H. Beam Piper
A Biography
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About the Book
H. Beam Piper is one of science fiction’s most enigmatic writers. In 1946 Piper appeared seemingly from out of nowhere, already at the top of his form. He published a number of memorable short stories in the premier science fiction magazine of the time, Astounding Science Fiction, under legendary editor John W. Campbell. Piper quickly became friends with many of the top writers of the day, including Lester Del Rey, Fletcher Pratt, Robert Heinlein and L. Sprague de Camp. Piper also successfully made the turn from promising short story writer to major novelist, authoring Four-Day Planet, Cosmic Computer, Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen and Little Fuzzy, which was nominated for a Hugo award.
Even those who counted Piper among their friends knew very little about the man or his life as a railroad yard bull in Altoona, Pennsylvania. This biography illuminates H. Beam Piper, both the writer and the man, and answers lingering questions about his death. Appendices include a number of Piper’s personal papers, a complete bibliography of Piper’s works, and an essay on Piper’s Terro-Human Future History series.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
John F. Carr. Series Editors Donald E. Palumbo and C.W. Sullivan III
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 262
Bibliographic Info: 12 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2014 [2008]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7731-9
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1457-1
Imprint: McFarland
Series: Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Preface 1
PART I: THE EARLY YEARS
1. A Prince Is Born 7
2. Soul Mates of the Quill 15
3. The Would-Be Writer 19
4. Prohibition—Phooey! 27
5. The Deer Stalkers 33
6. The Unholy Duo 39
7. The Old Brick House Beside the River 45
8. Never a Debtor Be 50
9. Three’s Company 54
10. Moment of Greatness 58
11. Changing Fortunes 64
PART II: THE WRITER
12. Success at Last! 71
13. A Late Bloomer 76
14. The Campbell Years 79
15. The Collaborators 85
16. Beam’s Kids 90
17. Betty 96
18. The Case of the Missing Pistol 103
19. Weekend Marriage 109
20. Piper’s History of the Future 115
21. French Vacation 121
22. The Big Breakup 126
23. Sputnik 134
PART III: OFF TO BILLTOWN
24. Leaving Altoona 141
25. Back to Work 145
26. Fuzzy Problems 152
27. When in the Course… 157
28. Unexpected Help 161
29. Little Fuzzy Finds a Home 167
30. Space Viking 173
31. Sequelitis 178
32. Pigeon Pie 183
33. Running Out of Steam 189
34. Let the Guns Bury Him 195
35. The Funeral 198
36. The Last Good-Bye 200
Afterword 205
Appendix A: Piper Story Log 207
Appendix B: The Future History 212
Appendix C: The Terro-Human Future History 215
Appendix D: Piper Weapons Inventory 220
Appendix E: Piper Bibliography 224
Notes 233
Bibliography 243
Index 245
Book Reviews & Awards
“Carr does an extremely good job of dragging [Piper] out of obscurity”—Science Fiction Studies; “in-depth…goes a long way toward clearing up the mystery of who H. Beam Piper really was. Carr knows his works thoroughly”—Locus; “excellent”—Steve Silver, SF Site; “definitive…well written”—www.jerrypournelle.com.
