I don't think the audio of this essay has been easily accessible online in the past (at least I couldn't find it by storming through Jim's site or running a quick Google Search).

NPR now have a wonderful and comprehensive site up for the "This I Believe" radio project, which includes Heinlein's voice.

Here is the full text and audio: http://thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?uid=16630

Fun to share.

Very nice. I've always wanted to/thought someone should do a comprehensive piece on the program, but it never happened. Fantastic that a major entity like NPR would do it.

I was privileged to hear it way back when, at the UCSC library, long before it was available to any but the few. It's still stirring.

I love it. Although I've heard it before, I hope this will be a permanent archive. Every time I listen to Heinlein speak, I think of Harry Truman and Mark Twain. The Missouri accent must be one of the most distinctive and recognizable anywhere.

NPR has been running the series of new essays for a year or two, now, and I believe they just published a second book of them. Heinlein has been there for quite a while. Sorry I didn't think to post it when this site first appeared.