This one took me a loooong time. I first attempted to read it over a year ago (probably closer to two years), but just couldn't get into it. After I finished "The Cat Who Walks Through Walls," I decided to try it again. I was quite busy, working on a film set, but managed to eventually finish it in a little over 10 days (most days I could only read 5-10 pages).

I have no doubt that Heinlein was a skilled writer -- I loved The Cat who Walks Through Walls -- but this one was a little too all-over-the-place for me.

My previous favorite SF book (before I read Ender's Game), and the single novel that has had the most profound impact on me. For some reason old Lazarus Long really spoke to me as a teenager. I have read this book a couple of times since, and love coming back to it each time.

dirty old man intertwined with classic SciFi? Or just the former? It was hard to decide.

Weirdest book I’ve ever read. Heinlein is a phenomenal writer, but this book is not a typical Heinlein book, or at least not like the ones I’ve read. The main topic of the book is incest and it’s very gross at times the actions the main character takes. Would I ever recommend this book to anyone else, no. Did it make me think and were large parts of the book excellently written yes. 3.5/5

Still one of my favorites. Lazarus Long lives long enough to learn what love is.

Was the second half far more entertaining than the first? Yes. Was it still my least favorite thing I’ve read in a long time? Also yes. Heinlein appears to be praised for his willingness to write about sex in a way that’s “ahead of his time.” But that didn’t stop the rest of the book from having a lot of opinions about what women should and shouldn’t be doing. Ultimately: not even a little bit my cup of tea.

DNF