P_L--Yes, I'd heard that about his health, too. I thought Number of the Beast (the first thing he published post-stroke) was lousy--until I read E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series, and a number of the other books into which the characters jumped--THEN it made more sense.

I also like Friday very much, but Job, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, and Grumbles from the Grave I suppose I read only out of loyalty to a great author. Stranger was written aroung 1960, IIRC. I read a Bowdlerized version in the early '80s, but didn't read the uncut version until Mrs. Heinlein published it in the '90s. Still, I can't help but grin when I think of the rovers on Mars now, & wonder what the "old ones" think of them. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hear! Hear! on the role models! I have several friends (all in 30s or 40s) who aver than Heinlein's works were a tremendous influence on them during their formative years, and I count myself in that group, as well. I guess the good news is that I get to share "the good ones" --and so many other things, too--with my children, as I teach them. As Solomon said: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

David

I may be mistaken, but I think this is another idea that Robert Heinlein invented(along with the water-bed)
I seem to remember the kid in the story mentioning the nipple clipped to his collar when he was on his 'Solo Survival' Graduation exam.
Heinlein was also BIG on caring a good knife with you.
The kids survival teacher, gave him his to carry, and told him to carry his own too, because he would never deprive someone of his personal knife.

Arghhhh...Just posted about that....But I got the attachment wrong...Arghhhhh
And that is one of my favorite books too.