description Robert A. Heinlein Overview
Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) was an American science fiction writer whose novels explored military service, individual liberty, political authority, sexuality, and social organization. His major works include Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land, and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. He wrote both technically oriented science fiction and works aimed at younger readers, and his fiction contributed to the development of modern American science fiction.
help Robert A. Heinlein FAQ
Which Robert Heinlein novels won the Hugo Award?
Heinlein won four Best Novel Hugos: Double Star, Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land, and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. That tally made him one of the most decorated novelists in the award's early decades.
Was Robert Heinlein in the military before becoming a writer?
Yes. He graduated from the US Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1929 and served as a Navy officer until tuberculosis ended his career in the mid-1930s. That service background deeply informs the military culture and debate over civic duty in Starship Troopers.
What are Heinlein's juvenile novels?
Starting with Rocket Ship Galileo in 1947, Heinlein wrote a series of novels for young readers published by Scribner's, including Have Space Suit—Will Travel and Citizen of the Galaxy. These books are credited with turning a generation of young readers toward science fiction.
How faithful is the 1997 Starship Troopers movie to Heinlein's book?
Paul Verhoeven's 1997 film keeps only the skeleton of Heinlein's 1959 novel, replacing its earnest discussions of citizenship and service with broad satire of militarism and propaganda. Heinlein fans still debate the adaptation because the two works have nearly opposite tonal intents.
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