"Robert Heinlein Remembered"

Lever Action Essays ^ | 1988 | L.Neil Smith

[Sam Cree]

Although I think the expectations were higher in those days for kids' reading abilities.

You got the precious.

[RightWhale]

The Rolling Stone.

[FreeLibertarian]

Lazarus Long is introduced in "Methuselah's Children" but "Time Enough for Love" is my favorite Lazarus novel.

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -- Lazarus Long

[BlazingArizona]

"The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"
One of my favourites.

Seconded! Do any of you out there wonder why Hollywood is so reluctant to produce this one?

[BlazingArizona]

Wasn't he the one that, along with the Arizona Libertarian Party, led a revolt against the LP and ran for president alongside/against Harry Browne.

Yes, and if you recall Harry Browne's defeatist outpourings after Sept. 11, it's a stand that Arizona Libertarians are most proud of.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I think the expectations were higher in those days for kids' reading abilities.

Exactly so! They were "juvenile" novels in the 40s and 50s, but they read just as good or better than many "adult" novels of today.

I don't think the Precious counts outside of the Hobbit Hole, but I'll take it anyway I can get it, lol!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Do any of you out there wonder why Hollywood is so reluctant to produce this one?

Actually, considering the mess Hollywood made of Starship Troopers, I'm kind of glad they're leaving Moon... alone.

[BlazingArizona]

Bear, I haven't been much of a Heinlein reader. I tried one 10 years or so ago, it was written in the first person, but as a female. Made me think Heinlein wanted to be a female and I was generally uncomfortable with it.

That one sounds like "I Will Fear No Evil", generally conceded to tie "Number of the Beast" as his worst novel. He didn't do a good job of thinking as a woman.

[joebuck]

From the peanut gallery, count this as one more vote for "Time enough for Love" as the best Heinlien novel. It was the first Heinlein novel I read. I loved it so much I immediatly read every thing else he had ever written. All of his stuff is great but TEFL is still my favorite. It easily has the most thought provoking ending of them all.

[alfa6]

Re post #88 all of those are good stand alone books that you might find to be enjoyable. Starship Troopers is worth the read just for chapter 8 IMHO.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Oztrich Boy]

I tried one 10 years or so ago, it was written in the first person, but as a female

That one sounds like "I Will Fear No Evil",

Or "To Sail beyond the Sunset", or "Friday", or "Podkayne of Mars".

Made me think Heinlein wanted to be a female and I was generally uncomfortable with it.

The danger of speculating on too little evidence. Did "Double Star" mean he wanted to be a egotistical actor? or "Job: a comedy of justice" mean he wanted to be a small minded religious bigot?
In any case which female did Heinlein want to be? Eunice, Maureen, Friday, Podkayne, Holly?

Heinlein wrote 90% of works as first-person, speculating that he wanted to be one particular character out of a hundred is not particulary productive.

He didn't do a good job of thinking as woman.

Sounds like a sub-set of Alleged Literary Lapse (2):"Heinlein can't create believable woman characters" examined by Spider Robinson in his essay "Rah Rah R.A.H!". (massively recommended by the way)

As it comes down to opinion any view on these question can be justified on the ground of "well. I (don't/)believe it".

So IMO. without seeing the author's name I would have believed that "Menace from Earth", et.al. were written by women.

[Sam Cree]

"The danger of speculating on too little evidence"

You know, I think perhaps I have a right to form an opinion (at least a preliminary one) on an author after reading an entire novel by him. When a book is read, it's inevitable that impressions and opinions will be formed, otherwise it's not much of a book.

However, in this case, I have been hoping that my very tentative opinion might be wrong, and have been hoping that perhaps someone would demonstrate such. So far no one really has. Certainly the fact that he wrote many "first person" novels with different protagonists doesn't.

Nevertheless, I am hearing lots of good stuff, so am planning to try another book by the guy.

[FreeLibertarian]

Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human. At best he is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear shoes, bathe, and not make messes in the house. -- Lazarus Long

[dcwusmc]

Marvelous post. Heinlein was the best, bar none. El Neil is excellent in his own right and refreshing to read!

[Sam Cree]

"Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human"

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[FreeLibertarian]

Ok! Lets try this one instead.

You live and learn. Or you don't live long. -- Lazarus Long

[Sam Cree]

I've been loving the Lazarus Long quotes; I better get a book with him in it I guess.

[redrock]

"Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human. At best he is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear shoes, bathe, and not make messes in the house."
-- Lazarus Long

..as long as I have my calculator......

redrock

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Within the last year I picked Stranger at the airport got about three quarters of the way through and put it down due to boredom. Let me know if there is any reason to finish it. (aw, heck, maybe I'll finish it anyway)

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Specialization is for insects. -- Lazarus Long

Lazarus would appreciate the chapter on "The Barbarism of Specialization" in Ortega y Gasset's The Revolt of The Masses.