{"id":6336,"date":"2023-09-05T00:10:14","date_gmt":"2023-09-05T05:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/?p=6336"},"modified":"2023-08-30T08:15:34","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T13:15:34","slug":"from-the-heinlein-trust-archive-robert-heinleins-revealing-inspiring-1947-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/from-the-heinlein-trust-archive-robert-heinleins-revealing-inspiring-1947-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Heinlein Prize Trust archive: Robert Heinlein\u2019s “remarkable” 1947 letter about his life, career"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Robert Heinlein at his writing desk in the 1940s Photo courtesy of Heinlein Trust archives<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Art Dula, primary trustee of the Heinlein Prize Trust, spoke eloquently about the life and legacy of Robert Heinlein during the 43rd \u00a0<\/span>annual Prometheus Awards ceremony.<\/p>\n

During his acceptance speech for the Prometheus Hall of Fame for Heinlein’s story “Free Men,” Dula read excerpts from – and commented on – one of the Grand Master’s most interesting but little-known letters, written over several months but completed Feb. 27, 1947.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a remarkable early document in Heinlein\u2019s life,\u201d Dula said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Page 1 of a1947 Heinlein letter from the archives (Click on image to expand)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The letter, sent to a Mr. Abbott (apparently a reporter for a local Los Angeles newspaper, who had expressed interest in writing a feature profile of Heinlein), was written at a key transition in Heinlein’s early career.\u00a0 Thus, the letter reveals a great deal about Heinlein\u2019s life, coming of age, short-lived military career and fledgling success as a science-fiction writer.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cI was an avid reader of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, H. Rider Haggard and the like as a kid and as a young man,\u201d Heinlein wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cTried my first story, more or less by accident, in 1939, a science fiction time(-travel) story. It sold, as did the ones that followed it and I was hooked,\u201d Heinlein wrote.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI had planned, as a kid, to be an astronomer, because of a deep interest in other planets and the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. This interest continues in my stories,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

By 1947, Heinlein had published several stories but no novels \u2013 and was looking forward to seeing his first novel published soon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHe typed the title of that novel in the letter, then overstruck it and inserted “Rocket Ship Galileo.”\u00a0<\/em>Read the letter to find out what his original title was,\u201d Dula said.<\/p>\n

In the letter, Heinlein writes that he\u2019s taking advantage of the fact that \u201cthe market in science fiction is booming as a result of the (2nd<\/sup>world) war.\u201d<\/p>\n

He mentions that Rocket Ship Galileo, <\/em>his first juvenile sf novel, will be coming out on Scribners\u2019 1947 fall list, and describes it as \u201ca boy\u2019s interplanetary adventure book.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

HEINLEIN’S VISION OF THE FUTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Page 2 of Heinlein’s 1947 letter. (Click on it to enlarge.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Page 3 of Heinlein’s 1947 letter (Click on it to enlarge)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are inspiring and revealing excerpts from Heinlein\u2019s 1947 letter, which conveys his vision of the future \u2013 especially about our expansion beyond Earth, into the solar system and beyond.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Robert Heinlein in 1960 at the controls of a plane (Photo courtesy of Heinlein Trust archives)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSpace flight will at least open new frontiers, a good thing in itself in relieving our tensions. New frontiers might ease the economic tensions now building toward war for a sufficient period for us to build the global political controls which could prevent war.\u201d<\/p>\n

“But I think it could have another, greater effect on us: Space travel could make us all, white, black, yellow and brown, aware of the rest of the universe and therefore aware that we are all sons of Terra, our <\/em>planet. We may see the development of planetary patriotism, pride in this globe as contrasted with others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Page 4 of Heinlein’s 1947 letter (Click on it to enlarge) Courtesy of Heinlein Prize Trust archive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Page 5 of Heinlein’s 1947 letter. (Click on it to enlarge) Courtesy of Heinlein Prize Trust archive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Later in the letter, Heinlein makes a prediction.<\/p>\n

