The Rolling Stones

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

One of Heinlein's best-loved works, The Rolling Stones follows the rollicking adventures of the Stone family as they tour the solar system.

It doesn't seem likely for twins to have the same middle name. Even so, it's clear that Castor and Pollux Stone both have "Trouble" written in that spot on their birth certificates. Of course, anyone who's met their grandmother Hazel would know they came by it honestly.

Join the Stone twins as they connive, cajole, and bamboozle their way across the solar system in the company of the most high-spirited and hilarious family in all of science fiction.... It all starts when the twins decide that life on the lunar colony is too dull and buy their own spaceship to go into business for themselves. Before long they are headed for the furthest reaches of the stars, with stops on Mars, some asteroids, Titan, and beyond.

This lighthearted tale has some of Heinlein's sassiest dialogue - not to mention the famous flat cats incident. Oddly enough, it's also a true example of real family values, for when you're a Stone, your family is your highest priority.

©2009 Robert A. Heinlein (P)2014 Blackstone Audiobooks

old school sci fi

I had forgotten how enjoyable a solid Heinlein story could be. Not one of the tales that caught the world's attention just good old fashioned story telling with the usual Heinlein perspective but without the slightly manifesto quality some of his more serious work have.

Great Family Sci-fi

Not all Sci-fi needs to be depressing and out to discourage us from the future. I'd never heard of this before but absolutely loved it. Great characters with great hidden love for each other. Great, start to finish j. Performance is top notch as well. Overall enjoyable!

Fun

Just want a quick fun listen? This is it. Think of it as a scifi harlingquin novel

TRAMP SPACE SHIP

NINETY FIVE INDEED, LAST WEEK YOU WERE EIGHTY FIVE.
IT'S BEEN A HARD WEEK
2009 IS THE RENEWED COPYRIGHT. The original copyright was 1952 and there was a condensed version in Boy's Life. I mention this, because I believe this should be a Sci-Fi Classic not a Contemporary. It is a great book, written before Heinlein got into Free Love and when he thought Family and learning were important. There is a lot of math and science in the book, but it is not a dry book. The math and science should encourage children of even today, to take their studies serious. It is also full of lots of humor. No laugh out loud funny, but funny anyways. It has a half way decent story and some great characters. Talk about women's lib, the mother is a doctor and the grandmother a engineer. The grandmother was my favorite character. The father is smart, but the least smart in the family. He knows it, but he has lots of common sense.

HAND ME THAT SLIDE RULE
It is dated of course, but still a fun and enjoyable book today. A book good for all ages and all genders. It includes slide rules, Boy Scouts, and Adventure Serials. AS LEGAL AS CHURCH ON SUNDAY.

NORMAL, THAT'S A WORD WITH NO MEANING

Fun, young, Science fiction.

Somewhere on the internet I'm sure you'll be able to find a description of this book that includes the phrase "rollicking good fun". The word "romp" will probably also be in the vicinity. I'm onboard with this classification! I had fun and was treated to a bit of sciency Young Adult fiction.

We follow three generations of the Stone family as they break out of their Lunar-bound rut; launching themselves, a group of (super-?) intelligent, capable and independent individuals, upon an unsuspecting solar system. The family is replete with leaders of both genders (although there's a pretty obvious 1950's cast to what gender equity might look like) and the main drivers of the story are grandmother Hazel and the twin teenagers Castor and Pollux. The rest of the family are mostly there as foils for these three and their shenanigans.

Anyway, the story is fun and we edge into the hard-science realm with science being an everyday part of everyone's lives, and a part that's viewed as vital to everyone's wellbeing and comfortable survival. Again, it's future-science from the 1950's so some things end up being odd projections of the 1950's near-future pushed into the far-future but there's a really epic paragraph or two lambasting the automobile in Chapter 4 that nearly makes the whole book worth the read!

Good Pre-Teen Book

Any additional comments?

I first read this book in 1958, as an 8 y/o kid first getting interested in Science Fiction. I loved everything Heinlein wrote. I decided to get it and listen now, as a retired, bit older adult...

I can see why I loved it in 1958. I expect it would still appeal to pre-teens, but it doesn't wear all that well against more modern SciFi and many decades of exploring other authors.

Delightful!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Tom Wiener does a masterful job of bringing the characters to life, especially Castor and Pollux.
I had to google a certain Star Trek episode after listening to this...

Heinlein, enough said?

I. have never been disappointed in a Heinlein book, and this one keeps the record going. My father was a huge fan and now that I've started reading Heinlein's works, I can see why.

Enjoyable light entertainment

Good for young listeners. No foul language or sexual situations. Some good lessons. Education for the young is required and the kids use it to be heroes.

What a delightful quick read/listen

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! A delightful little read with warm family relations and adventures!!