Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Lost Legacy by Robert A. Heinlein Lost Legacy by Robert A. Heinlein. SF and Fantasy.co.uk An SF and Fantasy Bibliography. Follow Us / Contact Us. Links to Bibliographies. Lost Legacy Jerry Was A Man [First published as Jerry Is a Man ] Publisher’s Blurb – Lower Cover The greatest delight was levitation. To fly through the air, to hang suspended in the quiet heart of a cloud, to sleep, like Mohamet, floating between ceiling and floor —these were sensuous delights unexpected and never before experienced, except in dreams, dimly. Joan in particular drank this new joy with lusty abandon. Once she stayed away for two days, sharing the sky with wind and swallow, the icy air of the heights smoothing her bright body. She dived and soared, looped and spiralled, and dropped, a dead weight, from stratosphere to tree-top. Alternative Title Assignment in Eternity Vol.2 - New English Library Paperback Edition 1978, ISBN 0450037592. Cover illustration by Tim White. Twitersong’s Blog. Archive for the ‘A Look At Robert Heinlein’s Legacy’ Category. Robert A. Heinlein — Bookyards Author For Today. With the exception of Starship Troopers, I must confess that I have never been a Robert Heinlein fan. But one has to admit that he has certainly been very popular through the years. His books are the following: ROBERT A. HEINLEIN BOOKS AT OTHER WEBSITES Burgomeister lists a number of his better known books (you have to scroll down): Citizen Of the Galaxy Double Star Farnham�s Freehold Glory Road I Will Fear No Evil Starship Troopers Stranger In A Strange Land The Cat Who Walks Through Walls The Door Into Summer The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress The Number Of The Beast The Puppet Masters Time Enough For Love To Sail Beyond The Sunset. Robert A. Heinlein Collection of 53 Books — Free Book Spot List (all in one pdf file): All you zombies The Black Pits of Luna Blowups Happen The Cat who Walks Through Walls Citizen of the Galaxy Common Sense Coventry Delilah and the Space-Rigger The Door Into Summer Double Star Expanded Universe Farnham’s Freehold Friday Gentlemen, Be Seated Glory Road The Green Hills of Earth Have Space Suit will Travel If This Goes On It’s Great to Be Back! A Comedy of Justice Let There Be Light Life-Line Logic of Empire The Long Watch Lost Legacy Magic Inc The Man Who Sold the Moon The Menace from Earth Methuselah’s Children Misfit The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress The Number Of The Beast Ordeal in Space Orphans Of The Sky Past Through Tomorrow Podkayne Of Mars The Puppet Masters Requiem The Roads Must Roll Rocket Ship Galileo Sixth Column Space Jockey Starship Troopers Stranger In A Strange Land This I Believe Time For The Stars To Sail Beyond The Sunset Tunnel In The Sky Universe Waldo We Also Walk Dogs The Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein Year Of The Jackpot. ROBERT A. HEINLEIN. ROBERT A. HEINLEIN (1907 – 1988) was an American Science Fiction author. He won an unprecedented five Hugo awards for his many excellent novels and was named a Grand Master by the SFWA. Heinlein wrote short stories prior to WWII, entered the United States Navy and was discharged due to poor health. After WWII he began writing a series of popular novels affectionally known as “juveniles” – which tended to star young men or teens. Later, in the late 1950s and early 1960s he began a middle period, in which his protagonists confronted more societal based issues. In his lat career, the 1970s and 1980s he wrote novels about older, wiser, more opinionated men. But there were many exceptions. If you haven’t read Heinlein, you haven’t really read Science Fiction. The bulk of his impressive fiction is available as audiobooks, often in multiple versions. Starman Jones By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Paul Michael Garcia 7 CDs – 8.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 2008 ISBN: 9781433230387 |READ OUR REVIEW| Rocket Ship Galileo By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Spider Robinson 5 CDs, 4 Cassettes or 1 MP3-CD – 5.5 hrs [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 2007 ISBN: 9780786162765 (CDs), 9780786147892 (cassettes), 9780786172092(MP3-CD) |READ OUR REVIEW| The Cat Who Walks Through Walls By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by George Wilson 11 Cassettes – 16 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Recorded Books Published: 1999 ISBN: 078876330X, 0788729403 Twenty-four hours after their dinner date, Dr. Richard Ames and Gwen Novak have witnessed a murder, wed, been evicted, been charged with murder, and had to run for their lives. Luckily, neither Ames’ prosthetic foot, nor the maple bonsai Gwen insists on saving slows them down as they make their escape from a planned community turned sour. The Cat Who Walks Through Walls By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Robert Vaughn 2 Cassettes – [ABRIDGED] Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio Published: 198? ISBN: . Citizen Of The Galaxy By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Lloyd James 7 Cassettes, 8 CDs or 1 MP3-CD – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 200? ISBN: 0786127449 (retail cassette), 0786128321 (library cassette), 0786184795 (retail cd), 0786183810 (library cd), 0786184639 (mp3-cd) |READ OUR REVIEW| Double Star By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Lloyd James 5 Cassettes, 6 CDs or 1 MP3-CD – 7.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 1999 ISBN: 0786117451 (cassette), 0786199024 (cd), 0786195037 (mp3-cd) |READ OUR REVIEW| Farmer In The Sky By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Scott Brick 5 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Books On Tape Published: 2001 ISBN: 0736689354 BOT Number: 6031. Friday By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Robert McQuay 9 Cassettes or 1 MP3-CD – Approx. 