Customer Reviews

Space Cadet

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I have heard this book dismissed as "just another space cadet story." Check the date of publication (1948), this is THE first space cadet story. It started the genre. I've also heard it dismissed as a "kid's book." A "kid's book" would not have stuck in my memory for four decades now and provided me with inspiration and a model when I most needed it. A "kid's book" wouldn't have inspired me to stick out high school and college physics and mathematics instead of just throwing in the towel. It was remembering the example of this book, and _Starman Jones_, that got me through Calculus. I just wish the rest of the world would have lived up to the high ideals expressed in these books....

I recently reread this tale after many years. I was amazed at how "nondated" it was. Heinlein has a perfect description of cell phones and cell towers. Something else finally hit me too- this is where Gene Roddenbury got most of his ideas for Star Trek. Heinlein actuallly uses the term "the Federation." His Interplanetary Patrol is obviously the inspiration for Star Fleet with it's noble ideals, multi-cultural make-up (in 1948), it's commitment to keeping the peace, and it's 100 year record of keeping the peace (a phrase right out of Trek.) The importance of the Academy and its naval style of organization came from Heinlein, the Annapolis graduate. The way that the organization is entirely composed of officers and officers in training- that's also pure Star Trek. Heinlein wrote of all this almost 20 years before Trek aired....