration next year, but I rather doubt it; at least I'm glad they're holding it; the man deserves such.
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Exactly why i liked Starship Troopers even though i didnt fully agree with his views in the book i liked the fact that he made you think through the stuff he brought up.

I almost laughed out loud how current some of the things he talked about was. How funny it was so little has changed since the 50's in the world.

Sadly not all see what he tries to tell, i have seen reviews like " man what a military loving fascist he is blaming the worlds fall on the teen gangs" Like thats what the book is about.

It doesnt matter how much better i find any other Heinlein book, Troopers being my first and the reason i became a fan will hold a special place in my heart. As they say you never forget your first ;)
 
A tie for the best novel, between Starship Troopers, and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
But my favourite RAH story has to be part of Time enough for Love - and that's The Tale of the Adopted Daughter, in my own view, one of the best things he ever wrote.
 
Connavar of Rigante said:
It doesnt matter how much better i find any other Heinlein book, Troopers being my first and the reason i became a fan will hold a special place in my heart. As they say you never forget your first ;)
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I think it is this exact sentiment that makes The Moon is a Harsh Mistress my 'favourite'. It took my Heinlein virginity, and as such, even though there are others I actually preferred...it will always be special to me. Oh, and Pyan, I agree that The Tale of the Adopted Daughter was some of his best work. He discusses writing that story briefly in The Interview as well.
 
My favorite is Cat. Stranger is interesting and has several pertinent points about Western society and its faults. I enjoyed reading it when I first read it at sixteen, but re-reads have left me disappointed. TEFL is good too, although for the longest time I skipped the incest chapters. Lazarus Long is too ornery a character for my taste, probably one reason why I prefer Cat.
 
At this point, my favorite is the second book I read by Heinlein. I started with an edited version of Stranger in a Strange Land. I liked it enough to read another Heinlein right away, but I had mixed feelings at the time. I next read Time Enough for Love and, pun intended, loved it. That one really hooked me on Heinlein.

Until recently, my Heinlein reading was 10 to 25 years ago. At this point, what I have is general impressions and recollections about them. Earlier this year, comments in this section inspired me to start reading some of the earlier Future History stuff that I had not read before. Then the reading group got me onto additional stuff. I’ll be curious to see how my recollections hold up or if my favorite changes after reading some works I hadn’t gotten around to yet and rereading some of what I covered years ago. I am definitely looking forward to an uncut version of Stranger.

 
I don't think it is possible to really pick a favourite
I would say Farnham's Freehold as I just re-read that, but then I love the short stories in The Man Who Sold The Moon.
Revolt In 2010 will always be in my list of books to re-read, but then Glory Road is right next to it.
Oh it's no good, I'm going to have to dig out The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathon Hoag and read that again then The Door Into Summer (mainly because of the views on cats)
 
My 'first' Heinlein was, if I'm not mistaken, Friday. Thank you Michael Whelan cover-art! It may not be Whelan's finest work, but as a hormone-riddled teenager, it sure did the trick.
 
I would definitely vote for The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. It was the first of his novels that I read, and all the politico-social ideas that he throws out are very interesting. He does that in all his books, but he does it best in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Mike (the computer) is done very well, too. I like the ending, and I think he made it less impressive by making him come back to life in some of his other books.
The Starship Troopers is one of the best too. . .
 
Stranger in a Strange Land and Time Enough for Love, not neccessarily in that order.
 
Ah, 'Have Spacesuit....' I first read it when I was nine, an awfully long time ago, in the yellow jacketed Gollancz version from Hampton Hill public library. A mispent youth... I'm happy to say.... :)
 
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