13.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 1996 ISBN: 0786110546 (cassettes) 0786110848 (cassettes) Friday is a secret courier. She is employed by a man known to her only as “Boss.” Operating from and over a near-future Earth, where chaos is the happy norm, she finds herself on assignment at Boss’s seemingly whimsical behest. From New Zealand to Canada, from one to another of the new states of America’s disunion, she keeps her balance nimbly with quick, expeditious solutions to one calamity and scrape after another. Friday By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Hillary Huber 11 CDs – Approx. 14 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 2008 ISBN: 9781433246502 Engineered from the finest genes and trained to be a secret courier in a future world, Friday operates over a near- future Earth, where chaos reigns. North America has become Balkanized into dozens of independent states, sharing only a bizarrely vulgarized culture. Now, Friday finds herself on shuttlecock assignment at the seemingly whimsical behest of her secret employer, known to her only as “Boss”. Traveling from one to another of the new states of America’s disunion, she is confronted with a series of professional as well as personal crises that put her to the test. Friday By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Samantha Eggar 2 Cassettes – [ABRIDGED] Publisher: Durkin Hayes Published: 19?? ISBN: . Have Space Suit, Will Travel By Robert A. Heinlein; Performed By A Full Cast 8 CDs – 8 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Published by Full Cast Audio Published: 2003 ISBN: 1932076417 |READ OUR REVIEW| Job: A Comedy of Justice By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by 2 Cassettes – [ABRIDGED] Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Published: 1986 ISBN: 06716255225. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Lloyd James 10 Cassettes, 12 CDs or 1 MP3-CD – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: . ISBN: 078611763X (Cassette), 0786198850 (CD) or 0786192216 (MP3-CD) The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by George Wilson 11 Cassettes – 15.5 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Recorded Books Published: . ISBN: 0788719874, 0788763318. The Puppet Masters By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Lloyd James 9 Cassettes, 9 CDs or 1 MP3-CD – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: . ISBN: 0786113308 (Cassette), 0786181494 (CD), 0786192704 (MP3-CD) The Rolling Stones By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by a FULL CAST 8 CDs – 7 Hours 9 Minutes [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Full Cast Audio Published: 2005 ISBN: 1932076808 |READ OUR REVIEW| Starship Troopers By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by George Wilson 7 Cassettes – 9.75 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Recorded Books Published: . ISBN: 0788763326, 0788720236. Starship Troopers By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Lloyd James 7 Cassettes, 9 CDs or 1 MP3-CD – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 1997 ISBN: 078611231X (cassette), 0-7861-9946-6 (cd), 0786195622 (mp3-cd) Stranger In A Strange Land By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Christopher Hurt 12 Cassettes (Retail or Library), 13 CDs (Retail or Library) or 1 MP3-CD; [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: . ISBN: 0786109521 (library cassette), 0786122293 (retail cassette), 0786185945 (library cd), 0786188480 (retail cd), 078619356-5 (mp3-cd) Stranger In A Strange Land By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Larry McKeever 19 Cassettes (In two parts) – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Books On Tape Published: . ISBN: 0736637028 (pt. 1), 0736637036 (pt. 2) Time Enough For Love By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by 19 Cassettes (in two parts) or 2 MP3CDs – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: . ISBN: 0786118768 (cassettes pt. 1), 0786118946 (cassettes pt. 2), 0786189614 (mp3-cd) “The Green Hills Of Earth By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by . [UNABRIDGED?] Publisher: Waldentapes Published: 19?? ISBN: . The Green Hills Of Earth By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Paul Shay 8 Cassettes – Approx 8 Hours [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Books On Tape Published: 1988 ISBN: . BOT Number: 2196 This collection includes: “Delilah and the Space-Rigger”, “Space-Jockey”, “The Long Watch”, “Gentlemen Be Seated”, “The Black Pits of Luna”, “It’s Great to Be Back”, “We Also Walk Dogs”, “Ordeal In Space”, “The Green Hills of Earth” and “Logic of Empire” The Green Hills Of Earth and Gentlemen, Be Seated By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Leonard Nimoy 1 Cassette or 1 LP – 45 Minutes [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Caedmon Published: 1979 Contains the two Heinlein short stories that comprise the title. |READ OUR REVIEW| The Menace From Earth By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Rob McQuay 5 Cassettes or 1 MP3-CD – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Blackstone Audio Published: 1997 ISBN: 0786111585 (Cassette), 0786193204 (MP3-CD) Includes eight short stories: “The Year Of The Jackpot”, “By His Bootstraps”, “Goldfish Bowl”, “Columbus Was A Dope”, “The Manace From Earth”, “Sky Lift”, “Project Nightmare” and “Water Is For Washing” Science Fiction Soundbook By Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Robert A. Heinlein Read By Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner 4 hours – 4 Cassettes [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: Caedmon Published: 1977 |READ OUR REVIEW| Radio Drama and Audio Drama: “By His Bootstraps” – RADIO DRAMA By Robert A. Heinlein; FULL CAST Show: 2000X Included in the FANTASTIC AUDIO release! “Destination: Moon” – RADIO DRAMA By