Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein - 1995

VERY GOOD condition — Straight binding. Crisp exterior. Clean, unmarked pages. NOTE: Small bump to lower left edge, back board. Minor scratches to textblock page edges. Separation to top of textblock/spine. Please inspect photos closely for condition details. Any questions, please ask.

This text is featured in the Easton Press series Masterpieces of Science Fiction. Published in 1995, bound in handsome Chocolate leather, and beautifully illustrated by Kent Bash. This edition would be a worthy addendum to your collectible books library.

Specifics of this series from the Easton Press website:

• Fully and tightly bound in genuine leather.22kt gold accents deeply inlaid on the "hubbed" spine.
  Heavy duty binding boards... .
  Superbly printed on acid-neutral paper... .
  Sewn pages – not just glued like ordinary books.
  ...moiré endpages and a satin-ribbon page marker.
  Gilded page ends.

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" 'Stranger in a Strange Land', winner of the 1962 Hugo Award, is the story of Valentine Michael Smith, born during, and the only survivor of, the first manned mission to Mars. Michael is raised by Martians, and he arrives on Earth as a true innocent: he has never seen a woman and has no knowledge of Earth's cultures or religions. But he brings turmoil with him, as he is the legal heir to an enormous financial empire, not to mention de facto owner of the planet Mars. With the irascible popular author Jubal Harshaw to protect him, Michael explores human morality and the meanings of love. He founds his own church, preaching free love and disseminating the psychic talents taught him by the Martians. Ultimately, he confronts the fate reserved for all messiahs. --Brooks Peck."

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Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His plots often posed provocative situations which challenged conventional social mores. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.

Heinlein became one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s. He was one of the best-selling science-fiction novelists for many decades, and he, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often considered the "Big Three" of English-language science fiction authors. Notable Heinlein works include Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers (which helped mold the space marine and mecha archetypes) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. His work sometimes had controversial aspects, such as plural marriage in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, militarism in Starship Troopers and technologically competent women characters who were formidable, yet often stereotypically feminine—such as Friday.

. . . Heinlein was named the first Science Fiction Writers Grand Master in 1974. Four of his novels won Hugo Awards. In addition, fifty years after publication, seven of his works were awarded "Retro Hugos"—awards given retrospectively for works that were published before the Hugo Awards came into existence. In his fiction, Heinlein coined terms that have become part of the English language, including grok, waldo and speculative fiction, as well as popularizing existing terms like "TANSTAAFL", "pay it forward", and "space marine". He also anticipated mechanical computer-aided design with "Drafting Dan" and described a modern version of a waterbed in his novel Beyond This Horizon.

Several of Heinlein's works have been adapted for film and television.

The above text was taken from, respectively, Putnam publishers (via Google Books) and Wikipedia.