Via Winchell Chung, a letter from Robert Heinlein to Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle about the book that became The Mote in God’s Eye. He takes them to task pretty thoroughly for not starting the story until page 100, for numerous errors of naval protocol, and for even more numerous copy editing errors.

This is what a friend and colleague does.

Originally shared by Dean Calahan

The Mote in God’s Eye is usually within my top five, and always within my top ten, science fiction novels*. In my youth, even as a poor college student, I would often almost resent it** when Heinlein came out with a new novel, because I would enter an algorithm by which as soon as I saw it on the stack at the U bookstore I would walk half a block to the ATM and then half a block back to buy the book, no matter the status of my checking account. Hardback. Sometimes cursing in sort of a reflexive Shadenfreude.

Anyway, suffice it to say I today have a much more nuanced view of Heinlein and others, and have read Patterson’s biography.

All that said, if you have any interest in the above, and haven’t read it yet, you will surely be delighted to follow the supplied link, a letter from Robert to Larry and Jerry after reading a draft of their epic novel.

*I don’t really keep a list, but if one were to ask me off hand, this is probably how it would break down.

**Right, not really.