Farnham's Freehold

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Hugh Farnham is a practical, self-made man, and when he sees the clouds of nuclear war gathering, he builds a bomb shelter under his house, hoping for peace and preparing for war. But when the apocalypse comes, something happens that he did not expect. A thermonuclear blast tears apart the fabric of time and hurls his shelter into a world with no sign of other human beings.

Farnham and his family have barely settled down to the backbreaking business of low-tech survival when they find that they are not alone after all. The same nuclear war that catapaulted Farnham 2,000 years into the future has destroyed all civilization in the northern hemisphere, leaving Africans as the dominant surviving people.

In the new world order, Farnham and his family, being members of the race that nearly destroyed the world, are fit only to be slaves. After surviving a nuclear war, Farnham has no intention of being anyone’s slave, but the tyrannical power of the Chosen race reaches throughout the world. Even if he manages to escape, where can he run to?

©1964 Robert A. Heinlein, 1992 by Mrs. Virginia Heinlein (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Heinlein’s story is as engrossing now as it was in its original form decades ago.” ( Midwest Book Review)

Very interesting - thoroughly enjoyed the story!

What did you love best about Farnham’s Freehold?

I most enjoyed the ending (which I won't explain in detail) because second chances were involved.

Any additional comments?

I have long been a Heinlein fan and read this story many years ago. It was very interesting to have the characters and narration voiced. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

loved it

I want this and all his other stories to be movies.
I think there are 6 or so in pre production now.

Unexpected

If you’ve listened to books by Robert A. Heinlein before, how does this one compare?

If you like Heinlenn writing about politics, laws, and prejudice, then step straight in.

Any additional comments?

I went in hoping for another colonial story like Farmer in the Sky, and instead received a fascinating treatise on racism in America. Not what I wanted, but worthwhile.

Return to Fear

A visit to the time of the Cold War when we were all afraid it would turn to disaster. Compelling characters and story line.

Back to the Past

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend this book, with qualifications. It was written quite a long time ago and much of the book takes place at a time when there was much anxiety over nuclear war. this is important to the story line. But suspending reality, the book was good. It had an interesting story line and made a statement.

If you’ve listened to books by Robert A. Heinlein before, how does this one compare?

I have not listened to any other Heinlein, but have read some. I enjoy the humanity he brings to his Sci Fi books; the stories could be any where about any one and they still are believable.

Which scene was your favorite?

I really don't have a favorite scene.

Do you think Farnham’s Freehold needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No follow up is necessary, it was a complete story with a pretty final ending. That said, if he wanted to do a follow up, there was room for one.

Good listen.

Would you listen to Farnham’s Freehold again? Why?

Yes. The story was interesting enough that I'm sure there are nuances that I didn't pick up the first time through.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Joe. I liked the irony of the role reversals in the future.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Thought the narrator had an annoying way of dragging out the last words of sentences.

I have no idea what this book was about

Also Heinlein's thing about daughters wanting to sleep with their dads is weird. It's in several of his books. Also a serious time piece of Heinlein being 'progressive' for the time about racism.

Not the greatest Heinlein book

While RAH is one of my all-time favorite Sci-Fi authors, this story was kind of a disappointment for me. While I understand it was written in the early 1960's, and probably acceptable for its time, the racist and misogynistic language is off-putting when read in the second decade of the 21st century. I get the same vibe that some readers get when reading Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

Meh... Obviously Dated...

I love time travel novels. If you follow my reviews you will see I have reviewed a lot of them Audible offers. This one is in the lower 3rd of that group. To me, I want a minimum of 3 things in a novel: 1) characters I care about 2) A good plot that keeps me guessing 3) A good pace with enough action to maintain my attention. This book is obviously dated compared to others I have read, which isn't always bad. I feel there wasn't enough time devoted to character development at the beginning, so I didn't really feel any of the emotions of the characters or care what happened to them. Also, it really lacked a decent amount of modern time travel theory. There was some interesting thoughts at times, but I feel nothing was explored or explained enough to be satisfying. There is a real lack of scientific vantage point. The characters quickly end up in another time, but the events that transpired in the future were really boring for the most part. It was heavy on social injustices and taboos but time travel itself was absent for a LONG time. If I would've known what you know now, I wouldn't try this one. Instead, I highly recommend 'Replay - Ken Grimwood', 'Lightning - Dean Koontz' and 'Schumann Frequency - Chris Ride' for the best I've read. I really hope this helps. Later.

I love this book!

This book was my first Science Fiction novel and it set the stage for a lifelong love of the genre. It's a perfect book!.