| Publication date: | 1962.08 |
|---|---|
| Genre: | Science fiction short story |
| Series: | Future History |
| Preceded by: | Stranger in a Strange Land |
| Followed by: | Glory Road |
| Wikipedia page |
“Searchlight” is a very short science fiction story by Robert A. Heinlein, it was originally written as part of an advertisement for “Hoffman Electronics”, first published in “Scientific American” August 1962, later same year in September issue of “Fortune.” Heinlein says that because it was so short it was much harder to write than writing novels. Perhaps because of this, it was the last short story Heinlein wrote; the remaining quarter‐century of his career was devoted to writing novels and non‐fiction essays.
Exposition
The story is about a little blind girl whose spaceship crashes on the Moon. The search for her takes advantage of her prodigious musical ability to locate her.