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Home , Alice Dalgliesh, Project Moonbase, Time Enough for Love, Virginia Heinlein

T HE HEINLEIN C ALENDAR: 2013

here are a number of Heinlein anniversaries associated with 2013, not the least of which is the twenty-fifth anniversary of Heinlein's death on May 8, 1988. As of this writing, no commemorations are in planning, except a small program section at LosCon on Thanksgiving weekend. T ______IN SUMMARY

(100 ann.) Heinlein learns to read red in 1927, and he becomes briefly suicidal with grief. 1913 in 1913, at age 6. On the summer practice cruise he is unfairly awarded a large number of demerits for "Shirking" —malingering. In 1918, aet. 11, Heinlein read a He receives a Black N and confinement in the brig in September when he returns from his summer practice 1918 POPULAR MECHANICS article about Myasthenia gravis, which cruise. material he would later use for "." In 1918 also he first read Rudyard Kipling, as (80 ann.) Nominally in the San well as the Oz and Barsoom books as they came out. He 1933 Diego Naval hospital for tuber- earned money to support himself with a paper route. In culosis, Heinlein gets permisison school he was taught "Carcassone," which he would later to treat with Dr. Pottenger in take as an inspiration for "." He had a mild case Monrovia, California. He was living in Arcadia during of the Spanish Influenza that killed half a million people in the magnitude 6.4 Long Beach Earthquake on March 10 the U.S., plus Typhoid Fever. World War I was over on —writing a letter to his brother Rex when it happened. In Armistice Day, November 11, and Heinlein smoked his August he was ordered to Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in first cigarette. This is also the year from which Heinlein Denver, Colorado, where his brother Rex was also under dates his obsession with "girls." Tuberculosis treatment, and Rex told him the anecdote on which "No Bands Playing —" is based.

(90 ann.) Heinlein's first writing The services have consolidated their tuberculosis 1923 is two verse items, "The Last Ad- cases at Fitzsimmons, but the neglect and poor medical venture" (which was entered in treatment causes him to discharge himself to take private his school literary contest and treatment for tuberculosis and bladder cysts. won honorable mention) and "Atlantis." Heinlein gets a While living in Denver with Leslyn, he became job as a page at the Kansas City Public Library, where he friends with the young Robert Cornog while judging a reads unorthodox works in the closed stacks, including chess tournament. He helped found the Colorado Sun- Jack London's more politically incendiary books. Began shine League (now the Mountain Air Ranch) nudist serving in the military as a volunteer for R.O.T.C. (aet. 16). colony, but leaves before they become a newspaper scan- In July he and a friend took a hiking trip to Colorado and dal early the next year. Prohibition ended in December, on the way back used the last half-dollar he had to buy but Heinlein was too sick to celebrate with the rest of the doughnuts and Hugo Gernsback's all-scientifiction issue country. of the ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTER — the first pulp magazine. In August he attends the Civilian Military Heinlein campaigned for election Training Camp in Kansas and gets his head cut open in a in 1938 (75 ann.) to the California fight with an Arkansas boy. That month, Heinlein begins 1938 Assembly District 59 seat from applying for appointments to either of the military aca- April until August, when he was demies, West Point or Annapolis. defeated in the Democratic Party Primary by his Republi- 1928 (85 ann.) is not a good year can opponent; the October 1938 issue of THRILLING WOND- 1928 for Heinlein. Heinlein is in his ER STORIES prompted him to think about writing for mon- third year at Annapolis. In Janu- ey; from just after Thanksgiving until just before Christ- ary his fiancée, Alice McBee, dies mas Heinlein wrote an experimental utopian novel, FOR following injuries from an automobile accident that occur- US, THE LIVING.

