
The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag
Failed to add items
Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.
Add to Cart failed.
Please try again later
Add to Wish List failed.
Please try again later
Remove from wishlist failed.
Please try again later
Adding to library failed
Please try again
Follow podcast failed
Please try again
Unfollow podcast failed
Please try again
LIMITED TIME OFFER
3 months free
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Buy for $10.28
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
-
Narrated by:
-
Tom Weiner
Listeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
Part supernatural thriller, part noir detective story, Heinlein's trip down the rabbit hole leads where you never expected. Currently in development to be a feature film.
"One of the grand masters of science fiction." ( Wall Street Journal)
"The most influential science fiction writer of all time!" ( Locus)
"One of the grand masters of science fiction." ( Wall Street Journal)
"The most influential science fiction writer of all time!" ( Locus)
People who viewed this also viewed...


















Any additional comments?
This is truly such a unique story that I believe it would translate into an excellent film. It's not often that you see the cross between detective mystery fiction and sci-fi, but it honestly REALLY works. The book is only around a 4 hour listen but TOTALLY worth the price of a credit. You won't be sorry you listened to this one.9.5 / 10
Brilliant Sci-Fi Detective Action!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I recommend going in with as little foreknowledge as possible and just enjoy the ride. The payoff at the end is exceptional
Pleasantly surprised by this one
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The plot goes as follows: Jonathan Hoag seems to have no memory of his job---he doesn't know what he does for a living and seems to have no memory of working hours. So, he hires a husband-and-wife detective agency to tail him when he goes to work, but they get tangled in a larger and more confusing mess...
As an adventure tale, the story is only so-so. There is some interesting discourse on dreams, memory and perception on the nature of reality...themes that would be explored more thoroughly by Philip K. Dick a few decades later.
Overall, I think the story was reasonably well-written, with the mystery unfolding slowly. I did find the ending somewhat unsatisfying.
Tom Weiner did a really good job as the narrator.
Good, not great
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Not Heinlein's best but still very good
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Ironically, for me, rereading with disappointment many of the Heinlein works I loved many decades ago as a high schooler, this is one of the very few that still hold up rather nicely. Yes, it’s dated in many ways, it begins to drag a bit around the middle, and its characters don’t always behave the way normal intelligent human beings would. Nonetheless, its highly original basic premise, and some of its scenes and images, have remained pleasurably in my memory for more than half a century, and it was fun to re-encounter them.
A reminder of how versatile Heinlein could be
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Memorable
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In this short work, Heinlein explores what one of his typically rational and hard-science based heroes would do if he appeared to run into the supernatural. As you would expect from Heinlein, this tension leads to one heck of a ride and a very exciting (if not totally satisfactory) conclusion. Great for the serious fan of Heinlein’s fiction, but not a great choice if you’re just wondering what all the fuss regarding Heinlein is all about.
Unusual Example of Early Heinlein
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A Different Side of Heinlein
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Interesting :)
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Very strange story. Unique for early "sci-fi"
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.