H. Beam Piper - A Biography

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.

List of contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     

Preface     

PART I: THE EARLY YEARS

1. A Prince Is Born     

2. Soul Mates of the Quill     

3. The Would-Be Writer     

4. Prohibition-Phooey!     

5. The Deer Stalkers     

6. The Unholy Duo     

7. The Old Brick House Beside the River     

8. Never a Debtor Be     

9. Three's Company     

10. Moment of Greatness     

11. Changing Fortunes     

PART II: THE WRITER

12. Success at Last!     

13. A Late Bloomer     

14. The Campbell Years     

15. The Collaborators     

16. Beam's Kids     

17. Betty     

18. The Case of the Missing Pistol     

19. Weekend Marriage     

20. Piper's History of the Future     

21. French Vacation     

22. The Big Breakup     

23. Sputnik     

PART III: OFF TO BILLTOWN

24. Leaving Altoona     

25. Back to Work     

26. Fuzzy Problems     

27. When in the Course...     

28. Unexpected Help     

29. Little Fuzzy Finds a Home     

30. Space Viking     

31. Sequelitis     

32. Pigeon Pie     

33. Running Out of Steam     

34. Let the Guns Bury Him     

35. The Funeral     

36. The Last Good-Bye     

Afterword     

Appendix A: Piper Story Log     

Appendix B: The Future History     

Appendix C: The Terro-Human Future History     

Appendix D: Piper Weapons Inventory     

Appendix E: Piper Bibliography     

Notes     

Bibliography     

Index     

About the author

John F. Carr has edited numerous anthologies of science fiction, and is also the author of three science fiction novels. He lives in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania.Donald E. Palumbo is a professor of English at East Carolina University. He lives in Greenville, North Carolina.C.W. Sullivan III is Distinguished Professor of arts and sciences at East Carolina University and a full member of the Welsh Academy. He is the author of numerous books and the on-line journal Celtic Cultural Studies.

Product details

• Authors: John F. Carr
• Assisted by: C.W. Sullivan III (Editor), Donald E. Palumbo (Editor), C. W. Sullivan (Editor), Iii C. W. Sullivan (Editor), C. W. Sullivan III (Editor), C.W. Sullivan III (Editor)
• Publisher: McFarland
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 11.02.2014
• EAN: 9780786477319
• ISBN: 978-0-7864-7731-9
• No. of pages: 264
• Dimensions: 178 mm x 254 mm x 14 mm
• Weight: 503 g
• Series: Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy; Critical Explorations in Scien; Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Non-fiction book > Art, literature > Biographies, autobiographies