Heinlein and Today

[Drake Leon]

How did Robert A. Heinlein influence modern literature? The modern world? Let's see what you guys have to say. To start, I'll mention an amusing thing that came up.

I once read a short story where an aging, influential Senator I cannot remember the name of who was known for opposing the Space Program tooth and nail was hearing news of how men were landing on the moon and such, and it just boiled his blood.

He had talked to many NASA engineers who told him about how reading Heinlein as a child had motivated them to become engineers for the program, time after time. (It's true, too.) So he spent millions and used his influence to procure a time machine and go back into the past to when Heinlein was laying in bed, recently diagnosed with tuberculosis, and gives him an injection of pennicilin, so that he would never leave the Navy and become an author.

So, once more in the future, he turns on his tv to watch the news- and all across the bulletins are all sorts of stories about men landing on Mars for the first time in history. He called out to his wife, flailing frantically at the tv set, and she merely blinked at him. "Well, of course they're on Mars. Did you think Admiral Heinlein'd let the Russians get the high ground?"

Which makes you have to think... Isn't the fact someone would write a story like that based off factual evidence proof enough that Heinlein is easily amongst the most influential authors ever in Science Fiction, and possible the single one?

Furthermore, if ideas were copyrighted, not merely collections of words, 95% of SF authors would be paying Heinlein's heirs amazing royalties. He wrote the first Implant novel, "I Will Fear No Evil", the first Longevity novels "Time Enough For Love" and "Methuselah's Children", the first 'invasion of the body snatchers' novel, "The Puppet Masters", and many others.

Anyone with comments to make, I'd love to hear 'em. Disagreements, etc. If I have my facts mixed up, don't hesitate to leap down my throat!

[Foxbat]

I'm not a massive Heinlein fan (although I did like I Will Fear No Evil and Stranger In A Strange Land).

There are many writers (I believe) that have influenced, not only, technology but people and their ambitions. Henlein, Clarke, Asimov and many others have all blazed trails of ideas that the rest of us can follow.

So, in essence, I agree with you - but lets give a vote of thanks to all of those fantastic writers who have influenced people to travel, people to build and expand our knowledge, - and those of us who simply read and dream of the stars

[Circus Cranium]

Along the same lines, I saw a special, as you might have, about scientists designing technology based on the fictional devices used on Star Trek.

[Drake Leon]

For the record, I plan to make such glowing memorials as this for all the greats- Clarke, Assimov, and others, as well as Heinlein. They all sound very flattering... Heinlein was the first I got around to. Like I said, he was the FIRST. Not neccessarily the ABSOLUTE BEST- although he's probably my personal favourite. I have a lot of great things to say about Clarke and Assimov in particular, though.

[I, Brian]

That sounds like a great short story.

[George Potter]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

That sounds like a great short story.

It certainly is. The Return Of William Proxmire by Larry Niven.

Mr. Leon got some particulars wrong, but summed up the story in essence.