Time Enough for Love: The Lives of Lazarus Long

Most people reading these reviews will probably be Heinlein fans and will have already read this book. I'm writing more for those that have not read this book. Robert Heinlein fans are diehard. Although Robert Heinlein's writings fall under the genre of science fiction, I knew readers that read only Heinlein, not science fiction, so it was difficult to consider them SF readers. With just having completed Time Enough, I've now read eight Heinlein novels and hope to consider myself transitioning from the novice to the intermediate Heinlein reader. This is the quintessential Heinlein novel. Although there are other better known Heinlein novels, including those that have won Hugo awards, this appears to be the novel that anchors readers that become Heinlein fans.For those that have read Heinlein before, you're familiar with his style. There's a lot of dialogue between characters in the novel. This typically makes for lighter reading and allows one to read through his novels faster. That doesn't mean that the ideas are light. In this modern era of Speculative Fiction where magical amulets, auras. faery handbags passes as `cutting edge' award winning `science fiction', Robert Heinlein is considered conservative by these speculative fiction writers and critics. If a group you have open hearted welcomed into your home for dinner tries to kill you and rape your wife and in the process you end up killing them, you're a fascist right? You would be, in `Heinlein country' as SF critic John Clute puts it. Heinlein is big on personal responsibility, responsibility for ones own actions and this rankles liberals and is a major, major dividing line between liberals and conservatives; between Democrats and Republicans. Sure enough, there are extremists on the other side, everyone knows some gran'ma or Aunt May that will consider it your own personal fault for knocking over that glass of water, for that car accident, for the stock market crash, but Heinlein here is trying to take the middle road. Such as regarding a former creative-writing college professor that remains destitute because he insists on following his profession on a new, colonized planet, no matter there's no need for one. Heinlein is suggesting that that person may consider a new line of profession for that location.This is a telling book of the time of its publishing in the 1970's, during the "me" decade. There were people I knew that took the selfishness part to heart. I had one friend that would backstab you just for a beer, not something you would expect from a friend. Or a women that would lay as still as possible during intimate moments because she wanted to concentrate on deriving the most amount of pleasure from the situation. What these people didn't seem to understand was the feedback mechanism of friendship, that if you're good to a friend, they're good back to you, and sure enough their attitudes came back to them from the people around them. It's like the Prisoner Dilemma that has three potential outcomes. If one of two prisoners backstabs the other, and the other doesn't, then he or she derives maximum reward, if both cooperate with each other then they receive a moderate reward, and if both backstab each other, then they both receive a minimal reward. So if one backstabs the other unexpectedly, then, sure, they receive a maximum reward. However, if the other knows the first is going to backstab, then guess what the second will do. So although the parable called The Person Too Lazy To Fail, is of someone looking out for their own self-interest, and in the course has to do a fair amount of work to do so and helps people along the way as well, it's hoped that readers don't take this selfishness too simplisticly, exploiting everyone, including friends and family, around them.As one lives through adulthood, one encounters many of the situational themes in the novel. This is more like a guide to life, so I would recommend this novel to those in their late teens and early twenties. The advice from this book are like words of wisdom from an experienced grandfather (just don't take the first section on selfishness too close to heart). There's a fair amount of sex throughout the novel, although not graphic. Even incest is explored on several levels.This is a long novel, and clocks in at 589 pages plus the 17 pages for the introduction for a total of 606 pages. There are sections that feel like filler material, and if at times you find yourself re-reading the same section over and over, just plow ahead, because they'll be some great sections ahead, the best IMHO being at the very end. Heinlein writes a bit about World War I, which is worthwhile as the events of that war are not generally as well known as more `modern' wars, particularly WWII.For those that want to know what makes Heinlein fans Heinlein fans, this is the book to read. Heinlein has cross-over appeal to both science fiction and mainstream readers and this book would appeal to both. Although other books by Heinlein may be suggested to read before this, it isn't necessary. The exploits and adventures of Lazarus Long, the 2200 year old protagonist, are self-sufficient, and if you're short on personal time for reading (who isn't) then dive right in.

