Heinlein: Virginia edition

[wdavidlewis]

You're not going to get a more consistent series of Heinlein's books, I suspect. But I totally accept they are a lot of money. (about $40 each.) Though I do appreciate the series and think they'll look great when they're complete, they're not as nice as the original Meisha Merlin slipcased editions.

In short summary, a great but not an unqualified success.

Hope that helps!

Mark

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the review and the quick reply.

I was kind of suspecting it was going to be the case that it was not a clearcut decision - not an obvious buy but not an obvious pass either. I'll think on it for a day or so, but I suspect I'll do it. The monthly payments are small enough that it will be pretty painless.

It's a pity there are only a few of the Meisha Merlin editions. I wasn't aware of them until I read this thread. Might be worth trying to find one or two.

Heinlein is one of those authors I don't re-read anymore.

I re-read "Methuselah's Children", "Time Enough for Love", and "I Will Fear No Evil" just a year or so ago and enjoyed them. It made me realize how much they plus "Stranger in a Strange Land" affected my views of human relationships as I was growing up. Though my question was more to assess how durable they are rather than a desire to read them every year.

Now John Norman, that's an author I read as a teenager that I can't really read now... But to each his own.

David

[DuncanWatson]

I don't want to pick on particular books in this thread. I welcome any hardcover collections of an entire authors body of work. I wish I could get the same for Roger Zelazny's novels for instance.

Though the editions the OP picked up might not be as nice as the very limit print editions mentioned in some of the posts I think they are very nice and I would welcome them into my home.

[Hobbit]

Thanks both.

I'll think on it for a day or so, but I suspect I'll do it.

Whatever decision you make, I hope it's the right one!

I welcome any hardcover collections of an entire authors body of work. I wish I could get the same for Roger Zelazny's novels for instance.

Those NESFA Press editions of Roger's and Poul's short stories are great. I have the first two of the Poul Anderson's and would love the Zelazny. Sadly, the postage is as high as the books themselves at the moment, so no plans to buy at the moment.

Mark

[DuncanWatson]

The NESFA editions of Zelazny's stories are well worth it. Though I revisited my sadness due to Roger's early demise. He obviously had more to write on Amber. The back story on Jane Lindskold and him is interesting to read about as well. I quite enjoyed the two books she co-authored after his demise (Lord Demon and Donnerjack). Getting all the short stories published in various fan publications is great as I missed a lot of that when they were first published.

I do wish for all of Zelazny's work in ebook form, since he died before any contracts included electronic publication rights it is going to be hard for me to ever get his work on my ereader.

[Hobbit]

Update: because I've realised I haven't done so for a while.

The latest update at the beginning of February said that the last few books should be heading my way soon:

These are some of the unique things included in this last set (which in a large part are also the reasons it has taken longer):

The last volume of correspondence - which some of you may be anxiously awaiting - and is 648 pages long

The two volumes of screenplays - which have never been printed in this arrangement before (there is a Subterranean Press edition that contains some of them) - totaling 1166 pages

Tramp Royale - has been out of print since the mid 1990s and includes an awesome picture, which I am refusing to tell you about b/c it will ruin the surprise - @ 336 pages

A updated version of Requiem - which includes new tributes - 384 pages

Will be nice to have a complete set, after 4 years, when at one point (in the Meisha Merlin days) it looked like I might not get any set at all.

Though there have been issues with this set, my 'inner-completeness genie' is quite looking forward to having the lot.

Might mean I get to read more of them again...

Mark

[Hobbit]

Nearly there: as of 28th February:

Other than the above, we are quite close to beginning actual printing. Most of the other texts are in their final form and through Transcontinental's pre-press department, which shines them up even more than when Windhaven sent them in before hitting the presses. Specifically as follows:


TEXT
Letters 3 - good to go
Tramp Royale - good to go (hard proof reviewed for surprise picture)
Screenwriting 1 - this is the one I am waiting for
Screenwriting 2 - good to go
Requiem - good to go


COVER
Letters 3 - ready for hard proof (this one may cause trouble, I already redesigned it once)
Tramp Royale - ready for hard proof (also may cause trouble, but not as much)
Screenwriting 1 - ready for hard proof

Screenwriting 2 - ready for hard proof
Requiem - ready for hard proof

Every now and then I get the urge to reread some Heinlein: getting that itch now...

