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The Green Hills of Earth  By  cover art

The Green Hills of Earth

By: Robert A. Heinlein
Narrated by: Tom Weiner
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Publisher's summary

The Green Hills of Earth is a collection of short stories from one of the masters of science fiction who has held readers spellbound for over 30 years.

This collection includes "Delilah and the Space-Rigger," "Space-Jockey," "The Long Watch," "Gentlemen Be Seated," "The Black Pits of Luna," "It's Great to Be Back," "' - We Also Walk Dogs,'" "Ordeal in Space," "The Green Hills of Earth," and "Logic of Empire."

©2002 The Robert A. & Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Heinlein knows more about blending provocative scientific thinking with strong human stories than any dozen other contemporary science-fiction writers." (Chicago Sun-Times)
"One of the most influential writers in American literature." (New York Times Book Review)

What listeners say about The Green Hills of Earth

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    4 out of 5 stars
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HOT JETS

This is one of RAH's best collections and one of his best novels after the YA novels. If you want to take the glory out of space and show what it might be like for the every day Joe to live and work on space ships, this gives you a good feeling for it.

Weiner basically has one male voice and it is often hard to tell the gravely men apart.

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15 people found this helpful

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His best short story collection

There are a number of collections of Heinlein's short stories. This one is my favorite. I've been occasionally rereading this book for 40 or 50 years. (I don't actually remember when I first encountered this book, but I read my first Heinlein book when I was in fifth grade). I have no idea how many times I have read these stories, but two of them still bring me to tears after all these years and miles. These stories encompass some of the very best writing that Heinlein produced. You need to read them.

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13 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Classic Scifi

If the mark of a classic is timelessness, the Heinlein short stories collected in The Green Hills of Earth certainly qualify. After 70 years, these stories are still great. Like other works from Heinlein's contemporaries (Isaac Asimov, etc.) they have a markedly different feel from modern sci-fi that is heavily influenced by huge franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek.

For another criminally underrated Heinlein work, check out Orphans of the Sky.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Heinlein at his Best

Classic 1950s science fiction. If you want a SF nostalgia trip, this is the book. A couple of "young adult" stories included, but in the main all work from Heinlein's classic period. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Tom Weiner's narration is also exceptional.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Masterful writing

Heinlien will always be one of the grand masters of the political scif world. This collection of short stories presents a diverse look at how RH precieved his time periods political moraies and moieties as well as a bare knuckled presentation of that not matter how much Tech our society gains, its natural tendency to inhumanity and disintrest in o the well being of our fellow man will allways rise to the surface.

The narrator did and outstanding job with all but one story. He did not understand Reisling at all and presented him in a way to young characterization. So true Reisling fans may be disappointed but overall very good job with the rest of the characters.

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7 people found this helpful

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Classic Heinlein - Classic Science Fiction

I've loved this book since it was published in the distant past. Heinlein was the master of presenting science fiction that touched the imagination and heart. This book tells the story of a neer-do-well in space that has adventures everywhere until he longs for the place where he was born.

Heinlein's characters have depth of characterization that is rare in science fiction.

Loved it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great shorts, very enlightening

I love each of these stories, especially the last, they are all little stand-alone gems, very rich and satisfying.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Dated, but in a GOOD way.

Written by a master in what was truly the golden era of Science Fiction. Here it was the stories and the people that mattered. Not like much of todays incomprehensible and fantastic high tech mumbo jumbo.

At times delightfully anachronistic. Need to figure out a landing trajectory or a fuel consumption rate to save the spaceship? Use the slide ruler. Yea! Need to search a lot of data fast? Let the punch cards do it for you. Woohoo!

Not to be binge listened to. A short story now and again between full length novels, is the perfect way to take this fine collection in.

Narration is good. Perhaps a tad fast for my liking, but unobtrusive and pleasant.

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Short Stories

A nice collection of short stories. Interesting to see the throwback to teaching science in the story. The technology of today has diverged greatly from the paths envisioned approximately 70 years ago but the stories themselves are still good.

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Really liked it.

Fun to see what he though life would be like in the future. Although something's are not possible still great science fiction.

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2 people found this helpful