10 The Heinlein Journal

In 1943 (70 ann.) while at the involved in the Goldwater Presidential campaign in 1943 Philadelphia Navy Yard, Hein- Colorado Springs. Robert was her arm candy until the lein met Tony Damico, a blind following year. "All Aboard the Gemini" published in machinist, who would be the POPULAR MECHANICS. In September 1963 Heinlein met model for Rhysling in "." The with Howie Horwitz about the CENTURY XXII TV show story had been outlined years before, but Heinlein did no project for Screen Gems that occupied him in writing the fiction writing during the War. script for the pilot, "The Adventure of the Man Who Wasn't There," based on "Gulf," for the rest of the year and In the summer of 1948 (65 ann.) into 1964. Late in the year (November or December) 1948 the story and first screenplay of Alexei Panshin's "Heinlein By His Jockstrap" was DESTINATION MOON were created; published by Redd Boggs in SHANGRI L'AFFAIRS, originally in August of 1948, he relocated to titled "Sex in Heinlein's Fiction." Colorado Springs; in October of 1948 Heinlein and Ginny married; in November 1948, Heinlein submitted the out- Five years later, in 1968 (45 ann.), line for to his editor, , and 1968 HEINLEIN IN DIMENSION was pub- continued collecting science data in correspondence with lished by Advent: Publishers. Astronomer Robert S. Richardson; in December 1948, both Heinlein was busy building the "Gulf" and STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND were generated Bonny Doon house. They took time off in March to visit in story conferences with his new wife, . with Lee Atwell and look over North American Rockwell facilities in southern California, which led, the next year, The year 1953 (60 ann.) finds to an invitation with Atwell to be at the launch of Apollo 1953 Heinlein in full spate as a com- 11. The paperback sales of STRANGER stopped growing mercial writer: in addition to explosively — because all stocks are exhausted, sold out, publication of the books STAR- everywhere, and the publishers drag their feet about MAN JONES, , and , reissues. David Gerrold contacts Heinlein in May: he has he wrote and a bit more of STRANGER IN A been hired to do a screenplay of STRANGER. In November STRANGE LAND. His movie was re- Heinlein begins preparing for an appraisal of his working leased (or more appropriately "escaped"), and tanked all papers by sending boxes of manuscript files to Special the rest of his writing for the last year on the WORLD Collections and Archives, U.C. Santa Cruz, writing the BEYOND television show. Short stories published in 1953 first set of Accession Notes. included "Project Nightmare," Sky Lift," "Gentlemen, Be Seated," and "Ordeal in Space." This was also the year that The Heinleins were again on a he and Ginny took off on their first world cruise. 1973 cruise in January 1973 (40 ann.), transiting the Panama Canal on Another good year, 1958 (55 their way from to San 1958 ann.) found them midway into Francisco. In April he delivered the Forrestal Lecture to another round-the-world trip, the staff and midshipmen of his alma mater, the U.S. this time including India. They Naval Academy at Annapolis, a transcript of which was returned to New York in February, where HAVE SPACE then printed in ANALOG and all the military service aca- SUIT — WILL TRAVEL was in production. Although he pul- demies, seriatim. In June, Putnam's published TIME led out the manuscript of STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND to ENOUGH FOR LOVE, his first novel since 1969 (in the interim work on it, nothing apparently got done in 1958; instead — 1970 — he had nearly died of peritonitis and complica- he was derailed for the Patrick Henry campaign over the tions from a perforated diverticulum). Also in June 1973 summer months. "Tenderfoot in Space" was published in ANALOG published "The Notebooks of " as a three installments in BOY'S LIFE, while he was writing "All special feature. Later that month he produced the first of You Zombies." He wrote the first 100 manuscript pages of two long critiques of the first draft of THE MOTE IN GOD'S , but abandoned the project because it EYE by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Still later he gave didn't seem funny enough or relevant enough. In Novem- a very extended telephone interview to J. Neil Schulman. ber, a dreadful plagiarism of appear- In the fall, Forrest J. Ackerman gave a new, glossy SF ed in movie theatres: THE BRAIN EATERS, just as he started magazine, VERTEX, his transcript of Heinlein's 1941 Guest writing . of Honor Speech, "The Discovery of the Future" for their first issue. The "fascinatingly terrible" television show PODKAYNE OF MARS was serial- STARLOST, derived from Heinlein's "Universe" (but with- 1963 ized at the start of 1963 (50 ann.), out credit), began airing. Heinlein quashed Ackerman's just as Heinlein started writing piracy but did not pursue STARLOST, which was soon can- FARNHAM'S FREEHOLD and went celed, at any rate. In December that year, VERTEX publish- on to cut . PODKAYNE and GLORY ROAD were ed one of Heinlein's orphan children, "No Bands Playing." published in hardcover in the fall of 1963, when Ginny got Heinlein began researching and writing his Dirac article

