Robert Heinlein

Starship Troopers

Posted on October 10, 2013

Banned Book Month is over! Novel Ideas returns with the granddaddy of military science fiction, Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. Or possibly Bobby H. In this week’s episode we discuss the politics of authors as represented by their books, the lack of characterization in this book, the strange lack of war in a book about war, and how despite a paucity of women, this book still acknowledges women better than most classic sci fi. We also talk about the fun, if not so good, movie, colorful windbags, people and their similarity to potatoes, puppies, and other “P” words, and how we would react to giant spiders holding guns.

The music bump this week is “The Ballad of Rodger Young” by Frank Loesser, the sweetest sound in the galaxy.

Starship Troopers – The Fault In Our Starship Troopers

Recommendations:

This is definitely a Ben book rather than a Gabs book. Be warned, there are two chapters of actual war in this book about war, most of the rest is conversation.

Gabs: 7/10 for someone looking for science fiction, 4/10 for someone who doesn’t usually read that genre.

Ben: 9/10 for someone like me, which is to say someone with a prior interest in military minutiae and science fiction. Then again, this is one of my favorite books. Maybe closer to 7/10 for a generic sci fi fan.

This entry was posted in Episodes, Movies of books and tagged asides, author politics, Ben references, Bob Heinlein, Bobby H, brotherhood, colorful windbags, conservatism, consistency, crime and punishment, favorite books, giant spiders, government that works, harcore old guys, Hollywood whitewashing, interesting narration, lack of characterization, lack of female characters, listener suggestions, military philosophy, military SF, movies of books, nature of war, people aren't p---, Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers, Starship Troopers remake, where's the war?.

Tuck Everlasting

Posted on November 6, 2012

Welcome to our special election edition of Novel Ideas. Today’s episode features Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, a book that has absolutely nothing to do with elections. This is a slightly shorter than average episode, as the book itself is rather short itself. But for such a short book, there is a surprising depth to it. In the podcast we talk about the character traits of twelve year olds, the effects of August, and the ethics of kidnapping. We also talk about immortality. Like, a lot. So who wants to live forever? No one and everyone.

The music bump is “Who Wants to Live Forever” by the immortal (not literally) Queen.

30 – Tuck Everlasting – Immortality Rules

This entry was posted in Episodes and tagged actually, alternate immortality takes, AUGUST, effects of long life on society, immortality, in-tree-guing, innappropriate age differences, Methuselah's Children, Natalie Babbitt, Robert Heinlein, special election edition, toads Babbitt don't Babbitt say Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting, well-intentioned kidnapping.

Stranger in a Strange Land

Posted on April 3, 2012 Updated on April 3, 2012

To yesterday we are learning about the man from Mars brightly, brightly and with beauty. When the cusp appears, we must grok it and act rightly. The result is this week’s episode, featuring Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, the science fiction classic where everyone learns how to be happy; mostly by having sex with all of their closest friends all the time. Join us as we explore the colorful cast, “Madmen” style sexism, and the idea of free love. We hope this helps you understand a deeper grokking of the book.

This week’s music bump is the “Mars” movement from Gustav Holst’s Symphony of the Planets. Because what else could possibly be more appropriate?

03 – Stranger in a Strange Land – Go Grok Yourself

This entry was posted in Episodes and tagged free love, Grok, Jubal Harshaw, Robert Heinlein, sexism, Stranger in a Strange Land, Valentine Michael Smith.