H. Beam Piper: A Biography

ISBN-13: 9780786477319 / Angielski / Miękka / 2014 / 262 str.

John F. Carr; Donald E. Palumbo; C. W. Sullivan III

Opis

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.

Spis treści

• 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