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Rocketship Galileo by Robert Heinlein
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Rocketship Galileo (original 1947; edition 1973)

by Robert Heinlein

Series: Heinlein Juveniles (1)

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1,6722410,415 (3.44)33
Fiction. Science Fiction & Fantasy. HTML:

From the grand master of science fiction comes this classic story about pioneers at the dawn of space exploration.

Ross Jenkins, Art Mueller, and Morris Abrams are not your average high schools students. While other kids are cruising around in their cars or playing ball, this trio, known as the Galileo Club, is experimenting with rocket fuels, preparing for their future education at technical colleges.

Art's uncle, the nuclear physicist Dr. Donald Cargraves, offers them the opportunity of a lifetime: to construct and crew a rocket that will take them to the moon. Cargraves believes their combined ingenuity and enthusiasm can actually make this dream come trueâ??but there are those who don't share their dream and who will stop at nothing to keep their rocket grounded.… (more)

Member:TheOtherJunkMonkey
Title:Rocketship Galileo
Authors:Robert Heinlein
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Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert A. Heinlein (1947)

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» See also 33 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 24 (next | show all)
This is a book that only a 1940's teenage science enthusiast could love. The first 6 chapters are spent on establishing that our teen protagonists are competent to assist an adult scientist in building a rocket and flying it to the moon, then convincing their parents to allow it. I gave up when the scientist started lecturing one of the boys on leadership qualities. I understand that there are space-nazis later, whenever they get to the moon, and that sounds like it could be fun, but I just couldn't get there.

Audiobook version, borrowed from my public library via Overdrive. Abandoned at 27%. Spider Robinson does his best with reading this dull, dull, story. ( )
  Doodlebug34 | Jan 1, 2024 |
Solid beginning to this "series" of books. Moves right along, with plenty of incident. There's only one semi-defined character (Cargraves), the others are all ciphers, but the book is over so quickly it doesn't really matter. Possibly a little too much popular mechanics for some tastes, and there are a few sermons that are tiresome (although the off-handed way in which Heinlein's spokesman asserts that "mathematics has no content" as if this was a simple observation of fact, is kind of unintentionally hilarious). ( )
  dmmjlllt | Jul 19, 2021 |
I really enjoyed the outset of this book, with reference to rocket design and space travel, but the plot was a bit too juvenile for my taste - the ending being far-fetched. Of course when it was written, the Nazi threat was on everybody's minds. I was amused to find a reference to Ley's "Rockets" within the story, as this is the book I found a reference to "Rocketship Galileo" in. ( )
  AChild | Jun 15, 2021 |
An interesting piece of period fiction, from more innocent days (pre-Sputnik, even) when the difficulties of nuclear rockets and space travel were less well understood. Although I guess it was intended to be futuristic science fiction, today it reads more like alternate history.

One thing I liked about it was the portrayal of the boy heroes: more grown-up than grown-ups, responsible yet daring, disciplined, determined, knowing what they wanted, and diligent enough to learn what they had to learn to accomplish it. In short, they start out as the kind of person you *wish* you had been years ago, and you *wish* we had more of nowadays. (Thus this is *not* a coming-of-age novel where someone learns to be an adult, even though it is about adolescent boys; it is not a character development story.) I read it to my upper elementary school kids, and they enjoyed it, because it's a pretty good story.

*mild spoiler alert*



The story is not *just* about getting to the moon. If it's easy enough to get to the moon so that three boys and their uncle can do it, then so can somebody else. This was unexpected to me, but totally realistic. In fact, anything other than that would be unrealistic. ( )
1 vote garyrholt | Nov 5, 2020 |
I enjoyed the book. All of the Heinlein I have read has been mid to late career. It was interesting seeing where he started. It was much more hard-science than I expected, but that makes sense considering Heinlein's background. And I loved that there was still a know-it-all mentor character, even though he is open to the kids knowing some stuff, too. I can do without the gun tolerance, but I realize that's part of reading Heinlein. Although, my first and favorite novel of his questioned that deeply. But, SiaSL questioned everything. That's why I love it so. All in all, Galileo was a fun read with some insight into space travel and how to achieve goals without squelching potential. Oh, and Nazis. ( )
  JaysenElsky | Sep 17, 2020 |
Showing 1-5 of 24 (next | show all)
Een van Heinleins zwakste jeugd-SF romans die sterk de na-oorlogse atmosfeer uitademt waarin bij geschreven werd. Een atoomgeleerde, kandidaat Nobelprijs, bouwt samen met drie teenagers een ruimteschip en vliegt ermee naar de maan. Daar ontdekken ze een basis van boosaardige Nazis die een atoomoorlog met de VSA willen starten en daarna het Duitse Rijk heropbouwen. Na wat heen en weer geknok gaan de slechte Duitsers eraan of geven zich over. De reine Amerikaanse Jonge Helden keren glorierijk terug naar de VSA na de wereldbeschaving gered te hebben. Primitief (goedAmerikaans tegen slechtDuits), verouderd (uit 1947, en toen waren er al tientallen boeken over hetzelfde thema), vervelend (1/2-boekvoorbereiding tot de start) Zie ook a.i. 78-12-534.

(NBD|Biblion recensie, E.C. Bertin)
added by karnoefel | editNBD / Biblion, Eddy C. Bertin
 

» Add other authors (3 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Robert A. Heinleinprimary authorall editionscalculated
Elwell, TristanCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Savage,SteeleCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sweet, DarrellCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Voter, Thomas W.Cover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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"Everybody all set" Young Ross Jenkins glanced nervously at his two chums. "How about your camera, Art? You sure you got the lens cover off this time?"
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Fiction. Science Fiction & Fantasy. HTML:

From the grand master of science fiction comes this classic story about pioneers at the dawn of space exploration.

Ross Jenkins, Art Mueller, and Morris Abrams are not your average high schools students. While other kids are cruising around in their cars or playing ball, this trio, known as the Galileo Club, is experimenting with rocket fuels, preparing for their future education at technical colleges.

Art's uncle, the nuclear physicist Dr. Donald Cargraves, offers them the opportunity of a lifetime: to construct and crew a rocket that will take them to the moon. Cargraves believes their combined ingenuity and enthusiasm can actually make this dream come trueâ??but there are those who don't share their dream and who will stop at nothing to keep their rocket grounded.

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A fabulous book written in 1947....the dawn of the Atomic Age, SF was strictly boys own adventures.
Chuck together 3 redblooded American boys who basically build their own spaceship (yeah, right!) and zoom off in outer space (the local planetary system). Land on the Moon, squash the NAZI base for crying out loud, and home in time for mom's apple pie. Gorgeous and outrageous!
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