Robert Heinlein’s “The Long Watch” – Full Text

Metallicman ^ | 3oct18 | Editorial staff

[vannrox]

There are often things that inspire us. This is most especially true when you are young and looking for direction. In my case, I was greatly influenced by the books that I read. My favorites were short-length science fiction “pulps”. These were often paperback books that I could shove in the rear pocket of my bluejeans. I would read them, and often reread them. The authors of these stories varied, but my favorites included Ray Bradbury and Robert Heinlein.

Here is one such story.

This story illustrates that sometimes, it take one person to take a necessary action. Often that person doesn’t want the role. However, there is no one else who can do it. So that person, out of necessity, must become the hero. He must do the difficult and uncomfortable job because he is the only one who is available.

This story holds special meaning to me.

The Long Watch

Nine ships blasted off from Moon Base. Once in space, eight of them formed a globe around the smallest. They held this formation all the way to Earth.

"The small ship displayed the insignia of an admiral-yet there was no living thing of any sort in her. She was not even a passenger ship, but a drone, a robot ship intended for radioactive cargo. This trip she carried nothing but a lead coffin and a Geiger counter that was never quiet."

[Red Badger]

THANK YOU!!!................

[Lurker]

Me too.

L

[antidisestablishment]

Loved Heinlein as well. Really enjoyed The Childe Cycle books. It’s a shame Gordon R. Dickson died before finishing the series. The Tactics of Mistake was a classic.

[Red Badger]

Lazarus Long is my hero..................

[G-Bear]

Then you might be interested in this:
https://archive.org/details/pulpmagazinearchive?&sort=-downloads&page=2

Excellent! Not only the old sci-fi mags, but the detective ones, as well!

My eyes will be hurting.......

Thanks

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I love the Dorsai! Books myself, except for the Final Encyclopedia, which is draggy in parts. Great concept.

[Kommodor]

Ping for later enjoyment. I think I prefer Jack Vance to Mr. Heinlein, but that’s more a distinction without much difference. They’re both great.

[Steely Tom]

Heinlein rocks. He is the bedrock of my personal philosophy. Tanstaafl!

"If there is no solution, there is no problem."

[TexasTransplant]

In my youth in the Military on Deployment I read Heinlein (all of them that I could get) then James Michener (big long books that last and last) then Leon Uris to try and understand the Middle East.
All the while I listened to cassette tapes (that I recorded at the Service Center) by Ray Charles, Nat “King” Cole, the Platters and a man that many years later I met and became an acquaintance to... and I will always call him my buddy Mr Fats Domino (Kindest Soul you could ever meet).
Good times, good memories.