lastly, i hate it when these stupid lists confuse "best" and "most influential". heinlein's influential, yeah, but his books are shallow, patriarchal crap. remember when your lesbian lit prof used to inanely rail on dickens for being too white and male? she probably meant heinlein, because there are no novels that are more overtly white and male than heinlein's, right down to the smug, sneering dialogue.