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Quote by Robert A. Heinlein

Work

Stranger in a Strange Land

Published in 1961, this novel follows the story of Valentine Michael Smith, an Earthman raised on Mars, as he returns to Earth and navigates human society. The book combines elements of science fiction with philosophical and religious ideas, creating a unique and thought-provoking narrative. more

Author

Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein

Robert A. Heinlein was an American science fiction writer, hailed as a master in the field of science fiction. His works have had a profound impact on the development of science fiction literature, with classics such as 'Starship Troopers' and 'The Time Machine'. more

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“Avoir du mal à reconnaître quelqu'un, c'est, d'une certaine façon, inconsciemment, réaliser une forme commune d'idolâtrie. On aime quelqu'un, on fixe son caractère, on attend de sa personne qu'elle réponde aux images que l'on a construites sur l'armature fragile d'un papier crépon. Or il suffit que se révèlent un secret, une attitude suspecte qui bouscule l'ordre de nos représentations pour qu'un monde s'effondre, et que l'on comprenne soudainement ce que les iconoclastes condamnent et qu'on ne prend plus le temps d'écouter. Ne reste de Byzance que ses querelles éternelles.”

“Her mother likes to say that novels have ruined Amelia for real men. This observation insults Amelia because it implies that she only reads books with classically romantic heroes. She does not mind the occasional novel with a romantic hero but her reading taste are far more varied than that. Furthermore, she adores Humbert Humbert as a character while accepting the fact that she wouldn't really want him for a life partner, a boyfriend, or even a casual acquaintance. She feels the same way about Holden Caulfield, and Misters Rochester and Darcy.”

“But at the same time it inaugurates an æsthetic which is still valid in our world, an æsthetic of solitary creators, who are obstinate rivals of a God they condemn. From romanticism onward, the artist’s task will not only be to create a world, or to exalt beauty for its own sake, but also to define an attitude. Thus the artist becomes a model and offers himself as an example: art is his ethic. With him begins the age of the directors of conscience. When the dandies fail to commit suicide or do not go mad, they make a career and pursue prosperity.”