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Future History or "Heinlein Timeline" #10
Gentlemen Be Seated
Die Sache aussitzen
Ein Journalist, ein Tunnelarbeiter und sein Vorgesetzter werden in einem der Tunnel, die von der unterirdischen Mondbasis zur Oberfläche führen, wegen defekter Luftschleusen gefangen und sitzen fest – im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes … Die Kurzgeschichte „Nehmen Sie Platz, meine Herren“ erscheint als exklusives E-Book Only bei Heyne und ist zusammen mit weiteren Stories und Romanen von Robert A. Heinlein auch in dem Sammelband „Die Geschichte der Zukunft“ enthalten. Sie umfasst ca. 14 Buchseiten.
Ein Journalist, ein Tunnelarbeiter und sein Vorgesetzter werden in einem der Tunnel, die von der unterirdischen Mondbasis zur Oberfläche führen, wegen defekter Luftschleusen gefangen und sitzen fest – im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes … Die Kurzgeschichte „Nehmen Sie Platz, meine Herren“ erscheint als exklusives E-Book Only bei Heyne und ist zusammen mit weiteren Stories und Romanen von Robert A. Heinlein auch in dem Sammelband „Die Geschichte der Zukunft“ enthalten. Sie umfasst ca. 14 Buchseiten.
First published May 1, 1948
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About the author
Robert A. Heinlein
1,060 books10.6k followersRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His plots often posed provocative situations which challenged conventional social mores. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.
Heinlein became one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s. He was one of the best-selling science-fiction novelists for many decades, and he, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often considered the "Big Three" of English-language science fiction authors. Notable Heinlein works include Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers (which helped mold the space marine and mecha archetypes) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. His work sometimes had controversial aspects, such as plural marriage in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, militarism in Starship Troopers and technologically competent women characters who were formidable, yet often stereotypically feminine—such as Friday.
Heinlein used his science fiction as a way to explore provocative social and political ideas and to speculate how progress in science and engineering might shape the future of politics, race, religion, and sex. Within the framework of his science-fiction stories, Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance, the nature of sexual relationships, the obligation individuals owe to their societies, the influence of organized religion on culture and government, and the tendency of society to repress nonconformist thought. He also speculated on the influence of space travel on human cultural practices.
Heinlein was named the first Science Fiction Writers Grand Master in 1974. Four of his novels won Hugo Awards. In addition, fifty years after publication, seven of his works were awarded "Retro Hugos"—awards given retrospectively for works that were published before the Hugo Awards came into existence. In his fiction, Heinlein coined terms that have become part of the English language, including grok, waldo and speculative fiction, as well as popularizing existing terms like "TANSTAAFL", "pay it forward", and "space marine". He also anticipated mechanical computer-aided design with "Drafting Dan" and described a modern version of a waterbed in his novel Beyond This Horizon.
Also wrote under Pen names: Anson McDonald, Lyle Monroe, Caleb Saunders, John Riverside and Simon York.
Heinlein became one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s. He was one of the best-selling science-fiction novelists for many decades, and he, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often considered the "Big Three" of English-language science fiction authors. Notable Heinlein works include Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers (which helped mold the space marine and mecha archetypes) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. His work sometimes had controversial aspects, such as plural marriage in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, militarism in Starship Troopers and technologically competent women characters who were formidable, yet often stereotypically feminine—such as Friday.
Heinlein used his science fiction as a way to explore provocative social and political ideas and to speculate how progress in science and engineering might shape the future of politics, race, religion, and sex. Within the framework of his science-fiction stories, Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance, the nature of sexual relationships, the obligation individuals owe to their societies, the influence of organized religion on culture and government, and the tendency of society to repress nonconformist thought. He also speculated on the influence of space travel on human cultural practices.
