OK, my last post, only earlier this morning, had me bringing up the Dean of Science Fiction.
I can’t shut up about him.
(If you think reading my posts is bad, imagine having no choice but to listen to this stuff twice a week and you’ll know how much to pity my GF.)
Heinlein is definitely not for everybody. I’ve learned this the hard way by trying to introduce my friends to him and getting lukewarm responses each time. I’m not sure why, I love his stuff, so I can’t imagine not being enraptured with his work. Maybe my foaming at the mouth discourages them.
Here are some tips to enjoying Heinlein.
DON’T start with Stranger in a Strange Land. It’s too deep and introspective and, frankly, slow for a beginner. It’s also not indicative of half his work, or really much of it at all.
DON’T start with one of his adult books. This would preclude the last rule, in fact, but I’m just trying to be clear. Time Enough for Love, I Will Fear No Evil, Friday: these are not the books you should be cutting your teeth on. The characters are harder to get along with, the sparse action of his young adult books is practically non-existent, and, I’ll admit, the rampant sex is hard to get past sometimes.
DO start with one of his young adult books. There’s no hard and fast rule to identify them, so I’ll get you some recommendations and very brief synopsis.
Podkayne of Mars – A smart, smarmy girl and her genius kid brother planet hop around one version of Heinlein’s future of our solar system.
Time For the Stars – A pair of twins discover they have a psychic link that can span interstellar distances. One twin travels with an exploratory ship to act as an advanced communication system.
Citizen of the Galaxy – A young slave is purchased by an old beggar. Ends up being pulled throughout the galaxy to find his real home.
The Rolling Stones – The Stone family, an eclectic and able bunch, tour the solar system in a newly purchased second-hand starship. Centers on the twin boys of the family, as they try to make a buck on the side.
If you read one or two of those, and like them, you might just have what it takes to be a Heinlein fan. You should pick up a copy of The Door Into Summer, Starship Troopers, or Job: Comedy of Justice and see if you’re still getting it.
Now would be a good time to grab an Anthology with Methuselah’s Children, in it. Remember things from it, they will come up later.
Then you might think about looking into Friday, or Farnham’s Freehold, or even I Will Fear No Evil. This is when you’ll start hitting sex every few pages. Heinlein was a dirty minded man, it helps to be one too. (Dirty minded, not the man)
You’ll have noticed now that the action and plots are getting thinner and the dialogue gets thicker and richer. Expect this trend to continue.
Now, after you’ve eaten and digested those. Think about reading Time Enough for Love. It’s very good, but you needed to work your way up to a 9th level Heinlein dork before your ready for it. After that, you’ll need Number of the Beast, The Cat who Walks Through Walls, and To Sail Beyond the Sunset.
I’m missing a bunch of books on this journey. I didn’t mention the sublime Tunnel in the Sky, or the classic fun of Red Planet, the innovative Sixth Column, or nearly any of the nuggets of joy that are his short stories. You can find them on your own.
There’s something to keep in mind when you read these books, too. The Dean wrote most of stuff before 1960. Some of his stuff is over 60 years old. He is looking forward into the future from our past, and he’s dated. You can’t look at him always through the eyes of a 21st century reader to enjoy literature. (Beowulf is best enjoyed through the eyes of an 8th century English peasant. Or better yet, a 7th century one, before they put in all the Christian stuff).
There’s a wealth of his stuff, out there. Frankly, I think his work helps you enjoy other good stuff too. For me, Clarke is more fun with some Heinlein under your belt.
Skaught’s Guide to Heinlein
OK, my last post, only earlier this morning, had me bringing up the Dean of Science Fiction.
I can’t shut up about him.
(If you think reading my posts is bad, imagine having no choice but to listen to this stuff twice a week and you’ll know how much to pity my GF.)
Heinlein is definitely not for everybody. I’ve learned this the hard way by trying to introduce my friends to him and getting lukewarm responses each time. I’m not sure why, I love his stuff, so I can’t imagine not being enraptured with his work. Maybe my foaming at the mouth discourages them.
Here are some tips to enjoying Heinlein.
DON’T start with Stranger in a Strange Land. It’s too deep and introspective and, frankly, slow for a beginner. It’s also not indicative of half his work, or really much of it at all.
DON’T start with one of his adult books. This would preclude the last rule, in fact, but I’m just trying to be clear. Time Enough for Love, I Will Fear No Evil, Friday: these are not the books you should be cutting your teeth on. The characters are harder to get along with, the sparse action of his young adult books is practically non-existent, and, I’ll admit, the rampant sex is hard to get past sometimes.
DO start with one of his young adult books. There’s no hard and fast rule to identify them, so I’ll get you some recommendations and very brief synopsis.
Podkayne of Mars – A smart, smarmy girl and her genius kid brother planet hop around one version of Heinlein’s future of our solar system.
Time For the Stars – A pair of twins discover they have a psychic link that can span interstellar distances. One twin travels with an exploratory ship to act as an advanced communication system.
Citizen of the Galaxy – A young slave is purchased by an old beggar. Ends up being pulled throughout the galaxy to find his real home.
The Rolling Stones – The Stone family, an eclectic and able bunch, tour the solar system in a newly purchased second-hand starship. Centers on the twin boys of the family, as they try to make a buck on the side.
If you read one or two of those, and like them, you might just have what it takes to be a Heinlein fan. You should pick up a copy of The Door Into Summer, Starship Troopers, or Job: Comedy of Justice and see if you’re still getting it.
Now would be a good time to grab an Anthology with Methuselah’s Children, in it. Remember things from it, they will come up later.
Then you might think about looking into Friday, or Farnham’s Freehold, or even I Will Fear No Evil. This is when you’ll start hitting sex every few pages. Heinlein was a dirty minded man, it helps to be one too. (Dirty minded, not the man)
You’ll have noticed now that the action and plots are getting thinner and the dialogue gets thicker and richer. Expect this trend to continue.
Now, after you’ve eaten and digested those. Think about reading Time Enough for Love. It’s very good, but you needed to work your way up to a 9th level Heinlein dork before your ready for it. After that, you’ll need Number of the Beast, The Cat who Walks Through Walls, and To Sail Beyond the Sunset.
I’m missing a bunch of books on this journey. I didn’t mention the sublime Tunnel in the Sky, or the classic fun of Red Planet, the innovative Sixth Column, or nearly any of the nuggets of joy that are his short stories. You can find them on your own.
There’s something to keep in mind when you read these books, too. The Dean wrote most of stuff before 1960. Some of his stuff is over 60 years old. He is looking forward into the future from our past, and he’s dated. You can’t look at him always through the eyes of a 21st century reader to enjoy literature. (Beowulf is best enjoyed through the eyes of an 8th century English peasant. Or better yet, a 7th century one, before they put in all the Christian stuff).
There’s a wealth of his stuff, out there. Frankly, I think his work helps you enjoy other good stuff too. For me, Clarke is more fun with some Heinlein under your belt.