The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein about a lunar colony's revolt against absentee rule from Earth. The novel expresses and discusses libertarian ideals. It is respected for its credible presentation of a comprehensively imagined future human society on both the Earth and the Moon. Originally serialized monthly in Worlds of If, the book was then nominated for the Nebula Award in 1966, yet it received the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1967.