Mark

[FuzionFilmz]

Nearly there: as of 28th February:



Every now and then I get the urge to reread some Heinlein: getting that itch now...

Mark

Mark
I have found reading Heinlein enjoyable all my life. I first read Number of the Beast when it was released and have been hooked since. People have to admit that Lazarus Long is one of the more interesting SF characters floating around.
As for his fan base becoming Political, it is not surprising. If you have read the biography on him you can see he was a tremendous political animal, very involved in CA politics.

Mike

[Hobbit]

As for his fan base becoming Political, it is not surprising. If you have read the biography on him you can see he was a tremendous political animal, very involved in CA politics.

And interestingly, a change from left-ish to right-wing politics too (which is suggested in the biography, if I remember right, partly due to the arrival of Virginia.)

What is interesting (to me, anyway) is how Heinlein went from being in a position not to write sellable material about politics (For Us, the Living and How to be a Politician went unpublished for many a year), to one where the politics was more explicit.

Mark

[Rob B]

Did anybody see the Prophets of Science Fiction: Robert A. Heinlein? The Science channel has been doing some good things with this series. In fact, the channel shows more quality Science Fiction than the SyFy channel.

[psikeyhackr]

Did anybody see the Prophets of Science Fiction: Robert A. Heinlein? The Science channel has been doing some good things with this series. In fact, the channel shows more quality Science Fiction than the SyFy channel.

A friend of mine recorded them. I just watched the Clarke and Heinlein episodes.

I think the Clarke one is better done but the Heinlein episode does show him as contradictory. No mention of his work on Destination Moon in the 50s. The books mentioned were:

The Puppet Masters
Starship Troopers
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Door into Summer
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Friday
For Us the Living


Clarke's books mentioned:
Childhood's End
2001: A Space Odyssey
Fountains of Paradise
Rendezvous with Rama and sequels

psik

[FuzionFilmz]

And interestingly, a change from left-ish to right-wing politics too (which is suggested in the biography, if I remember right, partly due to the arrival of Virginia.)

What is interesting (to me, anyway) is how Heinlein went from being in a position not to write sellable material about politics (For Us, the Living and How to be a Politician went unpublished for many a year), to one where the politics was more explicit.

Mark

It is very interesting that he moved further right, but as I have aged some of my own views have done the same. But could imagine modern day conservatives embracing "open marriage" and comfortable nudity!

[Hobbit]

But could imagine modern day conservatives embracing "open marriage" and comfortable nudity!

Point taken. Clearly that's the libertarians!

Mark

[FuzionFilmz]

He did seem to be libertarian leaning, but I always felt that he just wanted people to be treated fairly

[Teela Brown]

Hi everyone. I just joined this site (literally about 5 minutes ago) and chose this thread for my first post. I ADORE Heinlein and have since I was a kid. I was lucky at around 8 years old and got one of those kick-ass stepdads that loved me and loved reading. He introduced me to scifi and Heinlein was who he brought to the table first. Podkayne was my first Heinlein book and I've read nearly everything else he's written. Some great, some ok, some completely terrible (I Will Fear No Evil anyone?) but always with a love the has carried since childhood.

To the OP: congratulations on your lovely collection. I'm seriously jealous.

[Hobbit]

Thanks Teela: I think I'm very lucky myself!

Not sure if I've said this in the earlier posts but Heinlein was one of my first loves: Tunnel in the Sky was my first Hardback buy, (still have my original copy!) and have my old New English Library copies getting on for nearly forty years old....

I'm having fun with rereads: as you say, some are great, and even better than I remembered, some are not good. But, on the whole, they are treasured!

Mark