Heinlein Readers Discussion Group
05/26/2005 & 05/28-2005 Meetings
Beware The Stobor - Robots? in Heinlein
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From: "David M. Silver" <ag.plusone@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: Notice of no meeting of Heinlein Readers Group this month
Date: Sat, 04 Jun 2005 06:32:36 -0700
In article <xd3le.2419$3D6.1015@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com>,
LNC <reilloc@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > Now, I've advanced the theory before that since "stobor" is "robots,"
> > backwards, the writer (and you all know who he is) is making a
> > statement. No, not a statement about backwards robots; a statement about
> > the presence of mechanical persons in science fiction. After all, there
> > aren't any mechanical persons in Heinleinian fiction, are there? (Or are
> > there?) There are plenty of mechanical persons in some competitors'
> > science fiction writings, as I recall. One, major competing writer
> > during the '50's populated whole fictional landscapes with them and if
> > it's word games (like backwards words) you want to play, "Beware the
> > stobor" is an anagram of "A Hebrew et robots."
Maybe a last word on this issue has come in. Dr. Amy Baxter was known as
the Heinleins' "adopted granddaughter," and spent several summers with
both Robert, while he was still alive, and Ginny until her death as
well, while Amy grew up. She became associated with them after writing
them a fan letter in which, noting they had no children, she offered to
be their "adopted grandchild." They were charmed. Amy is a very charming
and talented lady, an ER Pediatrics physician in a large metropolitan
hospital, a mother and wife.
See,
http://www.heinleinsociety.org/conventions/torcon2003/awarddinner.html
about forty percent down the scroll, the photograph taken by Jeanne
Robinson, of Amy in the foreground (Eleanor Wood in the background)
accepting the first Heinlein Award on Virginia Heinlein's behalf.
She sent me an email today, and having apparently read the posted log of
the meeting, noted something:
"For what it's worth, I asked Robert directly about the Stobor question.
He said it wasn't intended to be a red herring vis a vis robots, he just
came up with a word to signify things that go bump in the night. Or
something to that effect, I'd have to go dig up the letter. I recall at
the time I wasn't entirely sure I believed him, but I may have just been
disappointed my clever discovery was random."
--
David M. Silver
http://www.heinleinsociety.org
"The Lieutenant expects your names to shine!"
Robert Anson Heinlein, USNA '29
Lt.(jg), USN, R'td
From: lal_truckee <lal_truckee@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Notice of no meeting of Heinlein Readers Group this month
Date: Sat, 04 Jun 2005 16:53:00 GMT
David M. Silver wrote:
>
> "For what it's worth, I asked Robert directly about the Stobor question.
> He said it wasn't intended to be a red herring vis a vis robots, he just
> came up with a word to signify things that go bump in the night. Or
> something to that effect, I'd have to go dig up the letter. I recall at
> the time I wasn't entirely sure I believed him, but I may have just been
> disappointed my clever discovery was random."
I agree - in this case the author went so far as to specify and define
the word IN THE TEXT (""Rod, every planet has its 'stobor' ... all
different.") and we ought to take him at his word (unlike my feeling
about retro-specifying Rod Walker's complexion.)
From: "David Wright Sr." <dwrightsr@alltel.net>
Subject: Re: Notice of no meeting of Heinlein Readers Group this month
Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2005 17:41:40 +0000 (UTC)
"David M. Silver" <ag.plusone@verizon.net> wrote in news:ag.plusone-
C0DAEA.06323604062005@individual.net:
(snip)
>
> Maybe a last word on this issue has come in. Dr. Amy Baxter was known as
> the Heinleins' "adopted granddaughter," and spent several summers with
> both Robert, while he was still alive, and Ginny until her death as
> well, while Amy grew up. She became associated with them after writing
> them a fan letter in which, noting they had no children, she offered to
> be their "adopted grandchild." They were charmed. Amy is a very charming
> and talented lady, an ER Pediatrics physician in a large metropolitan
> hospital, a mother and wife.
>
> See,
> http://www.heinleinsociety.org/conventions/torcon2003/awarddinner.html
>
> about forty percent down the scroll, the photograph taken by Jeanne
> Robinson, of Amy in the foreground (Eleanor Wood in the background)
> accepting the first Heinlein Award on Virginia Heinlein's behalf.
>
> She sent me an email today, and having apparently read the posted log of
> the meeting, noted something:
>
> "For what it's worth, I asked Robert directly about the Stobor question.
> He said it wasn't intended to be a red herring vis a vis robots, he just
> came up with a word to signify things that go bump in the night. Or
> something to that effect, I'd have to go dig up the letter. I recall at
> the time I wasn't entirely sure I believed him, but I may have just been
> disappointed my clever discovery was random."
Since RAH was a wizard at making anagrams as shown in _The Number Of The
Beast_, maybe this was what happened.
He was writing TNOTB and said to himself, "Now, since I am going to all
these characters who are really me in disguise, how am I going to do that"?
"Hmm, you know, a bunch of people thought that 'stobor' was 'robots' in
backwards. Suppose, I do that with my name and make anagrams out of them".
"Let's see, Robert A. Heinlein could be Neil O'Heret Brain, and Bob
Heinlein could be Bennie Hibol. Hey, I think that that will work. Give the
readers some more puzzles to work to make them think for themselves".
"Yep, I think I'll do that"
--
David Wright Sr.
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From: "Sean" <hcatleag@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Re: Notice of no meeting of Heinlein Readers Group this month
Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2005 20:53:12 +1000
"David M. Silver"
> Maybe a last word on this issue has come in. Dr. Amy Baxter was known as
> the Heinleins' "adopted granddaughter," and spent several summers with
> both Robert, while he was still alive, and Ginny until her death as
> well, while Amy grew up. She became associated with them after writing
> them a fan letter in which, noting they had no children, she offered to
> be their "adopted grandchild." They were charmed. Amy is a very charming
> and talented lady, an ER Pediatrics physician in a large metropolitan
> hospital, a mother and wife.
>
> See,
> http://www.heinleinsociety.org/conventions/torcon2003/awarddinner.html
>
> about forty percent down the scroll, the photograph taken by Jeanne
> Robinson, of Amy in the foreground (Eleanor Wood in the background)
> accepting the first Heinlein Award on Virginia Heinlein's behalf.
>
> She sent me an email today, and having apparently read the posted log of
> the meeting, noted something:
>
> "For what it's worth, I asked Robert directly about the Stobor question.
> He said it wasn't intended to be a red herring vis a vis robots, he just
> came up with a word to signify things that go bump in the night. Or
> something to that effect, I'd have to go dig up the letter. I recall at
> the time I wasn't entirely sure I believed him, but I may have just been
> disappointed my clever discovery was random."
Perhaps this can be added to the posted log of the chat?
--
Sean
RAH on Australians in _Tramp Royale_ "They think as we do, only more so."
From: "David Wright Sr." <dwrightsr@alltel.net>
Subject: Re: Notice of no meeting of Heinlein Readers Group this month
Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2005 13:22:49 +0000 (UTC)
"Sean" <hcatleag@ozemail.com.au> wrote in news:yQAoe.1291$Qh7.17256
<nnrp1.ozemail.com.au:
>> "For what it's worth, I asked Robert directly about the Stobor question.
>> He said it wasn't intended to be a red herring vis a vis robots, he just
>> came up with a word to signify things that go bump in the night. Or
>> something to that effect, I'd have to go dig up the letter. I recall at
>> the time I wasn't entirely sure I believed him, but I may have just been
>> disappointed my clever discovery was random."
>
> Perhaps this can be added to the posted log of the chat?
>
>
I plan on doing so.
David W.
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