I have read this book more than 50 times over the years. I love it and will continue to read it

This is the first book I've read twice and the ONLY book I've read 4 times over the years. Fun read!!

Welcome to the adventures of Lazarus Long, the time traveler who loved life so much he refuses to die, and who loves time so much he became his own ancestor. That's the jacket promo for this (nearly) 600 pages of tiny print, encompassing several adventurous expeditions across the galaxy with somebody who's lived about 4000 years.This is like 3 or 4 trade paperbacks with diverse themes. And lest you expect to be told which of his ancestors he becomes, I'm casting my vote for Ira Howard, the mysterious founder of the Howard Families Foundation, whom is supposedly not anyone's blood relation (of the Howard Families). Just remember the Archivist's notes at the beginning about how very revealing can be the lies which a man tells about himself...Now the warning about adult content: In deference to a mentor of mine who once told me she found Heinlein a male chauvinist and not nearly as clever as "he thinks he is", she's passed away during the 90's. So in her memory, here's how I sympathize with her P.O.V.Perhaps the most blatant expression of that sort is summed up in a quote from Lazarus' note books,"Darling, a true lady takes off her dignity with her clothes, and does her whorish best." "At other times you can be as modest and dignified as your persona requires."It's difficult to provide a justification for this kind of affront. So instead I'll fit it into the plot sub-context which Heinlein didn't. He threw it in as gratuitous tidbit of Lazarus Long's persona. The actual short stories engage in a bit of adolescent para masturbatory chauvinistic fantasy. If the idea of Joseph Smith teaching Mormon women that their divine future is to be a baby factory for the polygamist yearnings of a celestial husband, populating planets in the future eternity, sounds just like something some guy would dream up, Heinlein runs--sprints with the possibilities therein.And he is clever about it, no cuts at the Mormons involved. The premise of his sub-plot is the inclusion of an A.I. (artificial intelligence) whose self realization evolves from relation with Ira Johnson, a descendant of Lazarus who has provided her a feminine name and over the course of a couple centuries 'she' evolves the desire to be a "flesh and blood." She's smart enough to enable the intellectual transition as well.Just so we don't get too swept away with Scarecrow, Tin man, Cowardly lion, or Lt. Commander Data, Heinlein's 'super' computer desires to learn "eros." Because she's been associating with a family of people who treat her like one of the family she therefore has developed a sense of love greater than some flesh and bloods I've known.Creativity *****Entertainment value ****Plausibility **He's also served up his own version of one of my favorite Ecclesiastes verses, which I'm quoting from a 1901 American Standard Version:"That which hath been is now: and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is driven away." Ecc. 3:15

His ability to flesh out all of the characters in all situations is magnificent. Splendid plots in all of his novels also appreciated., as well.

First time reading Heinlein's work but it's a total disappointment.Although it mentions "love" in the title, all in the book is just lengthy meaningless dialog trying to show the omnipotence of the main character followed by a sudden obsession(out of nowhere) from a woman(literally all the women in the book).It may be trying to show free forms of marriage in the future world. But the male characters are just long-lived zombies of patriarchy which make all the ideas incredibly sexist, narcissistic, and uncreative.

I consider myself somewhat of a Heinlein fan. There is a few books out there I haven't read but not more than about 3-4.It got the second star, only because I did enjoy the "tale of the adopted daughter", and some of the end was ok also when he becomes, so to speak, a "complete m....f...k.r", but still compared to Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Starship troopers or Stranger in a Strangeland all of which I would give 4.5-5 stars, this is really quite a poor outing.The stories aren't that compelling, the quotes between sections some of which are good, but many strike me as trite - (may have had a different response if I had read as a teen or early 20s rather than a more cynical late 30s.) So anyone who was planning to read this as a taste of Heinlen or a SF classic, I would seriously recommend you read Moon is a Harsh Mistress, or if you want some military SF then Starship troopers.

The book was as good as new and arrived in good time. I enjoyed it very much

Fabulous, stick with it

An old favourite from Robert Heinlein. A good story about time travel and living too long.