Heinlein reccomendations?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Heinlein reccomendations?

Posted: 8/23/2005 10:04:26 PM EDT

I read a few of the short sorries and Starship Troopers as a kid. The horrible movie made me re-read ST and recently I've been wanting to read some more as time allows.

So far I've read ST of course, I started Time Enough for Love but it got a little slow and I skipped it and read Tunnel in the Sky (loved it) . I'll come back to Time Enough for Love but what should I read in the meantime. I'll be making my monthly Amazon order next week.

Posted: 8/23/2005 10:07:53 PM EDT

[#1]

My opinion:

EARLY Heinlein is awesome

LATE Heinlein starts to get weird and freaky

Posted: 8/23/2005 10:08:33 PM EDT

[#2]

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312863551/103-1274003-6835002?v=glance

Best book ever :)

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Posted: 8/23/2005 10:16:53 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
My opinion:

EARLY Heinlein is awesome

LATE Heinlein starts to get weird and freaky

my opinion is read early Heinlein through the late stuff and share in the weird and freaky

after all it's been a long strange tripp

Posted: 8/23/2005 10:26:19 PM EDT

[#4]

Here is another thread where Heinlein is discussed quite a bit
www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=364112

And a few of my suggestions

IIRC he has 32 books I have read them all multiple times
here is a few of the ones that I thought were the best

Have Space Suit Will Travel
Tunnel in the Sky
Citizen of the Galaxy
Glory Road
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Starman Jones
Menace From Earth
6XH
Waldo Magic Inc

Posted: 8/24/2005 3:59:49 AM EDT

[#5]

The Cat That (Who?) Walks Through Walls is also excellent.

Kharn

Posted: 8/24/2005 4:12:00 AM EDT

[#6]

Farnham's Freehold.

Pretty "Freaky" to me when I first read it 25 yrs ago but, there was a Thompson Submachine-Gun in it and at the time I was REALLY into "Tommys"

Posted: 8/24/2005 9:34:08 AM EDT

[#7]

Hmmm, I've read Friday, is that "weird and freaky?"

Posted: 8/24/2005 9:38:17 AM EDT

[#8]

I recently started reading one called something like "revolution in 2100".

I'm about halfway through it and it doesn't seem to be infected with the freaky free sex stuff yet, though there are hints of it.

The basics of the story are:

The USA has been taken over by a religeous facist dictator, and has been for many years ... think "christian taliban".

Organization called "the cabal" which is basically free masons (they refer to GATOU, and founding fathers being members, etc.) organizes a revolution.

That's about as far as I've got so far.

Posted: 8/24/2005 9:56:44 AM EDT

[#9]

Glory Road!

GLORY ROAD, damnit!

Posted: 8/24/2005 11:34:51 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Glory Road!

GLORY ROAD, damnit!

Roger that!!!!

Posted: 8/24/2005 11:41:08 AM EDT

[#11]

Early Heinlein were shorts for kids and straightforward themes

Middle Heinlein were strident warnings about all kinds of totalitarianism and fighting the good fight. mega-trend of the individual triumphing over all continued.

Late Heinlein were huge wandering metaphysical tales of shucking all societal restraints / norms.

Find a good chronological Heinlein booklist, and work your way through it.

If you only want a few, then read:
Starship Trooper
Moon is a Harsh mistress
Farnham's Freehold
Sixth Column
Stranger in a Strange Land
Job: A Comedy of Justice

Posted: 8/24/2005 11:42:44 AM EDT

[#12]

here's a booklist
www.wegrokit.com/reviews2.htm

Posted: 8/24/2005 11:45:54 AM EDT

[#13]

Just buy any Heinlein books you haven't already read.

Keep doing it until you've got them all.

For less involved reading, I recommend Farmer in the Sky, The Star Beast, Farnham's Freehold, Starman Jones, and Red Planet.

They all stand on their own and aren't part of a larger continuity of works.

CJ

Posted: 8/24/2005 11:50:16 AM EDT

[#14]

Friday is also very good. One of my favorites.

Posted: 8/24/2005 11:55:00 AM EDT

[#15]

Recommended for the beginning Heinlein reader:

Methuselah's Children
Sixth Column
Moon is a Harsh Mistress

Recommended for the advanced reader:

Time Enough for Love
Cat Who Walks Through Walls
Friday

To be avoided:
Number of the beast (blecchh!)
Stranger in a strange land (a "classic" but I couldn't get into it)
To sail beyond the sunset (incest aplenty, blecch!)

I've read most everything he's written and most of it's good. I agree that his later books started to get weird.

Posted: 8/24/2005 12:00:11 PM EDT

[#16]

The Notebook of Lazarus Long is great as well. The key character or many of his later books, immortal, Libertarians will LOVE this guy's outlook. The Notebook has all manner of quotes and quips and their pretty damned good / funny.

Posted: 8/24/2005 12:04:30 PM EDT

[#17]

I liked Number of the Beast until Lazarus Long showed up, visiting Oz and Colonial Mars was excellent.

Posted: 8/24/2005 12:12:39 PM EDT

[#18]

"the moon is a harsh mistress"

Is the best book IMHO, I loved it. And He only used the word "the" two times int he book, both in one paragraph, and only in a quote from earth.

Posted: 8/24/2005 2:52:11 PM EDT

[#19]

Why don't I ever see The Rolling Stones in these lists ? Ya GOTTA love Hazel !

Posted: 8/24/2005 6:31:04 PM EDT

[#20]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is pretty long and involved right? From the reviews that's the one I want to read next, but some books need to wait until after I'm done with Grad School.

Posted: 8/24/2005 6:34:36 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is pretty long and involved right? From the reviews that's the one I want to read next, but some books need to wait until after I'm done with Grad School.

it's an easy read

Posted: 8/24/2005 6:35:39 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
"the moon is a harsh mistress"

Is the best book IMHO, I loved it. And He only used the word "the" two times int he book, both in one paragraph, and only in a quote from earth.

gotta call

on that one, I've got the book right in front of me.

Posted: 8/24/2005 6:42:40 PM EDT

[#23]

Stranger in a Strange Land is my personal Heinlein novel.

I strongly recommend the anthology
The Past through Tomorrow

Followed by
The Door into Summer

Posted: 8/24/2005 6:49:26 PM EDT

[#24]

"Stranger in a Strange Land" is a must read. His best by far.

I really liked "The Door Into Summer."

The title was from the main character's cat in a Vermont farmhouse with many doors going outside.

When the weather was bad in the winter, the cat would still go to every door possible to see if the weather was any better behind that door.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Heinlein reccomendations?

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