Robert A. Heinlein; FULL CAST Show: Dimension X. “The Green Hills of Earth” – RADIO DRAMAS By Robert A. Heinlein; FULL CAST Show: CBS Radio Workshop; Dimension X; X Minus One. “The Man Who Traveled In Elephants Adapted by Brad Linaweaver from the short story by Robert A. Heinlein; Full Cast Production 1 CD – [AUDIO DRAMA] Publisher: Atlanta Radio Theater Company Published: 2001 ISBN: 0929483316 |READ OUR REVIEW| “The Menace From Earth” By Robert A. Heinlein; Performed By A Full Cast 1 CD – [AUDIO DRAMA] Publisher: Atlanta Radio Theater Company Published: 200? ISBN: . “Requiem” – RADIO DRAMAS By Robert A. Heinlein; FULL CAST Show: Beyond Tomorrow; Dimension X; X Minus One. “The Roads Must Roll” – RADIO DRAMAS By Robert A. Heinlein; FULL CAST. Show: Dimension X; X Minus One. “Solution Unsatisfactory” Adapted by Daniel Taylor from the short story by Robert A. Heinlein; Full Cast Production 1 CD – 68 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA] Publisher: Atlanta Radio Theater Company Published: 2003 ISBN: 0929483316 |READ OUR REVIEW| “Universe” – RADIO DRAMA By Robert A. Heinlein; FULL CAST Broadcaster: . Broadcast:: 19?? “Universe” – RADIO DRAMAS By Robert A. Heinlein; FULL CAST Show: Dimension X; X Minus One. Books For The Blind: -These are only available to blind or visually impaired residents of the United States Of America, follow this link to see how to qualify. Assignment In Eternity By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Chuck Benson 2 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 34812 Comprised of four shorter works: “Gulf”, “Elsewhen”, “Lost Legacy” and “Jerry Was a Man” The Fantasies Of Robert A. Heinlein By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Michael Scherer 3 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 51609 Includes the following stories: “Magic, Inc.”, “And He Built a Crooked House” “They”, “Waldo”, “The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag”, “Our Fair City,” “The Man Who Traveled in Elephants”, and “All You Zombies” Beyond This Horizon By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by James DeLotel 2 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 16636. The Cat Who Walks through Walls By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Bob Askey 3 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 23002. Citizen Of The Galaxy By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Gary Tipton 2 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 32478. The Door Into Summer By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by David Palmer. 2 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 16382. Farnham’s Freehold By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Fred Major 2 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 51448. Friday By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Madelyn Buzzard 3 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 20597. Glory Road By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by George Backman 2 Cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 17121. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Roy Avers 3 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 25524. The Number of the Beast By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by George Guidall-Shapiro 3 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 16623. The Puppet Masters By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by James DeLotel 2 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 16557. Revolt in 2100 By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Peter Johnson 2 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 21714. The Rolling Stones By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Nita Elliott 3 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 7937. Star Beast By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Mark Heckler 2 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 11949. Starman Jones By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by . Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . Starship Troopers By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Christopher Hurt 2 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 17818. Stranger In A Strange Land By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Joel Crothers 4 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 12651. Time For The Stars By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by George Backman 1 Cassette – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 14186. To Sail Beyond the Sunset: The Life and Loves of Maureen Johnson (Being the Memoirs of a Somewhat Irregular Lady) By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by Carol McCartney 3 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 26957. Tunnel In The Sky By Robert A. Heinlein; Read by . 2 cassettes – [UNABRIDGED] Publisher: National Library Service (Book for the blind) Published: . NLS Number: RC 13216. Robert A. Heinlein. Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) is widely considered one of the most influential and iconic writers of Sci Fi and Speculative Fiction of the Twentieth Century. He is counted as one of the "Big Three" of Science Fiction along with Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. Often the standard to which other Science Fiction writers are compared, although he caught considerable flak for some of his recurring philosophical and political themes. His works range from space adventure YA novels to political manifestos, and generally score towards the "hard" side of Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness. Heinlein's most notorious and most dividing novel is Stranger in A Strange Land , an Author Tract which contributed hugely to the rise of the hippie movement. However, he's probably best known with the general public for penning Starship Troopers , which was very, very loosely adapted