The Door into Summer

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Dan Davis, an electronics engineer, had finally made the invention of a lifetime: a household robot that could do almost anything. Wild success was within reach, but then Dan's life was ruined. In a plot to steal his business, his greedy partner and greedier fiancée tricked him into taking the "long sleep": suspended animation for 30 years.

When he awoke in the far different world of A.D. 2000, he made an amazing discovery. And suddenly Dan had the means to travel back in time and get his revenge.

Once again, the author of Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers displays his genius. The Door into Summer proves why Robert Heinlein's books have sold more than 50 million copies while winning countless awards and earning him the title of Grand Master of Science Fiction.

Don't miss our other Robert Heinlein audiobooks.

©2003 the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust; 1956 Fantasy House; 1957, 1984 Robert A. Heinlein (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Heinlein is] one of the grandmasters of science fiction." ( Wall Street Journal)
"Heinlein...has the ability to see technologies just around the bend. That, combined with his outstanding skill as a writer and engineer-inventor, produces books that are often years ahead of their time." ( Philadelphia Inquirer)
"[Heinlein is] not only America's premier writer of speculative fiction but the greatest writer of such fiction in the world. He remains today as a sort of trademark for all that is finest in American imaginative fiction." (Stephen King)

If opportunity knocks open the door

This is another good period SF by one of the best. It deals with time travel treachery and true love. In this story a guy is trapped by people he trusted into a dead end with no way out. Dan found that although you can't truly run away from your troubles sometimes there is another way to beat the odds and find your "door into summer".

Cryogenic sleep and time travel

Robert A Heinlein's The Door into Summer is a 50's take on both time travel as well as cryogenic suspended animation set amidst a detective themed plot. The main character is an engineer who has designed some of the earliest 'robots' for domestic use. He runs into a difference of opinion in terms of business and elects to put himself to 'sleep' for thirty years, only before that happens, he is swindled out of his share of the business and winds up destitute when he awakes. To rectify this, he manages to time travel back 30 years and reset everything so that when he awakes after 30 years again, he comes out on top.

Heinlein tale is engrossing, not only for the use of suspended animation and time travel, but also his prescience regarding 'robots' or automatons taking on basic household and workplace drudgery. From the perspective of the 50's, his visions of 1970 (when the story begins) and the year 2000 (after the 30 year sleep) probably appeared realistic (in the same way, flying cars had been expected by now). One aspect that hasn't aged well is the creepiness factor associated with a 30 year old man anticipating, that with variable suspended animation, he can marry an eleven years old girl after she reaches 21 (when he will still be 30 years old). It's not so much the 21 versus 30 age difference but making these decisions when she is 11 that doesn't feel right today.

The narration is well done with decent character distinction and smooth pacing throughout.

ok but not great

i enjoyed it but the firat audible book i listened to was ready player one so im really goong to have a hard time being pleased.

Great science fiction.

Interesting ideas about future gadgets in 1970 considering it was written in 1957. Great escapism.

probably better in 1957

it was too hard for me to ignore the difference in how technology actually developed, and how ethics actually changed.

A fascinating 1957 look at 2000 by Heinlein

Heinlein’s view of 2000 was fascinating. He got so many things literally correct! I like it’s from an Engineers point of view. As all things retro are popular, it’s fun to read a retro view of the future that ended well.

YaY! Another Heinlein favorite!

This book is an awesome time travel story. Even though written in 1957 and the time travel yarn is relatively simple, only 30 years, the science fiction is very satisfying. Time travel stories are always the most difficult (right, Mr. Data?) but Heinlein is the Grand Master for a reason.


Like most, I discovered his writing in college with "Stranger In A Strange Land". Next, I read "Time Enough for Love" and to this day, it is my favorite novel of all. To my surprise, this book almost belongs in the same group. But then, almost all of Heinlein's novels are this good, even the early one's. 


I used to tell my friends "Starship Troopers and anything after 1959," but now I say that because of Audible.com, I now have time to listen to the early stuff and I LOVE them all.


What makes the difference? Heinlein's style is so thought provoking and yet fun. His characters are warm, intelligent and interesting. Nothing quite compares. Richard Bach is the only close 2nd. I love his work, too, but he isn't a science fiction writer.

Fun and quirky.

Enjoyed the story. Well performed. Who knew we can speak cat. Classic Heinlein. Recommend this book.

Good

good story. .read completely over a period of years, decades really. the first few chapters in mid
last century, the rest last night. medical extension makes for a more interesting plot than time travel. bubba and I will take a pass on both.

One of RAH's best

Smart and fast with a few prophecies for engineers. RAH was limited by his time but not by his genius.