American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Another Robert A. Heinlein Future History Story, "The Black Pits of Luna". The title and themes parallel "The Green Hills of Earth" quite well. With this story along with the others we look at, I think all we need for tackling THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS is here, but that will be a while yet.

Part two of my review of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This section begins a deeper look at the religious and moral values Stowe was working out in this famous book about American slavery.

Another Future History story by Robert A. Heinlein, "Gentlemen, Be Seated" explores the character of the humans who should venture into space. While it is built on a humorous set piece, there are some interesting ideas about the gap that will grow between humans on Earth and those in space.

Part 1 of 5. This review will explore the themes and ideas of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe. While I have never read this book before, I am familiar with its big ideas. I am pleasantly surprised by how good it is.

A thematic sequel to SPACE CADET and "Ordeal in Space", this story explores the values of the Patrol and seems to be a testament to all the uncelebrated heroes of war.

The final slave narrative of this series in the mostly unknown story of the trickster slave J. D. Green. It is fun, brutal, and fascinating and maybe deserves a greater place in our literary history.

So TOWN AND COUNTRY published a very interesting Heinlein story called "Ordeal in Space" in 1948, which explores how we face and overcome trauma. A powerful reflection on the experiences of returning soldiers from World War II.

Part two of my review of SPACE CADET by Robert A. Heinlein. Let's meet some Venerians and test the values of the Space Patrol when faced with the desires of unrestrained capitalism, or something.

The conclusion of my look at INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A SLAVE GIRL by Harriet Jacob. This remains my favorite slave narrative and is in my view the most powerful.

Part one of my review of SPACE CADET. This should be a favorite of Next Generation fans and has some of the best work building in the Heinlein juveniles.

Perhaps the best slave narrative, and certainly my favorite, INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A SLAVE GIRL by Harriet Jacobs hits to the heart of the experience of slavery for women and has some of the most intense moments in the genre.

This episode contains my thoughts on the excellent slave narrative by William and Ellen Craft, detailing their escape from slavery and Georgia and how they hacked the color line and the unwritten rules of slavery. A brilliant work of resistance.

No Robert A. Heinlein book club would be complete without the 1947 story "Water is for Washing". I almost forgot about it and probably will again soon.

This episode includes my review of Robert A. Heinlein's short mystery story "They Do It With Mirrors." While it is not exceptional as a locked room mystery, it does reflect on Heinlein's sexual politics.

My review of the narrative of the life of Sojourner Truth, one of the more unique slave narratives of this era. A little less about slavery itself and more about the development of a religious revival, a new name, and a mission.

We explore another excellent slave narrative with the work of Henry Bibb, whose narrative explores the trauma of being married in slavery and the difficult choices people need to make while being married in a system rooted in sexual violence.

As we come close to wrapping up our look at Heinlein's 1947 works, we look at a short and not so significant story showing Heinlein trying to define courage. It is called "No Band Playing, No Flags Flying" and its a bit odd.

Frederick Douglass' amazing slave narrative probably does not need much of an introduction. Few works deconstruct all the myths of the Old South so efficiently.

While this is not quite a slave narrative, "The Confessions of Nat Turner" is testimony of one of the most famous American slaves (although the case can be made that he had already freed himself). While most slave narratives were weaponized in the anti-slavery struggle, this document was weaponized to justify strengthening the institution of slavery in the Antebellum South.

"Space Jockey" is another great science fiction story by Heinlein from 1947 published in the Saturday Evening Post. At the same time it is horribly quaint and seems a bit more like fantasy than science fiction. Someone moving from the gig economy to full time family-supporting employment? Not in this universe.

The conclusion of my thoughts on the slave narrative by Olaudah Equiano. In my view, in this narrative he parallels the struggle against slavery with his Christian journey for salvation, coming together into a call for action. Next we will jump to the antebellum slave narratives with the Confessions of Nat Turner.

"It's Great to be Back" is another 1947 Saturday Evening Post story by Robert A. Heinlein dealing with nostalgia for Earth and the human presence in space. A great story to pair with "The Green Hills of Earth".

In this wonderful short story, Heinlein tells us the history of a blind working class space poet, who also caught the essence of Earth's identity in space. One of his best.

The first of two episodes covering Olaudah Equiano's amazing slave narrative. It is a thematic. structural, and moral foundation of all other slave narratives. It is also an amazing story that everyone should read.

In this tiny story published in 1947 in STARTLING STORIES, Robert A. Heinlein explores the struggle for progress and how every generation builds off the courage of those that came before, and how we forget.

I am back from my summer break and start with a look at slave narratives. First up is the strange but significant account by James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw. It works as a narrative of the Atlantic working class and the benefits of Christianity, but never directly attacks slavery itself, making it one of the strangest slave narratives. However it was the first published in English.

A great story by Robert A. Heinlein, "Jerry Is a Man" (1947) explores the nature of humanity, animal rights, and genetic engineering. It is hard not to think of this story in terms of Star Trek's great episode "The Measure of a Man"

I complete my look at Mark Twain with one version of "Mysterious Stranger" known as "No. 44: The Mysterious Stranger". The other versions have interesting things to say as well, but this one focuses on work, automation, and technology.

A better novel than TOM SAWYER ABROAD, TOM SAWYER, DETECTIVE by Mark Twain picks up as a sequel to THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. It also is a window into Tom Sawyer's potential adult life.

It's Nazis on the moon in part two of ROCKET SHIP GALILEO by Robert A. Heinlein. While it does not compare to some of the short stories and later juvenile we will look at soon, there is some staying power with in this novel.

The review of the first half of Robert A. Heinlein's ROCKET SHIP GALILEO, the first of his famous young adult novels. A rocket club gets a chance to go to the moon.

In the short novel TOM SAWYER, ABROAD (1892), Mark Twain takes Tom, Huck Finn and Jim on a balloon voyage to Africa. In this episode are my thoughts on this book.

In 1892, Mark Twain published a sequel of sorts to THE GILDED AGE called THE AMERICAN CLAIMANT. It goes back to an old theme Twain was fascinated by: the mutual misunderstandings of Europeans and Americans. Throughout this story, Colonel Sellers is up to his old schemes.

In this episode of the Robert A. Heinlein Book Club, I look at "Free Men", an interesting and moralistic look at the duty of free men to resist authoritarian state power. More of a political tract than a story.

Finale of my review of THE GILDED AGE by Mark Twain. While not one his most popular novels, I think this one deserves a read for its important themes and reflections on American capitalism and politics.

In this episode of the Robert A. Heinlein book club, I look at this odd little story "A Bathroom of Her Own," a non-science fiction tale of housing and politics.

Now we need to deal with two sussy colonels in this novel? Colonel Sellers and Colonel Selby team-up to extract love and money from post-Civil War Washington. THE GILDED AGE by Mark Twain is actually a pretty underrated novel.

We wrap up our pre-war coverage of Heinlein's works with WALDO, a fitting story to complete the Anson MacDonald ASTOUNDING period of Heinlein's career. It hits so many of the themes Heinlein had been playing with since he started writing.

In this episode I mostly look at Heinlein's short story "My Object All Sublime" but also mention "Pied Piper". These forgettable tales may have some thematic interest regarding vigilantes and total war.

Part two of my review of THE GILDED AGE by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner. This part of the novel moves our focus to the national level and exposes how deep the corruption in the nation ran.