into a film. Rare exceptions aside, nearly all of his characters are prodigies and geniuses, to the point where this can be considered his authorial trademark. Contents. Works by Robert A. Heinlein. Listed by publication date. Novels. Beyond This Horizon , 1948 (initially serialized in 1942, and at that time credited to Anson MacDonald) Space Cadet , 1948 Sixth Column , 1949 (a.k.a. The Day After Tomorrow ; initially serialized in 1941, and at that time credited to Anson MacDonald) Farmer in the Sky , 1950 (initially serialized in a condensed version in Boys' Life magazine as "Satellite Scout") Between Planets , 1951 The Puppet Masters , 1951 (re-published posthumously with excisions restored, 1990) The Rolling Stones , 1952 (a.k.a. Space Family Stone ) The Star Beast , 1954 Tunnel in the Sky , 1955 Double Star , 1956 Citizen of the Galaxy , 1957 The Door into Summer , 1957 Have Space Suit—Will Travel , 1958 Methuselah's Children , 1958 (originally a serialized novella in 1941) Starship Troopers , 1959 Stranger in a Strange Land , 1961, 1962 (republished at the original greater length in 1991) Farnham's Freehold , 1964 The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress , 1966 I Will Fear No Evil , 1970 Time Enough for Love , 1973 Friday , 1982—Hugo, Nebula, and Locus SF Awards nominee, 1983 The Cat Who Walks Through Walls , 1985 To Sail Beyond the Sunset , 1987 Variable Star (posthumously with Spider Robinson) (Heinlein's eight-page outline written in 1955; Robinson's full novel from the outline appeared in 2006) Short fiction. "Future History" short fiction. " Let There Be Light ", 1940 " Misfit ", 1939 " Blowups Happen ", 1940 " —We Also Walk Dogs ", 1941 (as Anson MacDonald) " Methuselah's Children ", 1941 (lengthened and published as a novel, 1958) " Space Jockey ", 1947 " The Long Watch ", 1948 " Other short speculative fiction. At Heinlein's insistence, the three Lyle Monroe stories marked with the symbol '§' were never reissued in a Heinlein anthology during his lifetime. "Magic, Inc.", 1940 (aka: "The Devil Makes the Law") " Solution Unsatisfactory ", 1940 (as Anson MacDonald) " Let There Be Light ", 1940 (as Lyle Monroe) " Successful Operation " 1940 (as Lyle Monroe; aka "Heil!") " By His Bootstraps ", 1941 (as Anson MacDonald) " Lost Legacy ", 1941 (as Lyle Monroe; aka "Lost Legion") " Elsewhen ", 1941 (as Caleb Saunders; aka "Elsewhere") § " Free Men ", 1946 (published 1966) " Nothing Ever Happens on the Moon ", 1949 " The Year of the Jackpot ", 1952 " Project Nightmare ", 1953 " Sky Lift ", 1953 " Other short fiction. " The Witch's Daughter ", 1946 (poem) " Water Is for Washing ", 1947 " Collections. The Man Who Sold the Moon , 1950 (omnibus of "Let There Be Light", "The Roads Must Roll", "The Man Who Sold the Moon", "Requiem", "Life-Line", and "Blowups Happen") Waldo & Magic, Inc. , 1950 (omnibus of "Waldo" & "Magic, Inc."; entire contents included in The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein ) The Green Hills of Earth , 1951 (omnibus of "Delilah and the Space Rigger", "Space Jockey", "The Long Watch", "Gentlemen, Be Seated!", "The Black Pits of Luna", "It's Great to Be Back!", "—We Also Walk Dogs", "Ordeal in Space", "The Green Hills of Earth", and "Logic of Empire") Assignment in Eternity , 1953 (omnibus of"Gulf", "Lost Legacy", "Elsewhen", and "Jerry Was a Man") Revolt in 2100 , 1953 (omnibus of "If This Goes On—", "Coventry", and "Misfit") The Robert Heinlein Omnibus , 1958 The Menace From Earth , 1959 (omnibus of "The Year of the Jackpot", "By His Bootstraps", "Columbus Was a Dope", "The Menace from Earth", "Sky Lift", "Goldfish Bowl", "Project Nightmare", and "Water Is for Washing") The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag , 1959 (a.k.a. 6 X H ; omnibus of "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag", "The Man Who Traveled in Elephants", "—All You Zombies—", "They", "Our Fair City", and "'—And He Built a Crooked House—'"; entire contents included in The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein ) Three by Heinlein , 1965 A Robert Heinlein Omnibus , 1966 The Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein , 1966 (omnibus of "Free Men", "Blowups Happen", "Searchlight", "Life-Line", and "Solution Unsatisfactory"; entire contents included in Expanded Universe ) The Past Through Tomorrow , 1967 (almost-complete Future History collection, missing "Let There Be Light," "Universe," and "Common Sense") The Best of Robert A. Heinlein , 1973. Heinlein has probably written — and in some cases created — every major form of story in Science Fiction, including: Revolution and its aftermath ( The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress and the first part of its sorta-sequel The Cat Who Walks Through Walls , If This Goes On. , later packaged in the collection Revolt in 2100 ) Organized crime invading an industry ( Magic, Inc. , Let There Be Light ) Space travel ( The Rolling Stones along with most of his short stories) and Paradoxes ("By His Bootstraps", "All You Zombies", Time Enough for Love , The Door Into Summer ) and cross-universe travel ( The Number of the Beast , Glory Road ) Age extension and immortality ( Methuselah's Children , Time Enough for Love , The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress ) Labor strikes by people critical to the economy ("The Roads Must Roll") Crabby old man has brain transplanted into gorgeous woman ( I Will Fear No Evil ) ; Society on a self-contained spaceship forming its own religious mythos ( Orphans of the Sky/Universe ) Problems of precognition and knowing the future ("Life-Line") War and the government it creates ( Starship Troopers , frequently considered one of the best military novels ever written) Slavery, freedom, and the forms each can take ( Citizen of the Galaxy ) Settling on and civilizing new and unfamiliar worlds ( Farmer in the Sky , Tunnel in the Sky ) Human-alien relations ( Red Planet , Have Space Suit—Will Travel , Space Cadet , Double Star , Starman Jones , The Star Beast , Stranger in A Strange Land ). The transformative power of innocence plus observations of humanity from an Outsider ( Stranger in A Strange Land ) The idea of fiction creating worlds ( The Number of the Beast and its sequels) The idea of heaven not being heaven without your loved ones. ( Job: A Comedy of Justice ) Heinlein's protagonists are typically geniuses, often with perfect memory and a love for mathematics. They have held opinions covering most of the political spectrum, to the point where the oft-made argument "Heinlein's heroes all have his political opinions!" needs to account for the fact that the sum total of "political opinions held by Heinlein protagonists" includes many mutually contradictory ideas. For that matter, Heinlein himself expounded the merits of wildly different political opinions; several of his earliest books were essentially guided tours through a couple of (non- Marxist) anarcho-socialist future paradises — though said paradises also valued sexual freedom and the right to bear arms. He would later write of a yet another such (alien) paradise in his (in)famous Author Tract Stranger in A Strange Land — and he would reference said paradise throughout much of his future work. His protagonists can be expected to believe in sexual freedom, the right to bear arms, the death penalty, and private ownership and private enterprise, and to not be shy in expounding on those beliefs. Most believe in hard work and although they often suffer bad luck, in the end it pays off for them. Humans Are Special, a fact often expounded upon by his heroes, who are often, by birthright, training, or sheer openmindedness even "specialer" than regular humans. They also tend to be ridiculously smart. This has lead to some (not always unwarranted) accusations of Sueism in Heinlein's writing. [1] Expect there to be at least one foolish and lazy person to contrast to the heroes. However, smart lazy people are usually respected — see "The Tale of The Man Who Was Too Lazy To Fail" in Time Enough for Love . (Usually, but not always. In The Puppet Masters , the main characters praised engineers but disdained scientists, as the latter merely sit around making up theories without actually building anything.) Mutual respect and personal autonomy are key themes, and Polyamory is presented as the most rational and reasonable form of partnership. It's also not uncommon for Heinlein's heroes to explore the idea of incest — in any case, family bonds are always very strong. Education (particularly math and linguistics) is a vital (but personal and freely chosen) process, and on occasion there are allusions to naive forms of chaos magic (i.e. mankind's ability to manipulate nature simply by being clever). In addition to that, throwing rocks at people who don't agree with one's personal beliefs is quite okay when one's personal beliefs are enlightened enough — although Heinlein's heroes tend to bluff rather than use lethal violence. Racism is also always rejected. Heinlein was indirect about it, but many (if not most) of his main characters are implied to be multiracial or at least not white. His later books valued individual autonomy much more than the earlier ones, and his opinion of government, politics, and politicians changed accordingly. By the end, his opinion appeared to be that there are two types of politician: the Wide-Eyed Idealist who can't be trusted because anyone who can convince him it's for the greater good will get him to abandon a promise, and the Corrupt Politician who can be trusted because he knows he has a reputation to maintain as someone worth buying. Heinlein's stories are populated by certain stock characters: The Teen Genius: A very common character both in Heinlein's YA novels and in his political work. The genius child is often completely unaware that he or she is a prodigy, and simply dreams of going into space and having wild space adventures. Some of these characters, however, fully know how smart they are, and learn an important lesson about humility. Knowing next to nothing about interstellar politics, they tend to wise up by the end of the story and accept responsibility for their actions. Kip, Max, Peewee, and the twins Cas and Pol embody this, and Valentine Michael Smith is this character type taken to its logical extreme. The Competent Man (sometimes woman): Essentially your classic leading man character, he or she is competent in a reasonably wide range of fields (usually including several languages, sciences and/or technologies), and usually is also The Man (or Woman) Who Learns Better, having learned an important lesson and experienced considerable personal growth by the end of the story. The latter aspect is more prominent in Heinlein's juveniles. This can also be an adult version of the Genius Child who already knows how to deal with adult life, or simply the Genius Child's close friend. The Wise Old Mentor (usually, but not always, male): Professor Bernardo de la Paz, Hazel Meade Stone, Joseph Bonforte, Jubal Harshaw, and of course Lazarus Long, who also falls into the above category. The Gorgeous Woman: Spirited, beautiful and complex. Many of them have red hair, like Heinlein's wife Virginia. In fact, it is often tempting to assume the Gorgeous Woman is essentially Virginia in various guises. Star, in Glory Road, is described as hundreds of women in one body, along with a number of men, and amply describes the more universal version of the character. These characters are best seen in The Puppet Masters , which is also his Alien Invasion plot. His characters are often very intelligent, highly skilled (or they quickly learn any skills needed), good at math, and sometimes without major mental or physical defect. On this last qualification, there are notable exceptions: Waldo, a physical and emotional cripple in need of redemption. Oscar Gordon, a