July 2013 (Number 23) 11

for the Encyclopedia Britannica in the winter months. Traveling again at the first of They changed English agents from Farquarson to Bob 1983 1983 (30 ann.), Robert and Ginny Tanner. Heinlein were in the Antarctic, back in time for the Space Devel- On January 4, 1978 (35 ann.), in opment Conference in Houston in April, when he got his 1978 Tahiti while evaluating blood first wordprocessor. He taped promotional material for services in Papeete, Heinlein The High Frontier organization in July, shortly before experienced a major Transient finalizing the writing of JOB: A COMEDY OF MANNERS on Ischemic Attack — a precurser to a stroke. He has had a the new wordprocessor. In November he started his next few TIA's before but has paid no attention. There is ano- book, THE CAT WHO WALKS THROUGH WALLS. ther in Hawaii on the way home. On April 28, 1978, he undergoes a carotid bypass operation. ROBERT A. HEINLEIN by Leon A collection of Heinlein essays was published in 1978 1988 Stover was published in January by Taplinger Press, edited by Ohlander and Greenberg. 1988 (25 ann.), a watershed cri- Gregg Press reissues DOUBLE STAR with an introduction by tical work. That same month, Joe Haldeman and with introduction Heinlein went to Los Angeles for an operation to relieve by CRAWDADDY founder Paul Williams. In August Robert emphysema. His breathing did improve, but he never has a day-long interview with H. Bruce Franklin. recovered from this operation, dying on May 8, 1988. Lurton Blassingame medically retired in 1978, and In October, NASA held a ceremony in Washington, the Heinleins took on Kirby McCauley as an agent; replac- D.C., for presentation to Ginny of the Distinguished Public ing him in September with Eleanor Wood. Eleanor's first Service Medal to Robert posthumously. For this ceremon- project will be an expansion of the old Ace collection y, Ginny unearthed and had transcribed Heinlein's "This I WORLDS OF ROBERT A. HEINLEIN, and to implement the Believe" from 1952. On November 21, Heinlein's SFWA Model Contract. Archivist, Rita Bottoms formally acknowledged Ginny In October he began rewriting the manuscript he Heinlein's instructions and extended to Leon Stover wrote in 1977 but suppressed as "worse than bad; it is permission to access the sealed letters at the Robert A. mediocre." Don Vassallo's illuminated NOTEBOOKS OF Heinlein Archive at U.C. Santa Cruz Special Collections LAZARUS LONG came out just before Christmas 1978. and Archives.

______IN DETAIL

th th JANUARY 1943 (70 ) — Virginia Gerstenfeld reports to MARCH 1953 (60 ) — THE WORLD BEYOND lineup finalized active duty as a WAVE for a two-month training and scripts paid for. th course at Mt. Holyoke and later went to D.C. MARCH 1963 (50 ) — PODKAYNE OF MARS, third install- th nd JANUARY 1963 (50 ) — 2 installment of PODKAYNE OF ment and conclusion published in WORLDS OF IF. th MARS serialized in WORLDS OF IF; Heinlein begins MARCH 1968 (45 ) — Advent: Publishers issues Alexei writing FARNHAM'S FREEHOLD Panshin's HEINLEIN IN DIMENSION, the first long work th JANUARY 4, 1978 (35 ) — Heinlein experiences a TIA on about any science fiction writer. th the beach at Moorea, Tahiti, the precurser to a stroke, MARCH 25, 1948 (65 ) — Heinlein to Washington D.C., to for which he must make immediate lifestyle changes, write "System in the Sky"/"Billion Dollar Eye" with including quitting cigarettes after sixty years. Cal Laning; Ginny Gerstenfeld to New York. th th JANUARY 5, 1988 (25 ) — Heinlein has carotid body re- MARCH 11, 1943 (70 ) — Heinlein promoted from Assist- moval operation to help his emphysema. ant Mechanical Engineer at the Naval Aircraft th JANUARY 10, 1948 (65 ) — "The Black Pits of Luna" pub- Factory, Engineering Division, to Associate Mechan- lished in the SATURDAY EVENING POST. ical Engineer. th th JANUARY 18, 2003 (10 ) — Virginia Heinlein passes away. APRIL-MAY 1953 (60 ) — "Project Nightmare" published in th JANUARY 26, 1953 (60 ) — Heinlein's introduction for THE April-May issue of AMAZING STORIES th BEST FROM STARTLING STORIES mailed to editor. APRIL 5, 1973 (40 ) — Heinlein delivers the third James th FEBRUARY 2 - 28, 1953 (60 ) — written Forrestal Lecture at the U.S. Naval Academy. th th FEBRUARY 8, 1948 (65 ) — Heinlein and Ginny leave Ft. APRIL 7, 1958 (55 ) — "Who Are the Heirs of Patrick Worth to be at Mardi Gras in New Orleans on Henry?" kicks off the Patrick Henry campaign in the February 10. They go on to Pass Christian, Missi- Colorado Springs GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH. th ssippi where Heinlein does the preliminary cutting APRIL 9 1938 (75 ) — Heinlein announces candidacy for on , written in November 1947. California State Assembly District 59 th th FEBRUARY 16, 1958 (55 ) — Heinleins return to New York APRIL 22, 1948 (65 ) — RAH arrives in Los Angeles to from trip to India and southern Europe. work with Fritz Lang on a movie project

