For all my kvetching, I tore right througoh "Tunnel in the Sky," finding it to be a dandy audiobook. It's a cracking good story, and just about the right length for reading aloud. I realize now that carbonel was being generous when she referred to protagonist Rod as an "unreliable narrator." "Dumb as a box of rocks" might be a better description. But he does manage to buy a few clues during the course of the story, so I kept rooting for him. The relationship between Rod and Grant (the poly-sci major who edges him out in the first mayoral election) is unexpectedly interesting - really the heart of the book.

When I looked up the story online (just to see when it was written) I discovered that there has been an ongoing controversy over what race Rod is supposed to be. The question had never occurred to me - I assumed that he was white, like most s.f. heroes. But there are a few little hints in the course of the book that he might be black, and when Heinlein was asked about it, he confirmed it. Interesting. Since I ran into this tidbit before I started reading, I looked for the clues while reading and didn't find much. At one point Rod and his buddy Jimmy are goofing around pretending to be dangerous animals and Rod refers to himself as "a black panther." And towards the end, Rod describes Carolyn (who is clearly of African origin) as "looking a lot like his sister." That's all I could find. I like the idea that Heinlein was so comfortable with his vision of a post-racist society that he could happily envision his protagonist as black (even if he didn't think he could get away with doing so openly). If only he were equally successful at envisioning a post-sexist society.

Now that I'm done with the book, I wonder if Rod was not only secretly black, but also secretly gay. He seems a LOT more enthusiastic about his relationship with Jack when he thinks that she is a guy, droning on and on about how well they "hit it off" and how they work together like two halves of the same brain. Once Jimmy points out the obvious, Rod's ardor cools considerably. He and Jack remain friends, but are never as close as they were. And then he manages to hang around with Carolyn for the next 2 years while remaining oblivious to all her attempts to hit on him. Once the kids decide that they are never going to be rescued they start enthusiastically coupling up, but not Rod. He gives a rather lame disclaimer - since he is the group leader he can't be playing favorites - but since he is NOT actually the leader of the community at this point it rings a little hollow. Hmmm.

This book is beginning to remind me strongly of  "The Hunger Games."  Coincidence, or another example of Heinlein's pervasive influence on the genre?

ETA: Turns out I'm not the first person to notice that similarity.

It seems like I've promised a few people lists of my favorite podcasts, including poor vgqn , laid-up after foot surgery. Here's a quick list. You can find them all by searching iTunes (or presumably with Google or Podcast Alley or whatever rings your chimes.) You don't have to own an iPod to listen to them - you can listen on your computer. iTunes sure does make it easier to manage your podcasts, though.
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