More like All Laced Up

anchored on:science fictionmid 20th centuryspacespaceshipadventurous

but

Narrow

Starman JonesNovel
Robert A. Heinleinstandalone novel1953
Space opera, about space exploration, set in far future.
“Starman Jones, a 1953 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, features a farm boy who wants to go to the stars.”
from the catalogue
Fifth PlanetNovel
Fred Hoyle & Geoffrey Hoylestandalone novel1963
First contact, about aliens and space exploration, set in other star systems.
Dolphin IslandNovel
Arthur C. Clarkestandalone novel1963
About survival and coming of age, set in oceania and islands.
“A teen stows away on a giant freight hovership that makes an emergency landing near his house.”
from the catalogue
The Secret of the Ninth PlanetNovel
Donald A. Wollheimstandalone novel1959
Space opera, about aliens and space exploration, set in outer planets & moons.
“Wollheim takes his heroes on a grand tour of the Solar System as that team struggles to prevent an alien force from Pluto from blowing up the Sun.”
from the catalogue
Space BeagleSeries
series5 books1939
completed
Space opera, tense in tone, about aliens, set in far future.
Start with Black Destroyer →
Known SpaceUniverse
universe142 books1964
About aliens, set in far future and other star systems.
“Give a clever species a few centuries and a working fusion drive, and it will fill the sky with problems.”
from the catalogue
Start with Ringworld →
includes Ringworld, Man-Kzin Wars, Fleet of Worlds