self-described grunt with a prominent facial scar, whose genius mainly lies in forms of violence and the practical application of personal ethics. After serving his time in the military, he gets recruited from an endless beach vacation by Star. Juan Rico, another grunt, who doesn't have the stuff to join one of the more glamorous organizations but proves to be an above-average officer and the right man at the right time. In film adaptations they tend to forget he's only called "Johnny," not named that. The Protagonist Every character of All You Zombies, a heartless cad with an intersexual condition (and time machine). Manuel Garcia O'Kelly "Mannie" Davis, a one-armed computer engineer (lost the other arm in an accident), who is otherwise the Archetype for a technically competent hero. While Roger Stone is a Competent Man, he freely admits that he's the least intelligent and adaptable person in his entire family, not to mention one of the least so among Heinlein's roster of Competent Men. He yet is the successful leader and moral conscience of the entire Stone family, and is perhaps the only being in the entire multiverse that Heinlein has written winning an argument with Hazel Stone. Hugh Farnham in Farnham's Freehold is not extensively educated or much more intelligent than the norm and his mathematical abilities are unknown, but he does have access to a long list of useful books, which come in handy when he becomes a freeholder. Podkayne Fries in PreTeen Genius only barely kept in check by his affection for his older sister — and who is only redeemed by Poddy's (near)-death as a result of the plots in which they've become entangled . is a human raised on Mars who is intelligent but with No Social Skills (but later becomes a charismatic preacher)). Apparently Heinlein had a bet going with L. Ron Hubbard to see which one could inspire a cult. Heinlein lost, nanu-nanu. (But many people grok that it was a close race for a while there). While not a main character, the Boss (the mentor/competent man archetype) of Friday is a one-eyed cripple, and apparently a former resident of Luna. Friday herself is neurotically insecure as a result of her upbringing. Heinlein's most notable protagonist is Lazarus Long, a near-immortal rogue and Anti-Hero. Lazarus Long appears across much of Heinlein's work, often being both the Competent Man and the Wise Old Man. He is a strong proponent of the atheistic, Libertarian, Free-Love Future worldview that became a trademark of Heinlein's work, and is a frequent target of criticism for being a Marty Stu and Author Avatar. Heinlein's approach to female characterization is sometimes controversial. While his female characters are a reasonably varied lot, they tend to have a few things in common: The men spend a lot of time explaining things to them. They rarely end the story un-paired with a man, sometimes even expressing a fear of lesbianism. And they often see motherhood as their highest goal. Many stories feature underage (barely teen-age) girls "bundling" with far older men. It should be considered, however, that at the time he wrote most of his novels an actively dominant female character was an extreme rarity. Heinlein's adult years were during the Cold War, and he was extremely hawkish, believing that the Soviets were a serious threat to the US, and that a strong military with lots of nuclear missiles was the only sane response. (For example, one of his character regarded the difference between the Soviets and mind-controlling alien slugs as nearly irrelevant). Though his views were not uncommon at the time, given that the Soviet Union folded shortly after Heinlein's death, understanding his Soviet-phobia can be difficult for modern readers but necessary to understanding his work. (Claiming the genocidal hive-minded Bugs from Starship Troopers are stand-ins for the Soviets is not a stretch). He also invented and explored the concept of Pantheistic Solipsism in his later works, also known as the "World as Myth" philosophy: where powerful writers create universes via the act of writing. He uses this for multiple Crossovers between world lines, including at least one meeting between every major hero he created in a single scene. It's also noted that later characters would call him (as the author) out for the horrible actions his characters suffer if this idea is true. Lost Legacy by Robert A. Heinlein. Photo by Wil C. Fry. Full Title: Assignment In Eternity Author: Robert A. Heinlein Year: 1953 (mine was 1981 paperback) Pages: 192 Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy Publisher: Signet ISBN 0-451-09360-7, or J9360 (mass market paperback) An anthology consisting of four novelas, Assignment In Eternity explores the general idea of what makes humans human — culminating in the final story, in which a court is forced to issue a legal ruling on the human rights of genetically engineered intelligent animals. The first three spend a lot of time on pseudoscience — clairvoyance, ESP, mind-over-matter, levitation, and so on — and offer non-scientific speculative alternatives to the known tracks of human evolution. All four stories were first published in the 1940s in various periodicals. Gulf (1949) Elsewhen (1941) Lost Legacy (1941) Jerry Was A Man (1947) None of the stories fall into Heinlein’s Future History timeline, though there are foreshadowings of later novels and themes. (I’ll mention the ones I spotted in my mini-reviews below.) My paperback copy of the book, purchased used in the late 1990s, has a typeface so small that my reading glasses were barely strong enough to help me parse it. I marvel that I read it unassisted a couple of decades ago. There were also several noticeable typographical errors throughout, as if Signet was in something of a hurry to push this through the presses. (I’ve heard that Baen Books offers a more modern trade paperback edition.) SUMMARY: Gulf concerns a highly trained and competent secret