Nathan Newman wrote:
> Heinlein is interesting because he played with social ideas, as opposed to
> technology for its own sake, more than any of the other "golden
> age" sci-fi writers...
-More than Frank Herbert (of Dune)?
Frank Herbert was not Golden Age but wrote in the 60s and 70s, really part of the very socially-conscious New Wave, but a bit older than most and somewhat different. Dune is probably one of the most interesting socially-based SF works, I agree.
As for latter Heinlein, he got lazy without question-- Moon is a Harsh Mistress at the end of the 60s was probably his last work not infected by that laziness and self-indulgence. Although his sexual politics was sort of interesting, sexist latter on in many ways although relatively egalitarian compared to many contemporaries in his early writing. He basically started off ahead of society and society passed him by on such attitudes.
-- Nathan Newman