The Green Hills of Earth
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The Green Hills of Earth is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein.
This is the poignant story of Rhysling, the blind space-going songwriter whose poetic skills rival Kipling's. Retired naval officier Heinlein spins a yarn about a blinded spaceship engineer criscrossing the solar system writing and singing some of the best lyrics in science fiction. In a fine display of writing skill, the spaceship and crew feel as real to the reader as a contemporary tramp steamer. On the surface, the climax could look like a near brush with altruisim -- unusual for this author-- until we remember that the protaganist sees himself as a ship's officer doing his sworn duty. The story of Rhysling is mentioned in passing, with some distortion, in the novel Time Enough for Love.Template:Sf-book-stub