agent who we eventually learn is named Joe Greene (likely not related to the Joe Greene of professional football fame, who grew up a few miles from where I am now but currently lives in the same town as my younger brother, and who starred in the very first football game I watched on TV in the late 1970s; he was only three years old when this novella was originally published). In the first part of the story, Agent Greene fights off various enemy agents while trying to save the world, is captured, escapes, and eventually resigns his post. The action scenes are well-written and precarious; it becomes quickly obvious that Greene is superior to average men in both physique and mental abilities. In the second half of the story, Greene reconnects with a man named “Kettle Belly” Baldwin, whom he met while imprisoned earlier. Baldwin runs a secret society of “supermen” (some of them women), people who are like Greene — a bit advanced, evolutionarily speaking, beyond the average human. Greene and his girlfriend Gail end up saving all humanity by sacrificing their lives on the Moon at the end, stopping the “Nova Effect” (which was part of Greene’s original mission at the beginning). TIES TO OTHER WORKS: The super-agent motif reminded me of Sam Nivens in 1951’s The Puppet Masters , and the astoundingly powerful but secret discovery of the Nova Effect is similar to some of the background history in 1951’s Between Planets . Kettle Belly makes an appearance in 1982’s Friday , in which he’s the boss of the titular character, and Joe Greene and his wife are mentioned as genetic progenitors of Friday. Friday also mentions that at some point in the past, the “supermen” of Gulf have emigrated to a planet known as Olympia. For these reasons, it could loosely be considered a sequel to Gulf . I remember some of the themes in the story having a powerful effect on me when I first read it — at a time when I had not yet learned enough about evolution to be convinced of it. And there are still some interesting quotations. “We defined thinking as integrating data and arriving at correct answers. Look around you. Most people do that stunt just well enough to get to the corner store and back without breaking a leg. If the average man thinks at all, he does silly things like generalizing from a single datum. He uses one-valued logics. If he is exceptionally bright, he may use two-valued, ‘either-or’ logic to arrive at his wrong answers. If he is hungry, hurt, or personally interested in the answer, he can’t use any sort of logic and will discard an observed fact as blithely as he will stake his life on a piece of wishful thinking. He uses the technical miracles created by superior men without wonder nor suprise, as a kitten accepts a bowl of milk. Far from aspiring to higher reasoning, he is not even aware that higher reasoning exists. He classes his own mentional process as being of the same sort as the genius of an Einstein. Man is not a rational animal; he is a rationalizing animal. “For explanations of a universe that confuses him he seizes onto numerology, astrology, hysterical religions, and other fancy ways to go crazy. Having accepted such glorified nonsense, facts make no impression on him, even if at the cost of his his own life.” —page 46. “Reason is poor propaganda when opposed by the yammering, unceasing lies of shrewd and evil and self-serving men. The little man has no way to judge and the shoddy lies are packaged more attractively.” —page 48. Gail showed up promptly. “Joe,” said Baldwin, “when this young lady gets through with you, you will be able to sing, whistle, chew gum, play chess, hold your breath, and fly a kite simultaneously — and all this while riding a bicycle under water. Take him, sis, he’s all yours.” SUMMARY: Originally published under the pen name Caleb Saunders, Elsewhen concerns the existence of multiple universes and timelines. The main character, Professor Arthur Frost, teaches a university class in “speculative metaphysics” and has discovered a way to hypnotize a human brain just enough so that the human can travel between one universe and another, or one timeline and another. Some timelines are absurd, some are moving backward relative to the traveler, etc. When five of his students go missing, Frost is arrested on suspicion of kidnapping (and possibly murdering) them, but they have, of course, simply traveled to other timelines. Frost easily escapes his imprisonment by traveling to another timeline. TIES TO OTHER WORKS: The story ends with the line: “Time enough for. ”, which reminds the Heinlein reader of his 1973 novel Time Enough For Love , but otherwise the motifs of the story remind one of the full treatment Heinlein gave to the multiverse concept in 1980’s The Number Of The Beast , 1985’s The Cat Who Walks Through Walls , and 1987’s To Sail Beyond The Sunset . Some of the language employed in Elsewhen reminded me strongly of those later works, though the method of traveling between worlds is different here. ★★★ Lost Legacy , 1941, pages 96-170. SUMMARY: The background of this story, which we don’t learn until halfway through, is that humans were once nearly all-powerful, possessed of innate psychic abilities to include telepathy, telekinesis, levitation, etc., but an evil, selfish cabal took over and banned the teaching of such knowledge to future generations. (The former leaders of this once great society were later mythologized into the “gods” of later mankind.) Fortunately, records of all this were secretly recorded and hidden in “high places” around the Earth. The story opens with Dr. Philip Huxley (professor of psychology) telling his friend Dr. Benjamin Coburn (neurosurgeon) about his recent discoveries in the area of “parapsychology”. Ben is of course skeptical but eventually becomes convinced when presented with evidence. Along with one of Phil’s students, a young woman named Joan, the two men explore the discoveries more deeply and soon