My Writing Heroes: Robert A. Heinlein

Before we start, I just want to say that I don't know anything about Robert A. Heinlein. I don't know who he is, where he's from, what nationality he is or how old he is/was. The first time I've seen him was a few seconds ago during a Google search to make sure I spelt his name right. And quite honestly, none of the information from before really matters to me. All I do know is that what I've read of Heinlein's work, which is about five books, maybe more, is that I think he's a genius.

I remember my first Heinlein book. Remember the first three pages off my heart, if I sat down and thought about it. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is one of my favorite books and in my top ten of all time. It's a story about a man who lives on the moon, who's best friends with the central computer that runs the entire colony. Through his friends, he inadvertently gets tied up into a revolution to take down the dictatorship. It's a little hard for me to summarize, but what really struck me about this story was the voice. Heinlein is a master of something I want to master myself. Voice in the first person. 

Through Manuel, the main character, he's not only created a voice and the tone, but the slang of a whole new world, as fluidly as though I were a tourist listening to the locals. It was even more beautiful by the fact that the first time I heard this story, it was on an audiobook and the performer was so fluid and relax, that it struck me in my very soul. Being used to only narratives that used usual words or first persons who were proper and stagnent, it was so fresh and exciting. And I still get that rush, even after so many read throughs. Even sitting here writing about it, I'm tempted to start reading it once again, and I have to remind myself I'm already reading three other books scattered through my apartment.



But many of Heinlein's novels got me the same way, and I'm amazed by their variety in characters and tones, each with their own little voices and challenges that make each of the books I've read so interesting. Which reminds me, with my new outlook on religion and spirituality, I might take another look at Stranger in a Strange Land. Maybe I'll have to make four books after all.

Peace and blessings
Eric Rawlinson
20110122