According to Grumbles from the Grave. Heinlein’s formula for writing juvenile novels was: “Write a grown-up novel. Take out the sex.” So, almost all of his juveniles are good reads for grown-ups (although Rocket Ship Gallileo is pretty childish).
My favorite is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, perhaps his last really good novel. The later ones have good bits (indeed, lots of good bits), but the overall package is generally less than stellar.
Double Star is excellent, as is Door into Summer, and Puppet Masters is simply incredible – try to read the full version, as opposed to the one he could get printed in the '50s.
Ok just got done with Glory Road and Have Space Suit Will Travel both of which I very much enjoyed (Flash Gordon is the MAN, the one person in the universe as cool as Ash from Army of Darkness), thanks everyone. Thinking about Number of the Beast as my next book.
I saw someone mention that there are to versions of Stranger in a Strange Land. How do I know whitch one I read?
I advise strongly against Number of the Beast. To enjoy that, you really need to read ‘Metusaleh’s Children’ and ‘Time Enough for love’, first. Misfit should be in there too. Number concludes a storyline that RAH started in 1941 (IIRC). In many ways, it feels like his swan song and although it has enjoyable parts, a lot will be lost on you, if you don’t read his other works first.
Good stand alone stories are: SiSL, The Moon is a harsh mistress, Job, all the juveniles and of course Starship Troopers.
As for SiSL. The difference is so small, I’d just pick up the one you find first. I prefer the first version (slightly abridged), but that’s just me. I have a strong feeling that Ginny was trying to cash in, by releasing extended versions.
You’re a lucky guy, faldureon. I sure wish I could read Heinlein for the first time again. I discovered him about 30 years ago, when I was 10, and read every book I could find repeatedly for years.
I recommend for your next book “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” or “Tunnel in the Sky”. Or “Time For The Stars”. Or “Double Star”. Come to think of it, “The Rolling Stones” is a good one, or…
Some information I heard at Worldcon in Toronto this last weekend. There is a newly discovered Heinlein novel that will be published in November of this year. You can find out more information at The Heinlein Society. If you are interested that is.
The version that was originally published was edited (as are all novels). A few years after Heinlein’s death, all the stuff that was cut out was put back in and republished, with enough noise on the cover so that you knew this was a different edition with a lot more words in it. If your copy makes no mention of being unabridged or complete or something like that, it will be the version that was first published and is best known.
I read the full version (for lack of a better phrase) not long after it came out. I hadn’t read the book in many years, and really didn’t notice any significant difference. If I was still the sf geek I was when I was younger, I’d probably read both version side by side highlighting the differences and making snide (though unfunny) comments about editors. Fortunately, I’ve matured – slightly – since then.
What, nobody else has mentioned Space Cadet? Personally, that’s my favorite of the juveniles (possibly after The Door into Summer, but that’s rather on the edge of juvieness). But of course, you can’t go wrong with any of Heinlein’s juvies (and you most certainly can go wrong with some of his other works).
And on the topic of Farnham’s Freehold, it’s not nearly as bad as it’s usually made out to be. Many of the characters in the book are racist, but the protagonist and the book itself are not. Most of the story, in fact, consists of Farnham fighting against both forms of racism.
