Category: Reviews

The Heinlein Maneuver

Was Heinlein right or wrong in his descriptions of planetary orbits and spaceship maneuvers? Hard science fiction author, and astronautical engineer, G (Gerald) David Nordley takes a look at the Heinlein Maneuver from The Rolling Stones.

So Where Did You Get Your Ideas, Mr. Heinlein?

Heinlein Society This is copyrighted material and may not be copied or reproduced in any form, including on other websites, without permission of the copyright holder. So Where Did You Get Your Ideas, Mr. Heinlein? A Review of Robert Heinlein’s “Tramp Royale” By John J. Reilly, ©1997 Tramp Royale by Robert A. Heinlein The Berkley…
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The Martian Named Smith: Book Review

Heinlein Society – Scholastic/Academic articles The Martian Named Smith: Book Review This is copyrighted material and may not be copied or reproduced in any form, including on other websites, without permission of the copyright holder. The Martian Named Smith: Book Review  by Jane Davitt There are as many opinions about Robert Heinlein’s ‘Stranger In A…
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THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST

Considered by some to be one of the more confusing of Heinlein’s works, the novel THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST was written late in his career. It begins with the fastest falling in love sequence since ROMEO AND JULIET and ends with a party at which many of RAH’s characters and many of his real…
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My Virginia Edition Arrived!

My Virginia Edition of the Complete Works of Robert A. Heinlein arrived and has a new home on shelves in my office! My goodness… with as many things having to do with Heinlein and his legacy I’ve been involved in (Heinlein Archives, Heinlein Society, Heinlein Prize Trust, and more), I didn’t think a book set…
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Chicago-sf.org Double Star Book Discussion

Chicago-sf.org will be having a book discussion of Double Star by Robert Heinlein September 15, 2012 at 2pm in the Oak Park Public Library. “One minute, down and out actor Lorenzo Smythe was — as usual — in a bar, drinking away his troubles. Then a pilot bought him a drink, and the next thing…
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Prophets of Science Fiction: Reviewed by Lars Hedbor

I really enjoyed the show – it reminded me what a powerful influence Heinlein has been in so many aspects of my personal life, as well as in the lives of all Americans – and beyond. The live actor recreations of moments of his life and work were wonderful, and I really appreciated the verisimilitude…
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Prophets of Science Fiction: Reviewed by “Thinker”

I have mixed feelings about the RAH presentation.  It was very well done and had  excellent actors, visuals, graphics, references, commentary, etc. But, I came away from watching the program somewhat disappointed. I’m glad they stayed away from critical views and focused mainly on his contributions and visions but they skipped most all of his…
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Prophets of Science Fiction – About the Production

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 the Science Channel program Prophets of Science Fiction will run its episode focusing on Heinlein. In August of 2011, the producers of the Discovery Science Channel’s series Prophets of Science Fiction contacted The Heinlein Society with a request for help for their episode on Robert A. Heinlein. The script was completed…
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Review of the Heinlein Biography: Learning Curve

Hugo-nominated, winner of the Locus award, biography of Robert Heinlein by William H. Patterson, Jr. Review of Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century: Vol. 1: Learning Curve: 1907-1948 by Robert James, Ph.D.

Robert Heinlein: Murder Suspect

In his 1942 novel Rocket to the Morgue, Anthony Boucher captured this moment in science fiction history and preserved it by using his friends and fellow members of the Mañana Literary Society as the suspects in a murder mystery.

All You Zombies: Reviewed by David Wright

“All You Zombies” by Robert A. Heinlein Reviewed by David Wright ©2004 This short time travel story of Heinlein’s appeared some 18 years later than “By His Bootstraps” with which it bears much in common. It is considered by many to be the ultimate in time travel stories. A young man who appears to be…
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The Long Watch

The Long Watch: Johnny’s On the Spot! by David M. Silver©1997 “The Long Watch” is a short story first published in American Legion Magazine (December 1949), in a “heavily edited” form, later republished in original form in the collections The Green Hills of Earth (1951) and The Past Through Tomorrow (1967). This précis is written…
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Voyage to a Thousand Cares

Voyage to a Thousand Cares: Background on Slavery in Citizen of the Galaxy by David M. Silver ©2004 Voyage to a Thousand Cares: Master’s Mate Lawrence with the Africa Squadron, 1844-1846 by C. Herbert Gilliland One of the more intriguing unwritten back stories in Heinlein’s oeuvre is the story of Colonel Baslim’s rescue of a…
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A Martian Named Smith: Book Review

The Martian Named Smith: Book Review by Jane Davitt: There are as many opinions about Robert Heinlein’s ‘Stranger In A Strange Land’ as there are words in the book – and it’s quite a long book. However, most of the opinions have one thing in common and that is the labeling of the book as ‘science fiction’ with all critical judgments being circumscribed by the parameters of this sub set of fiction. William Patterson and Andrew Thornton have decided to take a less trodden path and in so doing have given us a fresh perspective on a book, four decades old, that is still capable of producing controversy and muddled thinking amongst readers and reviewers.

Coventry: Reviewed

Coventry: Reviewed by David M. Silver ©2001 “Coventry” is an oft-ignored short story in The Future History Series chronologically and conceptually taking place between the novelette “If This Goes On . . .” (ASF, Feb-Mar 1940, rewritten and expanded for collection 1953) and the novel Methuselah’s Children (ASF Jul-Aug-Sep 1941, rewritten and expanded for book…
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Citizen of the Galaxy – Review

Review by Alan Milner: Published by Charles Scribner’s Sons as a so-called juvenile novel, Citizen of the Galaxy appeared in 1957, at the height of the civil rights movement. Originally entitled The Chain and the Stars, the author cut it heavily before submission to Scribner’s, intending it for a juvenile audience although it encompassed adult matter. He also cut and slanted a serialized version intended for adults that appeared from September to December the same year in the magazine Astounding Science Fiction.