are able to levitate, communicate telepathically, etc., all due to previously untapped portions of the human brain — “vestigal” abilities, Phil decides. Going on a hike up Mount Shasta, the trio discovers a group of other “adepts”, who have been hiding there for generations, studying and practicing their arcane psychic arts. One of them is Ambrose Bierce, and the group claims to have had other famous historical figures among its ranks, including Mark Twain. Learning the true history of the world, and that the evil cabal still lives and works among men to suppress the knowledge of these abilities, the trio decides to fight back. In the end, it requires the help of all the living adepts and a giant Boy Scout jamboree, during which they educate a thousand young men about the innate abilities, hoping to spread the knowledge across the country. In order for Heinlein’s characters to convince themselves of these psychic abilities, he makes great use of the ridiculous argument often used by today’s religions: “There are things that science can’t explain, therefore my absurd claim must be true.” I can’t tell whether he was using this spurious argument seriously or whether he was mocking those who do use it. TIES TO OTHER WORKS: I have seen multiple sources claim that Lost Legacy has the “same theme” as Heinlein’s 1961 Stranger In A Strange Land , as well as sharing characters — but neither of these claims is evident to me. The only similarity I can see is that the central character in the later book has some psychic abilities, which he learned while on Mars. FOR ITS TIME. The story opens with a “negro attendant”, later referred to as a “colored man”, in the faculty clubroom of Western University. The group of adepts at Mount Shasta includes “a Chinese” who is a master of these psychic abilities. Though these turns of phrase are anathema now , I believe they were entirely acceptable in the early 1940s (“negro” didn’t fall out of favor until the mid 1960s, for example). In fact, in context, it looks like an overt attempt at inclusion. The society of adepts includes many women, including several in leadership positions. Even the evil cabal includes a woman preacher (the word “televangelist” isn’t used, because it wasn’t invented until 1958, but she and another preacher both use television to preach sermons). When Phil or Ben begin to act too paternal toward Joan or start to mansplain to her, she stands up to them, puts them in their place.

★★★★ Jerry Was A Man , 1947, pages 171-192. The title is a bit of a spoiler for this one, as soon as the reader learns “Jerry” is a genetically engineered “worker” (derived from chimpanzees) and that the central question in the story is whether Jerry and other such workers should be guaranteed human rights. (This was very much ahead of its time, as the real-life movement to secure civil liberties for non-human great apes didn’t gain much traction until the 1990s.) It begins with the very wealthy Mr. and Mrs. Bronson van Vogel visiting a genetics facility so the husband can buy a Pegasus — a winged horse that can actually fly — but of course the chief scientist there assures him such a thing is physically impossible. After Mr. van Vogel agrees to buy a winged horse that can’t fly, he and his wife tour the facilities where the anthropoid workers are grown and trained. In this society of the future, old-style human hard labor has been replaced with the forced labor of these lab-grown intelligent chimps, monkeys, and gorillas — who are taught rudimentary speech and trained to the tasks for which they’ve been bought. Mrs. van Vogel meets title character Jerry during this tour; Jerry is one of the aged neo-chimps who doesn’t work anymore; he’s kept in a pen with others and asks for a cigarette through the fence. When Mrs. van Vogel gives him a cigarette, Jerry introduces himself. When she learns that the elder anthropoids are “liquidated” (ground into dogfood) rather than retired, she becomes furious, having already accepted them as sentient. In order to save Jerry, specifically, from such a horrid end, Mrs. van Vogel (who owns part of the company) takes him with her. Deciding she wants to save all the chattel workers and not just Jerry, she decides to buy a controlling interest in the company, but is foiled. Eventually, she hires a “licences shyster” to work up the case that will save Jerry and his fellow beings. When her husband tries to thwart her, she reminds him who’s in charge. When the defendants try to dismiss the case on the grounds that Jerry is not a human, the plaintiffs call a Martian to the stand (an employee of the defendant corporation), because Terran law considers the Martians “men” for purposes of the law. When the corporate attorneys cross-examined their employee, to coax him to at least point out that Jerry wasn’t as smart as a human, the Martian demurred, contending that — from his point of view — it was unclear whether humans were smarter than chimps. This testimony, plus Jerry’s rendition of Swanee River , convinced the court. FOR ITS TIME. This is possibly the first story of Heinlein’s with a female lead. Martha van Vogel begins the story as the wealthy but distracted wife of Bronson, but once she identifies Jerry as a person , she becomes the main character and comes into her own. When the men around her concoct schemes and play political games, “it confirmed her opinion that men should not be allowed to vote.” It helps that she’s the world’s wealthiest woman, but it is the sheer force of her will that carries the day — at least until the court hearing. All four stories are enjoyable in their own ways, and I remember each of them having an impact on me when I first read them in the 1990s. Jerry Was A Man was the most memorable to me at the time, and I still think it’s the best of the four. Aside from the silliness of parapsychology, there are some Big Ideas addressed in these stories, and plenty of food for thought.