Heinlein was named the first Science Fiction Writers Grand Master in 1974. Four of his novels won Hugo Awards. In addition, fifty years after publication, seven of his works were awarded "Retro Hugos"—awards given retrospectively for works that were published before the Hugo Awards came into existence. In his fiction, Heinlein coined terms that have become part of the English language, including grok, waldo and speculative fiction, as well as popularizing existing terms like "TANSTAAFL", "pay it forward", and "space marine". He also anticipated mechanical computer-aided design with "Drafting Dan" and described a modern version of a waterbed in his novel Beyond This Horizon.
Also wrote under Pen names: Anson McDonald, Lyle Monroe, Caleb Saunders, John Riverside and Simon York.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 2, 2015
This very short story allows Heinlein to pack a great deal into a small space. One of the recurring themes in Heinlein is what it means to do your duty and how to courageously stand up, or in this case sit down, to danger. I so much appreciate even the short stories like this one.
May 13, 2016
“Gentleman, Be Seated!” by Robert A. Heinlein is a short story in his Future History line, and to be honest, it was one of the few I didn’t like.
Like most of Heinlein’s short stories in the Future History line it’s an interesting look at the potential future, and like most he comes up with a nifty idea. The problem is the rest of the story. When disaster strikes, the story falls apart and rushes out it’s ending.
At 10 pages, it’s positively brief, but sadly it rushes the adventure. When I read it, there’s a line about one of the characters assisting the other’s injured hands. It took me four attempts to figure out what injured the man’s hand and I could only do that by a guess. If I’m right, the injury still doesn’t make a large amount of sense.
At the same time, there is further injury done to the man, that could be delivered in a better process. Instead this story rips through the “danger” as fast as he can, reaches a quick resolution and then calls it a day.
I love Heinlein, and I love the idea of Future History, but honestly I dislike this story, and for that I can’t recommend it as anything other than part of the Future History series.
Like most of Heinlein’s short stories in the Future History line it’s an interesting look at the potential future, and like most he comes up with a nifty idea. The problem is the rest of the story. When disaster strikes, the story falls apart and rushes out it’s ending.
At 10 pages, it’s positively brief, but sadly it rushes the adventure. When I read it, there’s a line about one of the characters assisting the other’s injured hands. It took me four attempts to figure out what injured the man’s hand and I could only do that by a guess. If I’m right, the injury still doesn’t make a large amount of sense.
At the same time, there is further injury done to the man, that could be delivered in a better process. Instead this story rips through the “danger” as fast as he can, reaches a quick resolution and then calls it a day.
I love Heinlein, and I love the idea of Future History, but honestly I dislike this story, and for that I can’t recommend it as anything other than part of the Future History series.
December 31, 2019
A cute tale about how to use your tail in a bind. Accident happens while in a tube on the moon and the three protagonists have to solve the problem of losing their air, including a fairly large hole. The plot and engineering is fine enough, and Heinlein had an understanding of the working man (it’s all men in this story), but for all of that, this story feels slight and less insightful than some of his other moon stories written around this time.
March 10, 2018
A short story that I thought was very well put together.
I had one practical fix. Stuff the hole with a cloth first, then use the ballon sealant. But that would have taken the suspense out of the story and we would not have anything to write about.
Have a GoodReads.
I had one practical fix. Stuff the hole with a cloth first, then use the ballon sealant. But that would have taken the suspense out of the story and we would not have anything to write about.
Have a GoodReads.
March 26, 2021
Simple but solid.
March 13, 2023
For those who think with their posteriors.
January 27, 2025
#9/Caballeros, permanezcan sentados (1948)
Periodo en que está basada: finales de los 90
Nos situamos en pleno desarrollo y explotación del imperio galáctico. Se trabajan en túneles en diversos planetas. En ésta ocasión, en la luna, son interconectados de norte a este (por partes dentro del planeta), dotados con gravedad y acondicionados con energía para poder transitar sin traje presurizado (véase la importancia de éstos luego, en su novela ‘ La luna es una cruel amante’)
Jack Arnold es un periodista que viaja por segunda vez a Luna city I, intentando buscar una noticia que pague ‘sus vacaciones’ allí. Visita la construcción de túneles subterráneos del norte junto al jefe de Pagaduría, el señor Knowles, y el técnico Konski. Allí vivirá una aventura ‘en carne’ propia que no le dejará indiferente...