12 The Heinlein Journal

th th APRIL 28, 1978 (35 ) — RAH receives a carotid bypass AUGUST 31, 1948 (65 ) — Heinlein leaves Los Angeles, operation, restoring his declining health. driving to Colorado Springs; on the day he leaves he MAY 1948 — "Gentlemen, Be Seated" published in ARGOSY receives his six author copies of SPACE CADET. th magazine; "Ordeal in Space" published in TOWN & SEPTEMBER 1953 (60 ) — THE STAR BEAST written; ASSIGN- COUNTRY magazine. MENT IN ETERNITY and STARMAN JONES published. th th MAY 1948 (65 ) — "The Man Who Traveled in Elephants" SEPTEMBER 1973 (40 ) — "Discovery of the Future," written. Heinlein's 1941 Guest of Honor Speech for th MAY 1963 (50 ) —"Appointment in Space" published in Denvention, published in VERTEX. th POPULAR MECHANICS SEPTEMBER 11, 1948 (65 ) — Ginny Gerstenfeld flies to th MAY 8, 1988 (25 ) — Heinlein's Death Denver, Colorado; Heinlein drives up from Colorado th MAY 29, 1953 (60 ) — Heinlein writing on THE MARTIAN Springs to meet her and take her to their new home, a NAMED SMITH. Reports 15,000 words in. rental on Cheyenne Boulevard, for which he has th JUNE 1943 (70 ) — Donald A. Wollheim's POCKET BOOK OF already acquired a cat and a piano. SCIENCE FICTION comes out, the first science fiction OCTOBER 1938 (75th) — editorial in THRILLING WONDER anthology, with "'And He Built a Crooked House.'" STORIES that eventually prompted Heinlein getting That month also, Heinlein is detached to Pittsburgh into pulp science fiction writing. th to recruit "junior engineers," and the Heinleins move OCTOBER 1943 (70 ) — Heinlein operated on for to 311 South Hicks, Philadelphia hemorrhoids in preparation for application for th JUNE 1973 (40 )— Publication of ; Merchant Marine; operation is botched, and he is hors first publication of THE NOTEBOOKS OF LAZARUS LONG de combat for about 2 months. th (in ANALOG). OCTOBER 1948 (65 ) — "Nothing Ever Happens on the th JUNE-MID-AUGUST 1948 (65 ) — Screenplay for OPERATION Moon," scouting story, written. th MOON (DESTINATION MOON) co-written with Alford OCTOBER 1958 (55 ) — HAVE SPACE SUIT — WILL TRAVEL "Rip" van Ronkel. Gnome Press edition of BEYOND published by G. Putnam's Sons. th THIS HORIZON issued. OCTOBER 1973 (40 ) — STARLOST television series pre- th JUNE 20, 1973 (40 ) — Heinlein writes his first critique of miers, a clear plagiarism of Heinlein's "Universe" Niven and Pournelle's THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE (Ginny called it "fascinatingly terrible"). The series' th JUNE 29, 1973 (40 ) — Heinlein and Neil Schulman con- Canadian producer has offended developer Harlan duct an extended interview by telephone, later pub- Ellison so badly (partly over the plagiarism he had lished as "The Robert A. Heinlein Interview." alerted them to) that he removed his name from the th JUNE-JULY 1958 (55 ) — "Tenderfoot in Space" published credits, substituting "Cordwainer Bird." th in 2 parts in BOY'S LIFE. OCTOBER 6, 1988 (25 ) — NASA posthumous presentation th JULY 1953 (60 ) — "Ray Guns and Rocket Ships" published of the Distinguished Public Service Medal; Ginny in LIBRARY JOURNAL. reads her newly created transcript of "This I Believe." th th JULY 