Heinlein Complete: I think I'm gonna buy it

Cafe Society
1

The Robert Heinlein Virginia Collection. That one.

I told myself when I first heard of it a while back (right here, as a matter of fact) “Self, you don’t actually indulge yourself all that often. Just once you should covet something and go wild.” But the single cash hit was always an issue. So I put it on hold until one of my projects produced a good, one-time payday.

And one has, just tonight.

If y’all don’t talk me out of it I’m calling them tomorrow and ordering it.

Anyone got any extra opinions lying about? Or further info about the set?

2

I wish I could afford a set. :frowning:

3

Oh man…I’d love to have that set. Just can’t justify spending that much money on it right now. If I was in a position to do it, I would absolutely spring for it. Until then, my battered and dogeared paperbacks will have to do…

Editted to add: I hate that you only get one volume a month. I’d much rather get a gianormous box with everything in it ready for immediate display.

4

Yeah, the one a month thing bites. I started a White Wolf unified set of Harlan Ellison’s stuff, and then the company went tits up after 3 volumes.

5

Heh. Reminds me of this thread:

6

Here’s a reason for you to not buy it: Those of us who can’t afford it will hate you fiercely for doing so.

Another thing is that it at least appears that it may, in fact, not be complete and that some of his works will be excluded.

7

Oh yeah, you might want to check on this RAH collection which has stories not printed anywhere else, AFAIK.

8

That sounds like a beautiful set. Personally, I could never justify it to myself and I would instead assemble a collection of hardcovers that would be more hodgepodge but I understand the desire for it.

9

[QUOTE=Tuckerfan]
Oh yeah, you might want to check on this RAH collection which has stories not printed anywhere else, AFAIK.
[/QUOTE]

Cheerfully, I have that one already. I ordered it pretty much the second I found it available.

The Virginia collection also has interviews and correspondence and suchlike as well. Meessa want.

10

OK, I’ll talk you out of it. Let’s ignore the fact that Heinlein as a writer isn’t even close to deserving the quality of books he’s getting here… but I suppose you like him, so let’s forget about that point.

Really, it’s a lot of money. You could save all that money by just going to the library. And you won’t have a bunch of heavy books that would be a pain if you moved. And with books as nice as this, you’ll have to be extra careful, you couldn’t possibly read while you are eating or anything. To me, it seems like a big mess of trouble, at high price.

11

It’s more expensive than the 44 volume Vance collection that came out for subscribers a year or two ago but that is, I think, changing hands at approx twice the original price… Wish I had bought it, now!
Heinlein is at least as collectable, so in the long term it’s probably a fairly solid investment - unless it grinds to a halt after a few volumes like the Ellison set… Not so likely in this case, I think.

12

Well, thanks for making my Heinlein collection look so shabby…beat up paperbacks and bookclub hardbacks with an occasional “real” hardback thrown in. But at least I’m not afraid to touch my books. :wink:

That would be awesome to have–all those extras. I’m a little jealous.

13

Is the print quality of the set similar to other sets like Easton Press’s Masterpieces of Science Fiction? If you pay for it all up-front it looks to be a little under twice the price per volume.

14

[QUOTE=Avumede]
OK, I’ll talk you out of it. Let’s ignore the fact that Heinlein as a writer isn’t even close to deserving the quality of books he’s getting here… but I suppose you like him, so let’s forget about that point.

Really, it’s a lot of money. You could save all that money by just going to the library. And you won’t have a bunch of heavy books that would be a pain if you moved. And with books as nice as this, you’ll have to be extra careful, you couldn’t possibly read while you are eating or anything. To me, it seems like a big mess of trouble, at high price.
[/QUOTE]

The main issue I’d see about getting it is that I can’t imagine every single thing Heinlein has written is the best thing since sliced bread, even to a really dedicated fan. Really nice, leather-bound crap isn’t much better than paperback crap. :stuck_out_tongue:

I will say after getting to read a few of the Easton Press leatherbound books, it’s a fundamentally different feeling to read them versus a paperback, a good feeling. :slight_smile:

15

I’ve read 4 or 5 Heinlein books. I finally decided that I was just rereading the same book (and it wasn’t all that great). So I’d think you could just pick one and be done with it.

16

Eh, call me when they come out with the complete set of Asimov :D.

But seriously, I don’t see the appeal of collections like this, especially not for a writer like Heinlein. Heinlein wrote some of the best books I’ve ever read, but he also wrote some of the worst. Putting together a collection piecemeal, like I and others have, one can simply buy the good ones, and pass by the bad ones, but in a complete collection, you have to pay good money for some real stinkers.

Plus, there’s a certain joy in finding a battered, well-read old copy of a book you don’t yet have in your collection at a Friends of the Library fundraiser or a garage sale. Buying the fancy, leather-bound complete set would, I think, greatly diminish that joy.

17

Get them if it will give you pleasure. Just don’t drop them in the tub while you’re reading.

18

[QUOTE=Chronos]
Eh, call me when they come out with the complete set of Asimov :D.

But seriously, I don’t see the appeal of collections like this, especially not for a writer like Heinlein. Heinlein wrote some of the best books I’ve ever read, but he also wrote some of the worst. Putting together a collection piecemeal, like I and others have, one can simply buy the good ones, and pass by the bad ones, but in a complete collection, you have to pay good money for some real stinkers.

Plus, there’s a certain joy in finding a battered, well-read old copy of a book you don’t yet have in your collection at a Friends of the Library fundraiser or a garage sale. Buying the fancy, leather-bound complete set would, I think, greatly diminish that joy.
[/QUOTE]

Maybe I can explain the want and need to own all of something. First, I’ll ignore the blasphemy you have spoken about Heinlein. :wink:

If I love an author, I will read everything they write. Even the stinky stuff. And I’ll read it more than once. Because I like the author and there is usually something I can get out of even his crappy work.

If I don’t like the author, I won’t read their stuff even if it’s a classic and must be read. I can’t tell you the number of great books I won’t read because of writing style.

I love Heinlein and I disagree that most of his books are the same one re-written. Maybe he deals with the same themes, but the books…I love his stories. Job: A Comedy of Justice is one of my favorites.

I love Stephen King too, and many of his stories really are the same. Doesn’t stop me from owning almost all of his work, including the much maligned The Tommyknockers. And I re-read this crap. I just love to collect what I love.

I do enjoy building my collections in a meandering, used book store way. But I understand the desire to own it all, in a purdy package, too.

19

[QUOTE=Chronos]
Eh, call me when they come out with the complete set of Asimov :D.
…
[/QUOTE]

There’s a lot of stuff out there BY Asimov, and a lot of stuff out there ABOUT Asimov.

I’m not trying to be any sort of intellectual here, but the great writing aside, I just don’t think Asimov can be properly appreciated without knowing something about his background.

The man was absolutely fascinating. And a genius. And I won’t go on.

Just adding in respect to Heinlein, I also found some of his books maddening, most of them glorious, and some of them…I dunno, “just having fun?”

20

True enough about Asimov. I may be one of the few to have read his entire autobiography. I did it in high school for a senior project on SF writers during the war (with a very tolerant teacher).

I emailed Meisha Merlin some questions. I’ll let you all know how it goes.