I first started reading his works in 1969. I continued for the next 25 years or more finding anything he’d written and devouring it.
Unfortunately, in his last years I believe his beliefs (and oddities) took hold of him and he was at best, tolerable even though somewhat erratic in my estimation.
His ideas about sex were avante garde in the early years but there were some very serious implications in one or two of his character lines that smacked of incest.
While SIASL is considered his most widely known work, But, I preferred ‘Moon is a Harsh Mistress’, ‘Time Enough for Love’ and ‘I will Fear No Evil’. His last books (about 4-5 of them) I did not like much at all.
I can certainly understand that, Gaffer. He was hard to put your finger on, IMO.
I have often wondered if he wasn’t simply a gadfly, trying to illicit a response from his readers, especially regarding the incestuous aspects of some of his characters.
I wish I had been old enough to have the nerve to ask him about it on the occasion of our meeting (I was only about 19 and in utter awe of him), but I was too shy to do so.
BTW, your favorites are some of mine, as well: “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” is required reading in my house, and “Time Enough for Love” has been re-read by me at least 100 times.
Still, there is no doubt that RAH was the most influential author in my life. I don’t think there’s anything by him that I haven’t read. (If you haven’t read “Tramp Royale”, may I suggest you do so if you can find a copy? Very interesting non-fiction.)
Regards,
During that period, he was suffering from restricted blood flow to the brain. Surgery to remove blockages in (I think) the carotids got him "back to normal".
Now that is an understatement if there ever was one.