A Collection of the first of Heinlein's future history collection. This collection of short stories deals with the beginning of space flight, the invention of solar panels, the development of moving roads as well as the pioneers of extra terrestrial living. Heinlein, as always, mixes amazing technological foresight and scientific knowledge with well-crafted characters and how humans deal with the trials that are thrown at them. ( )

I rate this book a little higher than it technically deserves for one reason: "Requiem". That short-story is among Heinlein's finest work, sensitive and nearly lyrical. For the most part, its prequil, "The Man Who Sold the Moon," does not measure up. It is classic Heinlein, fun but unpolished. These two are the best in the collection. The other two stories, "Let there Be Light," and "The Roads Must Roll" are much more dated in the 1940s culture in which they were written, with similar political and social concerns and gender attitudes. The science, which is necessary on some level, is a bit over-whelming and under-likely. Although Heinlein successfully imagines solar panels, he is characteristically optimistic about their power and cheapness. The book is essential for the inclusion of this story, since it is not in the definitive Future History anthology The Past through Tomorrow.

But Heinlein is not a prophet, as he says in his preface. He is merely an accomplished "what-ifer". The Preface is a valuable insight into the Future History stories at the heart of much of his writing.

Read it for the flow of the stories (if not all the continuity). Read it for "Requiem". Read it, but don't expect as much as you get from Heinlein at his height. ( )

Ok, I get it. You're a libertarian. But it didn't happen that way. Nyah! ( )

I'm going, damn it.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/03... ( )

Containing some relatively early stories, this collection feels more dated than most Heinlein works, if only because his predictions for the future were so far off, leading to the book feeling anachronistic. Some stories are truly engaging and captivating in their own way, but more are sadly lacking. Full of the usual mild Heinlein sexism, this book will likely be truly enjoyable only to the dedicated Heinlein reader. ( )