Stranger in a Strange Land

The first half of this novel is so amazing to me, that it doesn't really hurt it when the second half declines in majesty. The story of Valentine Michael Smith's re-introduction to Earth life is such a great view of humans from the outside, that I can see why this book affected a generation. It poetically shows us our strengths, and our flaws. And then he founds a religion. Yeah, it goes downhill from there. But oh that first half...