Sixth Column

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

It’s six against six million in a brilliantly waged near-future war for nothing less than liberty and justice for all. The totalitarian East has triumphed in a massive invasion, and the United States has fallen to a dictatorial superpower bent on total domination. That power is consolidating its grip through concentration camps, police state tactics, and a total monopoly upon the very thoughts of the conquered populace. A tiny enclave of scientists and soldiers survives, unbeknownst to America’s new rulers. It’s six against six million - but those six happen to include a scientific genius, a master of subterfuge and disguise who learned his trade as a lawyer-turned-hobo, and a tough-minded commander who knows how to get the best out of his ragtag assortment of American discontents, wily operators, and geniuses. It’s going to take technological savvy and a propaganda campaign that would leave Madison Avenue aghast, but the US will rise again. The counterinsurgency for freedom is on, and defeat is not an option.

Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988) was born in Missouri. He served five years in the US Navy, then attended graduate classes in mathematics and physics at UCLA, took a variety of jobs, and owned a silver mine before beginning to write science fiction in 1939. His novels have won the Hugo Award, and in 1975 he received the first Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement.

©1949 Robert A. Heinlein (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Decent yarn, but a bit uncomfortable.

An interesting picture of racial views in America circa the Korean War. Not sure I liked it, but it was a measure of how far we have come.

Classic and fun

Great pacing like always for this author. This book sets a whole changed world in motion so smoothly you don't feel a long build up or introduction.

kinda amusing

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

well i wouldn't say "well-spent" but it did provide some chuckles, i enjoyed the dig at religion with some good character buildups but overall ridiculous fun, enjoy.

Classic Heinlein

What made the experience of listening to Sixth Column the most enjoyable?

Read years ago lost of eye sight made reading impossiible the audio brought back memories

What other book might you compare Sixth Column to and why?

Tom Clancy writes with the same details.

Which scene was your favorite?

The final battle

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Beware never hide from the world Events will catch you by surprise

Art leads and science follows.

again Heinlein offers philosophy, technical imaginings and a rollicking story of suppression, war and victory by ingenuity.

A great view of the times

This story originated in 1941 as massacres of Chinese people at the hands of the Japanese imperial army came to light. The original was so racist that Heinlein was tasked with re writing it, and included the original author as the last appearance of Col. Calhoun. By the time Heinlein rewrote it, the Chicom scare had begun. Considering how they are massacring minorities in China today, the story is a bit prophetic. The bigotry is too much by modern standards, but in light of a man who just had spent many years fighting imperial japan, quite understandable and actually quite restrained. Even addressing the heroism of Japanese Americans, at a time almost no one did. The moral of the story is a simple one, never stop fighting for freedom, even when you have to fake surrender. That aspect is what makes this golden.

Re-reading boyhood favorites

What made the experience of listening to Sixth Column the most enjoyable?

I first read this book as a teenager back in the early 60's. Not being much of a reader back then I read Stranger in a Strange Land as a English assignment and was hooked. I read everything Heinlein wrote after that. When I discovered his books in audible format I decided to revisit them. While dated it kind of took me back to my early days fo reading them for the first time.

What did you like best about this story?

Heinlein's imagination and futuristic thinking.

What three words best describe Tom Weiner???s performance?

Solid, average, likable

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really. While this book was written about the time of WWII it now seems pretty heavy handed against the Japanese people and their culture. Understandable in the time that it was written.

interesting but dated

I guess the story holds up pretty well-known considering it is almost 70 years old. the characters are relevant but some of the social commentary seems naive. it is a fairly good length, maybe a touch too long. I like the narrator but if the text isn't exciting, he puts me to sleep.

Maybe didn't age so well

I remember reading this in high school 25 + years ago and enjoying the audacious sci to aspects and capabilities of the story's signature technology, but coming back to it many years later, I am reminded of the fact that Heinlein was a creature of his time, and many passages (almost exclusively the thoughts or words of characters rather than the voice of the narrative) comes off as really racist and cringe-worthy. The narration was excellent, though, and the performer should be commended for his performance.

Product of it's time.

It's was really good but terribly racist. Definitely a product of it's time. I thought it was good but would have liked it more if whole story wasn't based off the idea that white people and Asian people are different.