Farmer in the Sky

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

Farmer In The Sky is a 1953 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein about a teenage boy who emigrates with his family to Jupiter's moon Ganymede, which is in the process of being terraformed. A condensed version of the novel was published in serial form in 1950 in Boys' Life magazine (August, September, October, November), under the title "Satellite Scout".

©1955 Robert A. Heinlein (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Back to the future.

I first read Farmer in the Sky about sixty years ago. As I listened to it just now, I realized how much this book, originally published in 1950, and others like it, were instrumental in sparking my lifelong interest in science and space travel.

Robert Heinlein, along with others with names like Asimov, Clarke, Bradbury and Sturgeon was among the writers from the so called "Golden Age." of Science Fiction.

Although much of the science in this book is now dated and obsolete, a lot of it was amazingly prescient. It is about a teenaged boy whose family left Earth to join a colony on Ganymede, one of the moons of Jupiter.

Farmer in the Sky was written for young people over a decade before Alan Shepherd was the first American to "blast off" to the edge of outer space.

I have little doubt that many of the scientists and engineers who made that possible were inspired by books like this one.

An interesting story about a new world

I likes the character development and it had a Hemingway - esque emphasis on self reliance and survival on one's own merit

Classic scifi at its best!

Likely most would skip this based on the title and miss a great story.
Classic scifi with a twist!
Enjoy!

Good story, and great performance!

If you could sum up Farmer in the Sky in three words, what would they be?

It's a typical Heinlein Juvenille work.

What other book might you compare Farmer in the Sky to and why?

Space Cadet also by Heinlein

What does Nick Podehl bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Nick is a master of accents and voices. At one point, I was asking myself---is that the same guy?

Outstanding classic

What did you love best about Farmer in the Sky?

Heinlein's approach to the characters is fresh and personal

What did you like best about this story?

detail of the story itself

Which character – as performed by Nick Podehl – was your favorite?

Bill the main character

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

No

It's heinlein at his best

this is RAH at his best. It's before he went money hungry and weird. It's a great book for all ages.

one of Heinlein's best juveniles

Great visuals a good story and exciting events-- the tale of Bill and his family who emigrate to Ganymede and prove a farm and become true pioneers. the descriptions of the Moon Ganymede and The Moon rises over Jupiter, the speculative science on how Ganymede was terraformed are excellent. it's amazing how much visual information Heinlein was able to impart with economic writing style.

Heinlein does it again

Heinlein is my very favorite author. I discovered his writing in college with "Stranger in a Strange Land". My favorite book of all time is "Time Enough for Love", which was next on my list. After reading everything published since 1959 (highly recommended) and giving 2nd and 3rd readings to the two above I decided to start at the beginning on audible and work my way through his entire catalog. The so called 'Heinlein Juveniles' aren't bad at all. As an adult, they are written to about the same level as TV shows, a young teen. They deserve the title for their young protagonist but really, for the time, they are a terrific tail of mankind's possible steps to the moon, planets and stars. Well written and researched and enjoyable to read. Heinlein got much more right than he did wrong, though, thus far, this one has the most errors of space flight and astronomy than what I've read before. But not much. Given that it was published in 1950, it's surprising how well thought out the intricacies of space flight were. Impressive to see what was known and understood as NASA was preparing to accomplish the amazing feats of Apollo! I wish I would have had the pleasure of knowing Robert Heinlein personally.

YOU COULD HEAR YOUR HAIR GROW

GRAMMER SCHOOL CALCULUS
Entertaining, especially after they get to Ganymede. I love most of Heinlein's juvenile books. They are usually upbeat with a can do attitude and they often emphasis education. TRY IT ON YOUR SLIDE RULE

WOMEN HAVE THIER UPS AND DOWNS, YOU'LL GET USE TO IT.
Written in 1950, besides being dated it is a little politically incorrect. NO SORE HEADS, NO WEAK SISTERS.

SCIENTISTS CHANGE THIER THEORIES OFTEN
Wish we could get that through the head of those today, that always think a theory is the same as proven fact.

PIONEERS NEED GOOD NEIGHBORS
This is an adventure story into space. Imagine living on Ganymede and having most of the sky filled with Jupiter. Heinlein explains what the sky looks like, how they gave the planet an atmosphere and how to make the soil fertile. It might have a little too many science facts for some, but I can see how it would get young people excited enough to study science.

Sentimental journey

What did you like best about this story?

The concept of terraforming and colonizing our solar system. I read this book when I was in my teens - a looong time ago in other words. In my heart I always hoped that these opportunities would be available in my lifetime. How sad that we have the runaway population growth and the hunger that goes along with it, but not the ability to expand our living space - into space.

Have you listened to any of Nick Podehl’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was written quite a while ago and in some respects has not aged well. But it was written for a Scouting magazine in the vernacular of the time. The concept is more timely than ever. If Heinlein were writing it now I'm sure he would revise some of the technical details but human nature hasn't changed and the motivations of the characters to be pioneers would be much the same, I think.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not a thing. He sounds just like Bill should.

Nice account of pioneering on a lifeless moon of Jupiter

I enjoyed this book, which painted a detailed a d believable account of how like could be for a pioneering family on a moon of Jupiter which started as a lifeless rocky frozen wasteland.