Writing in 1947, he says: \u201cAll reasons combined and present technology being what it is, I\u2019m willing to bet on space flight within ten years. Anybody want to put up any money against that prediction? I feel very sure of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Ginny and Robert Heinlein visit a NASA space capsule, likely in the late 1960s or early 1970s (Photo courtesy of Heinlein Prize Trust archive)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Heinlein\u2019s 1947 prediction proved prophetic.<\/p>\n

For just a decade later, on Oct. 4, 1957, human beings began venturing into space when the U.S.S.R. launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth.<\/p>\n

In his letter, Heinlein outlined both the economic and military reasons for space flight \u2013 and in doing so, anticipates \u201cweather observation stations in permanent orbits around the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n

But he also was wise enough to know that the future remains unpredictable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m betting that the most important economic reward in space travel is not yet guessed \u2013 and I can\u2019t guess it,\u201d Heinlein wrote.<\/p>\n

Coming up:<\/strong> Some exciting news updates about Heinlein Prize Trust projects, publications and progress.<\/p>\n

Read the Prometheus Blog appreciation<\/a> of “Requiem,” the 2003 Prometheus Hall of Fame winner, about an aging tycoon using private enterprise to fly to the moon, realizing a lifelong dream.<\/p>\n

Here are the Prometheus-blog Appreciations of many of Heinlein’s other Prometheus winners, all Hall of Fame inductees: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress,<\/a> Stranger in a Strange Land<\/a>, Time Enough for Love,<\/a> Red Planet,<\/a> Methuselah’s Children<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>“Coventry<\/a>” and Citizen of the Galaxy.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE:
\n<\/strong>
\n<\/u><\/strong>* Prometheus winners:\u00a0<\/strong>For the full list of Prometheus winners, finalists and nominees \u2013 for the annual Best Novel and Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame) categories and occasional Special Awards \u2013 visit the enhanced\u00a0Prometheus Awards page\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>on the LFS website, which now includes convenient links to the full set of published appreciation-reviews of past winners.<\/p>\n

* Read\u00a0\u201cThe Libertarian History of Science Fiction,\u201d<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0an essay in the international magazine\u00a0Quillette<\/em>\u00a0that favorably highlights the Prometheus Awards, the Libertarian Futurist Society and the significant element of libertarian sf\/fantasy in the evolution of the modern genre.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0Watch\u00a0 <\/strong>videos <\/strong>of past Prometheus Awards ceremonies, Libertarian Futurist Society panel discussions with noted sf authors and leading libertarian writers, and other LFS programs on the Prometheus Blog\u2019s\u00a0Video page.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

*\u00a0Join us<\/strong>! To help sustain the Prometheus Awards,\u00a0join\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS), a non-profit all-volunteer association of freedom-loving sf\/fantasy fans.<\/p>\n

Libertarian futurists believe that culture matters! We understand that the arts and literature can be vital, and in some ways even more powerful than politics in the long run, by sparking innovation, better ideas, positive social change, and mutual respect for each other\u2019s rights, individuality and human dignity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Art Dula, primary trustee of the Heinlein Prize Trust, spoke eloquently about the life and legacy of Robert Heinlein during the 43rd \u00a0annual Prometheus Awards ceremony. During his acceptance speech for the Prometheus Hall of Fame for Heinlein’s story “Free Men,” Dula read excerpts from – and commented on – one of the Grand Master’s … Continue reading From the Heinlein Prize Trust archive: Robert Heinlein\u2019s “remarkable” 1947 letter about his life, career<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[32,687,31,1860],"tags":[2056,2095,1058,2110,565,21,1906,2109,924,2108],"class_list":["post-6336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-author-updates","category-award-acceptance-speech","category-awards-news","category-robert-heinlein","tag-art-dula","tag-h-rider-haggard","tag-h-g-wells","tag-heinlein-prize-trust","tag-jules-verne","tag-robert-heinlein","tag-rocket-ship-galileo","tag-space-flight","tag-space-travel","tag-sputnik"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pe8nGl-1Ec","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6336"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6455,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6336\/revisions\/6455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}