Del Key would like to thank Charles N. Brown of Locus magazine for the photographs on pages xxi, 15, 36 (right), 42, 46, 63, 66, 72, 75, 79, 84, 89, 93, 95, 98, 184 (top), 184 (bottom), 185 (top), 185 (bottom), 187, 194, 195, 197, 199, 201, 202, 207, 224 (bottom), 256, 268.

Thanks also to Matthew Berger, Kenneth R. Sharp, and Alexander Klapwald for lending items from their collections.

Astounding Science Fiction covers and ill.u.s.trations: "Life-line" (page 3) copyright 1939 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. "If This Goes On" (page 4), "Blowups Happen" (page 7) copyright 1940 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc.,; "Methuselah's Children" (page 20), "By His Bootstraps" (pages 23 and 54) copyright 1941 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc.; "Goldfish Bowl" (page 16), "Beyond This Horizon" (page 26) copyright 1942 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc.; "Double Star" (page 196) copyright 1956 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc.; "Citizen of the Galaxy" (page 90) copyright 1957 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. All reproduced by permission of Davis Publications, Inc.

Jackets of Starship Troopers (page 95), Stranger in a Strange Land (page 268), / Will Fear No Evil (page 207), The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress (page 201), Podkayne of Mars (page 101), Glory Road (page 197), and Farnham 's Freehold (page 199) photographed by permission of Putnam Publishing. The Past Through Tomorrow (page 203) reprinted by permission of the Putnam Publishing Group from the jacket of The Past Through Tomorrow by Robert A. Heinlein Copyright *

1967 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. The "Future History" chart (pages 204-5), copyright The Putnam Publishing Group, reprinted by permission from the publisher.

Rocket Ship Galileo (page 46). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing company from Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert A. Heinlein. Ill.u.s.trations by Thomas W. Voter. Copyright 1947 by Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed * 1975 Robert A. Heinlein.

s.p.a.ce Cadet (page 50). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing company from s.p.a.ce Cadet by Robert A. Heinlein. Ill.u.s.trations by Clifford N. Geary. Copyright 1948 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed o 1976 Robert A. Heinlein.

Red Planet (page 51). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein. Ill.u.s.trations by Clifford N. Geary. Copyright 1949 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed 1977 Robert A. Heinlein.

Farmer in the Sky (page 66). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Farmer In the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright 1950 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed o 1978 Robert A. Heinlein. Between Planets (page 69). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Between Planets by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright 1951 McCall Corporation; copyright renewed e 1979 Robert A. Heinlein. The Rolling Stones (page 72). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from The Rolling Stones by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright 1952 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed e 1980 Robert A. Heinlein. Starman Jones (page 75). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Starman Jones by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright 1953 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed 1981 Robert A. Heinlein. The Star Beast (page 79). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from The Star Beast by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright 1954 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed 1982 Robert A. Heinlein. Tunnel in the Sky (page 84). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright 1955 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed 1983 Robert A. Heinlein. Time for the Stars (page 88). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Time For the Stars by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright 1956 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed 1984 Robert A. Heinlein. Citizen of the Galaxy (page 89). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright e 1957 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed c 1985 by Robert A. Heinlein. Have s.p.a.cesuit Will Travel (page 93). Reprinted with permission of Charles Scribner's Sons, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Company from Have s.p.a.cesuit Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein. Copyright e 1958 Robert A. Heinlein; copyright renewed 1986 Robert A. Heinlein.

Photographs on page 187, 193, 194, and 195 reproduced by permission from Doubleday Books.

Cover of the Signet edition of Methuselah's Children (page 129) used by permission of New American Library, a Division of Penguin Books USA, Inc.

Cover of Sesta Colonna (Sixth Column) (page 184, top) reproduced by permission of Editrice Nord of Milano.

Cover of Rocket Ship Galileo, j.a.panese editon (page 184, bottom) published by Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo, in 1956. Reproduced by permission of publisher.

British edition of Stranger in a Strange Land (page 185, top) published by The New English Library. Reproduced by permission of the publisher.

Cover of Den Rode Planet (The Red Planet) (page 185, bottom) published by Gyldendal Norsk Forlag. Copyright Birger Imislund 1954. Reproduced by permission of the publisher. Photo on page xiv, top courtesy of Chuck and Linda Coffin. Photo on page 5 by William H. Corson, courtesy of Lucille Corson. Photo on page 149 copyright Robert A. Isaacs, 1989. Photo on page 272 courtesy of Chuck and Linda Coffin. Photo on page 287 by Jan Nelson, reproduced by permission of the Irwin Memorial Blood Bank.

About the Author.

Robert Anson Heinlein was born in Butler, Missouri, in 1907. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he was retired, disabled, in 1934. He studied mathematics and physics at the graduate school of the University of California and owned a silver mine before beginning to write science fiction in 1939. In 1947 his first book of fiction, Rocket Ship Galileo, was published. His novels include Double Star (1956), Starship Troopers (1959), Stranger In a Strange Land (1961), and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966), all winners of the Hugo Award. Heinlein was guest commentator for the Apollo 11 first lunar landing. In 1975 he received the Grand Master Nebula Award for lifetime achievement. Mr. Heinlein died in 1988.