1983 (40 ) — Heinlein videotapes an interview- OCTOBER 19, 1948 (65 ) — Decree absolute finalizing Hein- endorsement for the High Frontier Foundation. This lein's divorce from Leslyn MacDonald Heinlein short endorsement is available in the Heinlein issued by the Los Angeles Superior Court. th Archive, U.C. Santa Cruz. OCTOBER 21, 1948 (65 ) — Robert Heinlein and Virginia th AUGUST 1958 (55 ) — HAVE SPACE SUIT — WILL TRAVEL Doris Gerstenfeld marry in Raton, NM. th begins three-part serialization in THE MAGAZINE OF NOVEMBER 1948 (65 ) — "Delilah and the Space Rigger" FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION (through October) and "The Long Watch" written. th AUGUST 5(?), 1948 (65 ) — Heinlein nearly dies in suit- revised for hardcover publication by Gnome Press th diving accident off Santa Catalina. NOVEMBER 1953 (60 ) — SkyLift" appears in IMAGINATION. th th LATE AUGUST 1948 (65 ) — SPACE CADET published by NOVEMBER 3, 1943 (70 ) —Heinlein was in a car accident Charles Scribner's Sons in Skylark IV in Philadelphia, returning from work th LATE AUGUST 1953 (60 ) — PROJECT MOONBASE released. when a truck merged into his lane and did not stop; DAILY VARIETY called it on August 8 a "plot to chase no one was hurt, but Skylark IV was towed. th patrons back to their television screens." NOVEMBER 5, 1968 (45 ) — Heinlein begins the first set of th AUGUST 21, 1978 (35 ) — Day-long interview with H. his "Accession Notes" for working files being sent to - Bruce Franklin at Bonny Doon house. the Heinlein Archive at U.C. Santa Cruz. th th AUGUST 30, 1938 (75 ) —Democratic Party Primary for NOVEMBER 8, 1958 (55 ) — Heinlein begins writing Assembly District 59. The final tally was reported as: STARSHIP TROOPERS th Murray M. Cloitner (R) 4265, Chas. W. Lyon (R) 6244, NOVEMBER 8, 1983 (40 ) — Heinlein begins writing THE James C. Redditt (R) 169, Kurt A. Voight (R) 716 Robt CAT WHO WALKS THROUGH WALLS th A. Heinlein (D) 5190, Chas W. Lyon (D) 5618. NOVEMBER 20, 1953 (60 ) — Heinleins leave Colorado Heinlein's Republican opponent, Charles W. Lyon, Springs on their first round-the-world tour. took more votes from Democrats than Heinlein.

July 2013 (Number 23) 13

th th NOVEMBER 21, 1988 (25 ) — Ginny Heinlein allows Leon DECEMBER 1953 (60 ) — REVOLT IN 2100 published by Stover to access sealed documents in the Robert A. Shasta. th Heinlein Archive at U.C. Santa Cruz. DECEMBER 1973 (40 ) — "No Bands Playing" published in th NOVEMBER 22, 1958 (55 ) — Heinlein finishes first draft of VERTEX th STARSHIP TROOPERS DECEMBER 5, 1948 (65 ) — Heinlein has a ham radio con- th NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1938 (75 ) —Heinlein wrote his ference with John W. Campbell, Jr., that results in first long fiction, FOR US, THE LIVING, between both "Gulf" (1949, 1953) and STRANGER IN A STRANGE Thanksgiving and Christmas. LAND (1961) th th NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1963 (50 ) — "Heinlein by his DECEMBER 14, 1948 (65 ) — Erle Korshak proposes a series Jockstrap" by Alexei Panshin published by Red Boggs of five books containing the entire Future History, to in SHANGRI L' AFFAIRS fanzine. be published by Shasta Press.