Farnham’s Freehold

If you read my other reviews, you know that I am a Heinlein fan. This is an excellent recording of a novel unique to the Heinlein cannon. Tom Weiner delivers a wonderful performance using a number of unique and engaging voices. When the story lags, the excellent narration carries things along nicely.

About half the book is the story of a family that survives a nuclear holocaust, and lives a survivalist life. The second half deals with their lives when they encounter a future culture. To go any further will spoil the plot.

But Heinlein always uses his novels to comment on culture, and this one addresses slavery and the slave mentality, marriage and fidelity, and prejudice and bigotry. Remember that this book was written in the early 1960s. What seems silly and obvious now would have been cutting edge and liberal then. The book has been criticized for its language and misogyny. No swearing - but lots of racial insensitivity.

This should not be your first Heinlein novel (Moon is a Harsh Mistress, or Starship Troopers are better choices). But if you are curious about the evolution of this sci-fi master, or if you want to hear a fair story with lots of social commentary from RAH, then this is for you!

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

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.

This is my 1st book by Robert Heinlein. And I have to say I did enjoy the book, I really did, but a couple things were less than perfect IMO.

#1 I got lost at the beginning of the book on which characters were talking, not sure if that's just me or if it was the narration. Other than that part, the narration was great.

#2 The ending was good, but I found myself looking for Farnham’s Freehold part 2. I wanted to know more. Its not a cliff hanger, but i do feel I have some loose ends that need tied.

Going into the book, I only knew it was about a guy surviving a nuclear Holocaust (which is the reason I got it). I enjoyed listening about how things would be in that situation, with the "Life Boat Rules" and all of a sudden having to reinvent EVERYTHING.

It is true this book has some racial insensitivity in it, but that's not what this book is about. The author isn't trying to see how many times he can throw out derogatory terms (if I recall correctly there only seemed to be 1 character that liked to use such words). The second half of the book isn't really about the "life of a slave" (work, work, try to escape, caught, whipped) type thing. Nor is it about "the shoe is on the other foot and lets see how you like it". It is much more political than that.

All in all
This book is a good listen and Its a good 10 hours of entertainment for 15 bucks.

I loved Robert A. Heinlein as a youth, and read this book (and all or most of his others) about 40-45 years ago, but barely recalled it. I bought this because it was on special pricing, and featured. After about 2 hours of listening, I felt like I'd gotten my money's worth, and stopped listening. It might get better after that, so you should read other reviewers' opinions.

This is standard Heinlein but that means top drawer Science Fiction. The racism topic may seem a bit old or corny but Heinlein is so good at making interesting stories that at their core are just morality parables.

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.

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.

I really don't have a favorite scene.

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.

I'm sure the storyline must have shocked many when it was first written, but as others have said, it seems a bit dated now. Especially annoying are the vacuous female characters.

Tom Weiner did a very good job narrating and I think he brought to life the character of Hugh Farnham in all his anachronistic glory. He even did a decent job making Ponse believable and even somewhat sympathetic.

One thing that made me laugh was that I kept visualizing the commander from the "Team America" movie whenever Hugh Farnham's character spoke. That's OK though since those characters are really one and the same.

Overall a good job, but not one of my favorites.

no

Time travel

Satisfactory

Yes

Typical Heinlein - challanging accepted sexual practicies coupled with period social issues and of course science fiction.

Interesting concepts...classic Heinlein....how did he do it 50 years ago? Heinlein is the man. Nice.

This story impressed me much more when I read it the first time- in the 60's. Unfortunately Heinlein comes across as a little pompous and preachy now.