The Rolling Stones

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

One of Heinlein's best-loved works, The Rolling Stones follows the rollicking adventures of the Stone family as they tour the solar system.

It doesn't seem likely for twins to have the same middle name. Even so, it's clear that Castor and Pollux Stone both have "Trouble" written in that spot on their birth certificates. Of course, anyone who's met their grandmother Hazel would know they came by it honestly.

Join the Stone twins as they connive, cajole, and bamboozle their way across the solar system in the company of the most high-spirited and hilarious family in all of science fiction.... It all starts when the twins decide that life on the lunar colony is too dull and buy their own spaceship to go into business for themselves. Before long they are headed for the furthest reaches of the stars, with stops on Mars, some asteroids, Titan, and beyond.

This lighthearted tale has some of Heinlein's sassiest dialogue - not to mention the famous flat cats incident. Oddly enough, it's also a true example of real family values, for when you're a Stone, your family is your highest priority.

©2009 Robert A. Heinlein (P)2014 Blackstone Audiobooks

old school sci fi

I had forgotten how enjoyable a solid Heinlein story could be. Not one of the tales that caught the world's attention just good old fashioned story telling with the usual Heinlein perspective but without the slightly manifesto quality some of his more serious work have.

Great Family Sci-fi

Not all Sci-fi needs to be depressing and out to discourage us from the future. I'd never heard of this before but absolutely loved it. Great characters with great hidden love for each other. Great, start to finish j. Performance is top notch as well. Overall enjoyable!

Fun

Just want a quick fun listen? This is it. Think of it as a scifi harlingquin novel

This story was made for an audio book!

This story really allows your imagination to go to work. I am a long time fan of Heinlein. Yes, the story is dated. Yes, there is a patriarchal tone to the story. But the character that holds it all together is Grandma Hazel who I would pit against any female hero today. Just a great character and a joy to watch her interact with the other characters. Remember, this was written before we even put a man in space. The other thing I like is there is really no violence. The dangers they encounter are from space and not bad people. The narration was good and it was the easiest listen of any audio book to date for me. I really enjoyed revisiting an old favorite via Audible.

Memorable ending. Weiner’s reading is perfection.

Looking back from more than half a century, I can see why this Heinlein juvenile must have appealed to me. It’s about a family of geniuses — clever, tough-minded but affectionate geniuses, all of them math whizzes, all of them merrily wisecracking, even the elderly grandma — and it’s the sort of family any kid would wish he belonged to.

The story is quite dated, of course, but it still has old-time spacefaring charm.

The narration by Tom Weiner is beautifully done; every character is indelible. In fact, it works better in this form than it does on the printed page.

And the final passage, about humanity, driven by wanderlust and curiosity, inevitably rolling on to the ends of the universe, still gives me chills.