Robert A. Heinlein is an outstanding figure in modern American science fiction. He has published voluminously, his science fiction sells well, and his work continues to be in print. His Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers have sold in the millions, especially in college bookstores. He has been described as one of the "fathers" of modern science fiction. He is also one of the few science fiction writers who have helped in making science fiction well known in "mainstream" literary circles.

But Heinlein is also a writer whose fiction and ideas often lead to strong feelings and reactions. Throughout his work, Heinlein appears to adopt positions favored by the American political right…. He is enthusiastic about what he considers the importance of military-style discipline to hold a community together. He exhibits a strong respect for custom in his work, although he makes it clear that custom...