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I first read this book around 1983-1985 (no actual idea of when it was first printed), and, while I can't remember all that much from the book itself (other than enjoyable), I do remember the cover of the book. The cover prominently featured and depicted a robot, silver in color, sitting down (maybe in a field of some sort?), drinking a cup of tea in a very posh 'pinky extended' fashion.

I've brought this fact up to friends, who have also read the book (and who are also trying to remember the book), and they always come back with 'Douglas Adam's: The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.' I am pretty sure this is not correct, for a quick GIS of that book, shows no covers bearing what I remember.

A small, small part of me, thinks it was a Heinlein book, but, none of the covers look familiar, I imagine it's possible the changed cover on a re-print, but, none of the titles stick out to me either.

Any help, and all the internets to you, if you find this book!

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  • Long Dark Teatime of the Soul makes no sense. The only robot was an android, basically indistinguishable from a human.
    – Valorum
    Jan 31, 2014 at 16:56
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    @Richard That was the monk in Dirk Gently. There's no robot in Teatime.
    – Mr Lister
    Jan 31, 2014 at 20:44
  • Oops. Getting my books mixed up. Teatime was the one with the Act of God (but which God, and why?) :-)
    – Valorum
    Jan 31, 2014 at 21:09
  • Oh dear, so long ago. Ehm, a new and powerful Guilt God?
    – Mr Lister
    Feb 1, 2014 at 13:04
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    This is another book cover by Bob Norrington of a robot drinking out of a dainty floral tea cup.
    – Simon Jones
    Jul 9, 2015 at 18:12

2 Answers 2

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It sounds like the book you're after is Special Deliverance by Clifford D. Simak, originally published in 1982.

Special Deliverance

The cover art was by Michael Whelan

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    Richard, you have done this fellow human being a grand service. Thank you, so, so much. If I could upvote this answer a thousand times, I would.
    – Jasoomian
    Jan 31, 2014 at 21:42
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    One is glad to be of service
    – Valorum
    Jan 31, 2014 at 21:53
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    @Jasoomian if this answer nailed it, please mark it as accepted.
    – terdon
    Feb 1, 2014 at 5:28
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    Richard, was yours an 'original' answer, or just an expansion of mine?
    – ImaginaryEvents
    Feb 1, 2014 at 12:42
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    @Richard - personally I think identification questions are a special (and less interesting) case of general questions on sites like this, where the better answer is the first correct one, not necessarily the most detailed. There are of course edge cases to this - but the work is done in identifying the novel/story etc. You are correct in the more general question sense that detail, references etc are good things to add. I doubt people are downvoting "because its more detailed" - that in itself is a good thing.
    – iandotkelly
    Feb 1, 2014 at 15:29
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Special Deliverance by Clifford Simak?

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