'New' Heinlein book...

[tinkerdan]

So your are suggesting it is all personal reasons...

Even seventeen years after her death, I don't think anyone who knew her well will discuss the specifics of her business and personal choices.

...nothing to do with quality of the piece[which I would think would be something that could be mentioned]
Such as she might have thought it wasn't polished enough for a finished piece and not up to his usual standards.
As I mentioned above it definitely has a different tone in chapter 19 about one page in.
It's almost as though the narrator changed, though that doesn't make sense since these are first person narrations.

Or another reason could be that the original only goes shallowly into Barsoom of ERB and the Lensmen of EE Doc Smith.
The newer novel has in depth characterization of players from both universes-- So maybe the original was meant to pay homage while the previously unpublished seems more like pastiche(which might account for the difference in tone).
Now it would seem those types of thing would be mention-able.

However as you seem to indicate it all something personal and private that prevents you from disclosing it. Mine is clearly speculation.

 

[JimC]

"However as you seem to indicate it all something personal and private that prevents you from disclosing it".

That is correct. On her part, not mine - I just respect her wishes to the best of my ability.
For that reason, I can't comment on your post above.

 

[tinkerdan]

I'm going to go out on a limb.
In William H Patterson JRs Robert A. Heinlein--Volume 2 page 394

Ginny read through The Panki-Barsoom Number of the Beast with growing puzzlement. The story was straightforward enough--two newlywed couples fleeing across alternate realities from alien villains he called 'Black Hats'(the Barsoomian name for thee vermin was Pankera pl. Pani) She put down the manuscript. While it was perfectly competent yard good it just wasn't a Heinlein novel.

If your have this and read this you will see it goes on to say that she advised Robert not to publish it at that time,
There is also a note that he made the same statement when he later read the material.

The surrounding material in the chapter of WHP Jrs book also describes some of his declining health at this time.

This is all public knowledge as printed in this book.

There is a lot more in the book about TNotB and how it evolved from the Pankera to the many POV rotating captain story.
I would advise reading this book.

Amazon.com

 

[JimC]

Bill gave me a copy, but I didn't get around to reading it. Ginny thought it was well done for the most part. They both invested a LOT of time into it.

Bill was one of about six people who did know why the unpublished stuff was unpublished.

 

[Bick]

I don’t really understand why you’ve told us there’s a secret reason it wasn’t published before that only you and two other people know about and then won’t say what it was - it’s a bit of a tease, so why post it at all?

 

[tinkerdan]

It's mostly evidence that he hasn't read Williams book or...

I don’t really understand why you’ve told us there’s a secret reason it wasn’t published before that only you and two other people know about and then won’t say what it was - it’s a bit of a tease, so why post it at all?

...he would see that much of what he can't reveal is already public.
Again:
I suggest getting a hold of the book in my previous link and many of the answers that 'can't be given' will unfold before you--look for Panki in the index in the back and that will give you all the pages dealing with the Book.

 

[JimC]

"there’s a secret reason it wasn’t published"

There's no secret reason. The people who cared about Ginny don't repeat things she told us simply because she didn't want us to, and we still respect her wishes. Has nothing to do with secrets.

 

[tinkerdan]

But how much respect is there in saying i know something no one else knows about this person; making people believe this person had reason to ask you to keep a secret?

I think of personal information like that as something you don't tease people with in public, because you simply don't mention it.

On the other hand if you don't want everyone to find out about something then you simply don't tell anyone.

Once again for the facts:
Amazon.com: Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century, Volume 2: The Man Who Learned Better (1948-1988) eBook: Patterson Jr., William H.: Kindle Store

Here...

March 2020 – John the Librarian

4 posts published by John the Librarian during March 2020

johnthelibrarian.com

Is an interesting review of the Pankera novel that reflects some of what I already mentioned.

 

[Pyan]

As this thread looks to be descending into ad hominem attacks, I'm suspending it. I'll discuss it with my colleagues and we'll make a decision about it as soon as practicable;

Thread Suspended