CORTO RELATO ACERCA DE LA INGENIERÍA EN EL ESPACIO Y SUS CONSECUENCIAS.
Avances y/ o predicciones tecnológicas:
·Junta de sellado flexibles de túneles compuesta por fibra de vidrio y acero
Avances y/ o predicciones sociales:
·Periodo de explotación imperial (exploración y explotación interplanetarias)
·Construcción de túneles subterráneos acondicionados para el tránsito de punta a punta del planeta
Periodo en que está basada: finales de los 90
Nos situamos en pleno desarrollo y explotación del imperio galáctico. Se trabajan en túneles en diversos planetas. En ésta ocasión, en la luna, son interconectados de norte a este (por partes dentro del planeta), dotados con gravedad y acondicionados con energía para poder transitar sin traje presurizado (véase la importancia de éstos luego, en su novela ‘ La luna es una cruel amante’)
Jack Arnold es un periodista que viaja por segunda vez a Luna city I, intentando buscar una noticia que pague ‘sus vacaciones’ allí. Visita la construcción de túneles subterráneos del norte junto al jefe de Pagaduría, el señor Knowles, y el técnico Konski. Allí vivirá una aventura ‘en carne’ propia que no le dejará indiferente...
CORTO RELATO ACERCA DE LA INGENIERÍA EN EL ESPACIO Y SUS CONSECUENCIAS.
Avances y/ o predicciones tecnológicas:
·Junta de sellado flexibles de túneles compuesta por fibra de vidrio y acero
Avances y/ o predicciones sociales:
·Periodo de explotación imperial (exploración y explotación interplanetarias)
·Construcción de túneles subterráneos acondicionados para el tránsito de punta a punta del planeta
January 22, 2014
This is a cute short story. But since I forgot what happens in the story that was not a good sign to me. In this story we an interesting way of living on the moon. The joint thing was disappointing but it suddenly makes a turn for the better. All that plotting and what a man must do to put up with and do to survive.
November 20, 2012
3 out of 5
February 14, 2017
Book #10 out of #21 of Heinlein's Future History. Another tear-jerker. The book title is a pun! With a few hiccups here and there, I am really enjoying going through Heinlein's earlier work!
October 15, 2018
Yikes I’m slow. It wasn’t until I opened goodreads to write a review that I figured out the story title is jokey. I think the word “gentlemen” had me over-focusing on Heinlein’s old fashioned sexism (which really wasn’t even relevant to this story). Even though all the characters here are men, women are not noticeably missing.
In this story, the moon is populated with cities of people sealed into oxygen-filled flexible enclosures. In a “perfect storm,” one vacuum seal between cities fails, and a touring party of three men, all alone and ill-equipped, attempt to fix it. The ace engineer decides he should use his butt cheek to plug up the hole, so he sits down on it, risking a severely frost-bitten tookus—as the best-case outcome; the death of him and others as the worst-case.
This is one of Heinlein’s moving stories, where sentiment is expressed through pragmatic action—not words and definitely not interior monologues. A tiny action but willingly selfless.
In this story, the moon is populated with cities of people sealed into oxygen-filled flexible enclosures. In a “perfect storm,” one vacuum seal between cities fails, and a touring party of three men, all alone and ill-equipped, attempt to fix it. The ace engineer decides he should use his butt cheek to plug up the hole, so he sits down on it, risking a severely frost-bitten tookus—as the best-case outcome; the death of him and others as the worst-case.
This is one of Heinlein’s moving stories, where sentiment is expressed through pragmatic action—not words and definitely not interior monologues. A tiny action but willingly selfless.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews