RAH Reading Group - Puppet Masters

[TTBRAHWTMG]

Hey guys...just finished reading Puppet Masters. I figure it will be a while before we are all ready, but that I would set up this thread in the mean time. I figure if we each post in here as we finish, we'll know when to kick off.
We can keep our discussion contained here, in one thread. It will be good to be able to come back and reread parts later, as we progress into other books.

 

[Pyan]

Finished the early revised edition - still trying to get hold of a uncut copy though.

 

[Razorback]

Good ideas to set up a specific thread for this. I’ve also finished an edited copy. I have acquired an uncut version that I may refer to a comments warrant, but I probably won’t try to read it anytime soon.

 

[Pyan]

Hi, Razor - glad to know I won't be the only one with the cut edition.

 

[Liz Pf]

I'm about halfway through the cut version ... and I hope to have a copy of the uncut in my hands Thursday.

As TPM was never one of my favorites, I'll be interested to see if the restoration improves it. I liked the restored Stranger a lot better, so I have my hopes.

--Liz

http://www.printfection.com/cartesianbear

 

[TTBRAHWTMG]

Liz: Just finished double fisting the two versions...no theme elements or plot elements really missed in the old, but there is a good chance that you will ENJOY the restored version much more than the old one.

PS...your "bonus question" for 10 marks...well I know I won't get 10...but... Puddin' was the main character in Heinlein's three stories written specifically for teenage girls. I came across them in The Heinlein Interview, when Schulman is trying to discover the pen name Heinlein wrote them under...turned out he wrote them under his own, as R.A. Heinlein, and that he wrote them in response to a challenge that he couldn't appeal to female writers. That made me go find them, but it has been a LONG LONG time since I read them. As far as the reference to her Mom and health food...I can only remember the first one rather clearly, the one about ice dancing (something Mr and Mrs Heinlein enjoyed doing regularly themselves)...it was called Daddy something. I vaguely remember one of the other two was about Puddin going on a diet...could this be the one?

 

[Liz Pf]

PS...your "bonus question" for 10 marks...well I know I won't get 10...but... Puddin' was the main character in Heinlein's three stories written specifically for teenage girls. I came across them in The Heinlein Interview, when Schulman is trying to discover the pen name Heinlein wrote them under...turned out he wrote them under his own, as R.A. Heinlein, and that he wrote them in response to a challenge that he couldn't appeal to female writers. That made me go find them, but it has been a LONG LONG time since I read them. As far as the reference to her Mom and health food...I can only remember the first one rather clearly, the one about ice dancing (something Mr and Mrs Heinlein enjoyed doing regularly themselves)...it was called Daddy something. I vaguely remember one of the other two was about Puddin going on a diet...could this be the one?

Actually, TT, you get 15 points! I've only read the diet story, in Expanded Universe.

Though I'd love to read the other two ... though I like RAH's adult women, there are few girls in his stories that ring true as real people. Puddin' was one of them.

--Liz
Cartesian Bear: Witty s-f & tech t-shirts - Printfection.com

 

[HardScienceFan]

Shall I freak everyone out and say I saw a movie once,with Donald Sutherland????
Got fat novel syndrome,why not Waldo,Blowups,Roads,coventry,etc??????
Perplexed,
Ben(HSF)
BTW I certainly don't look like Danny DeVito,if any of U are wondering.......

 

[Pyan]

I wouldn't exactly call PM a fat novel, HSF - not at 220 pages!

 

[HardScienceFan]

I wouldn't exactly call PM a fat novel, HSF - not at 220 pages!

Man,if I tell you what i've got in my TR pile,you'd faint
am sticking to novelettes now
What' s the point BTW
literary analysis?
have never done this thing
Like I said elsewhere,I am genuinely thinking of giving stuff away,do somebody a fave,sticking to some well loved classix
*SNIFF*

 

[Mollygurl]

I have finished the un-cut or restored (however it's referred to) version about an hour ago. I thought it was pretty good. Looking forward to chatting about it!

 

[Pyan]

Who's left, then? - Are we just waiting for Liz? *taps foot impatiently*

 

[HardScienceFan]

Who's left, then? - Are we just waiting for Liz? *taps foot impatiently*

Just out of curiosity
I've found a SIGNET book,first printing,dec.1952
*Alien Monsters Invade the World*,Uncut version?i.e.the right one?
so what do U do when everyone has finished the book????

 

[TTBRAHWTMG]

Who's left, then? - Are we just waiting for Liz? *taps foot impatiently*

JD, Finnien, dsmith, liz

HSF: no that is the unrestored, butchered by publisher...restored is 1990 or later

 

[Pyan]

Glad soneone's keeping track - I still thought, until today, that we were starting with TCWWTW!

 

[Pyan]

butchered by publisher..

I was under the impression that all the revisions were approved and made by RAH himself, and the original story was only published after RAH's death, as authorised by VGH?

 

[Mollygurl]

Glad soneone's keeping track - I still thought, until today, that we were starting with TCWWTW!

LOL! That's next I think, Pyan.

HSF - as for what we do when everyone's finished; usually somebody will make a comment/statement and the rest of us jump in and discuss it. Since TT thought up the idea for the reading group - why don't we leave it to him to get the ball rolling? As soon as everyone has finished that is...

 

[Pyan]

LOL! That's next I think, Pyan.

Yes, reading the back-posts, you're right. Glad I found out now, though!
*hastily shelves TCWWTW!*

 

[TTBRAHWTMG]

I was under the impression that all the revisions were approved and made by RAH himself, and the original story was only published after RAH's death, as authorised by VGH?

RAH was generally opposed to rereleasing revised works after initial publication...but he was also furious with his editors and their insistence to change or edit his work even as he made the required changes. This particular one they felt was far too risque, and they wanted a general drop in word count too...approximately a quarter off the top.
Mrs. Heinlein didn't share her husbands opposition to restoring the works, and aided in restoring this one and others back to Heinlein's original intent after his death.
I heard a quote regarding Puppets, but I can't remember whether it was The Interview, Grumbles, or some other essay, where he complained that they wanted the Heinlein name, but didn't care for a Heinlein story.

 

[Mollygurl]

TT - your comments make me curious about what they did cut out. I want to ask questions but I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't finished reading yet.