The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

In the not-too-distant future, the Moon is a penal colony for criminal and political prisoners. But even their children, born "free", are effectively prisoners. Their bodies cannot withstand Earth's heavy gravity; they must stay on Luna forever, harvesting ice and grain to meet overpopulated Earth's growing demands under the Authority's rule.

Mannie is a Lunar native and computer technician who discovers Luna's mainframe computer has somehow made the transition from machine to self-aware individual. He's now Mike, an AI with an oddly developed sense of humor and undying loyalty to Mannie.

When Mannie and Mike fall in with an anti-Authority agitator named Wyoming, they learn that if current trends continue, Luna's people will be starving in seven years. There's only one way out: revolt! And Mike, with his unfettered access to all computerized communications and controls, is the only one who can help pull off a daring scheme to gain Lunar independence, once and for all.

This is one of my favorite novels in any genre. I love Heinlein's evocative yet unadorned language. Rather than being overwhelmed by its science fiction aspects (space travel, artificial intelligence), The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is instead a compelling and thought-provoking story of rebellion, freedom, and nation-building. Highly recommended for high school and up.