Stranger in a Strange Land is "Good to Grok", though perhaps not in fullness. I very much like the book, and I find it wise and interesting most of the time. There are some things I disagree with, and there are parts other people will disagree with, but the story is comical and light-hearted. In essence, it is a platform for Heinlein to monologue on and on about his beliefs and philosophies, which could have been boring, but he is a good speaker. At least he is in the vicarious roll of Jubal Harshaw.
I happen to agree with him, for the most part. He has some thoughts about freedom of choice which I think are a tad unrealistic and he doesn't have the most modern understanding of sexuality and gender rolls, but he is intelligent and logical most of the time.
It is really interesting to see this future society which he envisioned in the early 60's that doesn't really have computers or CDs (books are on 'scan tape': a sort of projection of the words as you read which has completely replaced the written book somehow), they have really cool space rockets, and 'stero-vision' TV, and very important and pronounced gender rolls. Which are divided according to biological nature. Despite how much credit he gives to cultural impact on your development. I think he over-credits both: nature has more importance to your psychology than it does in this book, but gender-rolls are probably more cultural than psychological.
Can't get everything right. At least the female characters are still strong, independent and unique.
Until the end. I have read: Job: a Comedy of Justice (even if Job was funnier). But there were also a lot of similarities. A main protagonist works as a dishwasher for a short stint and it deals a lot with religion. The sense of humor is similar, and towards the end, they read very similarly; could even be mistaken for the other if it weren't for the names. The people talk very similarly, to those in the other story and to each other in the same book. In the last chapters, all the characters lose their autonomy and become anonymous copies of each other. And possibly all of Heinlein's other characters. This may have been semi-intentional, but I don't think it was supposed to be so bland. I felt bad that it happened and missed who they were.
But there is a lot in this long book. And I found out lately that I read the edited, 25% (?) shorter version! Stranger in a Strange Land has more depth.
The book is a utopia story, and as such describes a dystopia. As the former cannot even exist in a fictional literary world. There are things in the story which are obviously fantastically impossible.
It is a good book to "grok", which means that it should be savored and understood, contemplated. But drink it, you will find it refreshing if you keep your mind open. Or so I grok.
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