This book is based on an interesting premise. A small group of American astronauts visit Mars, where they discover an advanced civilization. All of the astronauts die soon after landing. When a second group is sent years later, they discover two of the crew had a baby who did not die and has been raised by and as a Martian. They bring this adult Earthling/Martian back to earth with them and this is the story of his experience adjusting to earth and the "strange" ways here. The beginning of the book is very interesting and brings up some unusual points. Then it just gets really odd, and I didn't like the end part of the book at all. I don't have a problem with Heinlein considering another civilization superior to ours, I just didn't see much actual evidence of its superiority in the actions of the Mars man and his followers in this book (other than telepathy) who seem to mostly practice promiscuity and occasional cannibalism--very strange. I would say this particular Heinlein book is not worth the time it takes to read.
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