The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

Robert Heinlein (1907-1988) was a leading science fiction writer who established many of the key tropes of the genre. He is considered one of the “Big Three” science fiction authors, along with Isaac Asimov—the author of the Foundation series and classics like I, Robot—and Arthur C. Clarke, the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Heinlein won four Hugo awards in his lifetime; The Moon is a Harsh Mistress won this award in 1967. 

Heinlein’s novels and short stories often deal with issues of society, politics, and economy, such as marriage, religion, sexual ethics, and racism. For much of his adult life, Heinlein was an anti-communist libertarian conservative; he was skeptical of democracy and championed personal freedom. These political beliefs characterize much of his work, including The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Heinlein sought to live his life in conformity with the beliefs he espoused in his works. For example, in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Heinlein writes positively about polyamory; Heinlein himself had an open marriage with his wife, Virginia Gerstenfeld.

Heinlein is credited with coining many words and phrases that are still in use today, including “pay it forward,” “grok,” and “There Ain’t No Such Thing as a Free Lunch,” an expression which features prominently in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.