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From: Zdybel.PA@PARC-MAXC.ARPA@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Heinlein
Message-ID: <3608@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 29-Jul-83 14:11:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.3608
Posted: Fri Jul 29 14:11:56 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Aug-83 08:56:24 EDT
Lines: 29

I think one of the reasons for Heinlein's broad popularity is
his excellent juvenile SF books.  Along with some of Andre Norton's
stuff, they set the high water mark for that particular genre.
Titles I remember fondly include Red Planet, Rolling Stones, Between
Planets, Starman Jones, Citizen of the Galaxy and Star Beast.  These
were well crafted books, and popular with school librarians.  In other
words, a lot of current SF readers grew up with Heinlein.

Whichever of his adult offerings you try, you won't escape at least
of modicum of didacticism, and RAH's world view (in its various
evolutions) doesn't have the broad appeal of, say, Richard Bach's.
Some of the adult works that have least the character of philosophical
tracts include Double Star, Puppet Masters, Podkayne of Mars (which in
my view qualifies both as juvenile and adult fiction due to its unusual
plot vehicle), and Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

It's hard to understand Heinlein's popularity (or his place in the
development of SF literature and the SF audience) without looking at
his short stories, particularly those in the "Future History" Series.
Anthologies of particular interest include Green Hills of Earth, The
Man Who Sold the Moon, The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag
(repackaged and republished under the title 6 X H, I believe) and The
Menace From Earth.

Cheers,

Frank Zdybel

P.S. Farnham's Freehold is perhaps my least favorite of Heinlein's books.