Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with his Century: 1948-1988 The Man Who Learned Better: The real-life story of Robert A. Heinlein in the second volume of the authorized biography by William H. Patterson! Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988) is generally considered the greatest American science fiction writer of the twentieth century. His most famous and widely influential works include the Future History series (stories and novels collected in The Past Through Tomorrow and continued in later novels), Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land, and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress—all published in the years covered by this volume. He was a friend of admirals, bestselling writers, and artists; became committed to defending the United States during the Cold War; and was on the advisory committee that helped Ronald Reagan create the Star Wars Strategic Defense Initiative in the 1980s. Heinlein was also devoted to space flight and humanity's future in space, and he was a commanding presence to all around him in his lifetime. Given his desire for privacy in the later decades of his life, the revelations in this biography make for riveting reading. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

This book provides students and other interested readers with a comprehensive survey of science fiction history and numerous essays addressing major science fiction topics, authors, works, and subgenres written by a distinguished scholar. This encyclopedia deals with written science fiction in all of its forms, not only novels and short stories but also mediums often ignored in other reference books, such as plays, poems, comic books, and graphic novels. Some science fiction films, television programs, and video games are also mentioned, particularly when they are relevant to written texts. Its focus is on science fiction in the English language, though due attention is given to international authors whose works have been frequently translated into English. Since science fiction became a recognized genre and greatly expanded in the 20th century, works published in the 20th and 21st centuries are most frequently discussed, though important earlier works are not neglected. The texts are designed to be helpful to numerous readers, ranging from students first encountering science fiction to experienced scholars in the field.

This four-volume reference work surveys American literature from the early 20th century to the present day, featuring a diverse range of American works and authors and an expansive selection of primary source materials. Bringing useful and engaging material into the classroom, this four-volume set covers more than a century of American literary history—from 1900 to the present. Twentieth-Century and Contemporary American Literature in Context profiles authors and their works and provides overviews of literary movements and genres through which readers will understand the historical, cultural, and political contexts that have shaped American writing. Twentieth-Century and Contemporary American Literature in Context provides wide coverage of authors, works, genres, and movements that are emblematic of the diversity of modern America. Not only are major literary movements represented, such as the Beats, but this work also highlights the emergence and development of modern Native American literature, African American literature, and other representative groups that showcase the diversity of American letters. A rich selection of primary documents and background material provides indispensable information for student research.

For decades now Gardner Dozois has been presenting his annual selection of the very best of recently published SF stories, both byoutstanding up-and-coming writers and undisputed masters of the genre. It has been voted Year's Best Anthology by the readers of Locus magazine an unparalleled eighteen times and remains the definitive anthology for both diehard sci-fi fans and newcomers to the genre. Without fail, Dozois pinpoints the previous year's most exciting and ambitious science fiction, showcasing truly exceptional contemporary writing. Contributors include: Pavel Amnuel; Paolo Bachigalupi; Jessica Barber; Elizabeth Bear; Lauren Beukes; Chaz Brenchley; Karl Bunker; Jérôme Cigut; D. J. Cockburn; Aliette de Bodard; Cory Doctorow; Greg Egan; Timons Esaias; Paul Graham Raven; James Patrick Kelly; Ellen Klages; Nancy Kress; Jay Lake; Rich Larson; Ken Liu; Ian McDonald; Mary Anne Mohanraj; Susan Palwick; Gareth L. Powell; Robert Reed; Alastair Reynolds; Adam Roberts; Karl Schroeder; Vandana Singh; Allen M. Steele; Michael Swanwick; Rachel Swirsky; Lavie Tidhar; Peter Watts; The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 28 includes, as ever, Dozois's extensive recommended reading guide and his illuminating and incisive summation of the year in science fiction. Praise for previous editions: 'Quantity as well as quality . . . every piece is a treasure.' The Times 'For more than a quarter century, Gardner Dozois's Mammoth Book of Best New SF has defined the field. It is the most important anthology, not only annually, but overall.' Charles N. Brown, publisher of Locus 'The most respected editor in the field.' George R. R. Martin 'New authors rub shoulders with old hands, and strong work from relative novices Hannu Rajaniemi and Lavie Tidhar suggest that SF's future is as bright as ever.' Financial Times 'This annual compilation of the previous year's best short stories and novellas, together with a comprehensive summation of the state of the genre and an extensive "honourable mentions" list, has become an institution over the past three decades.' Guardian

In the new millennium, what secrets lay beyond the far reaches of the universe? What mysteries belie the truths we once held to be self evident? The world of science fiction has long been a porthole into the realities of tomorrow, blurring the line between life and art. Now, in The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Second Annual Collection the very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world. This venerable collection brings together award winning authors and masters of the field such as Robert Reed, Alastair Reynolds, Damien Broderick, Elizabeth Bear, Paul McAuley and John Barnes. And with an extensive recommended reading guide and a summation of the year in science fiction, this annual compilation has become the definitive must-read anthology for all science fiction fans and readers interested in breaking into the genre.

The first history of polyamory, this work examines the roots of sexual non-monogamy in political thought and countercultural spiritualism and traces its path to mainstream practice and cultural discussion today. Recent studies have found that as many as one in five Americans have experimented with some form of sexual non-monogamy, and approximately one in fifteen knows someone who was or is polyamorous. Although gathering statistics on polyamorous people is challenging, there has clearly been a growing interest in and normalization of relationship practices defined by emotional intimacy and romantic love among multiple people. Over the past decade, the mainstream media has increasingly covered polyamorous lifestyles and the committed relationships of throuples, and popular dating apps have added polyamory as a status option. This book is the first history to trace the evolution of polyamorous thought and practice within the broader context of American culture. Drawing on personal journals and letters, underground newsletters, and publications from the Kinsey Institute Archives, among other sources, it reconstructs polyamory's intellectual foundations, highlighting its unique blend of conservative political thought and countercultural spiritualism. Christopher M. Gleason locates its early foundations in the Roaring Twenties among bohemians. In the 1950s and 1960s it surprisingly emerged among libertarian science fiction writers. The next wave of polyamorists belonged to countercultural communities that rejected traditional Christianity; some were neo-Pagans and New Age tantric practitioners who saw polyamory as intrinsic to their spirituality. During the 1980s polyamory developed as a coherent concept, faced backlash from conservatives, and tried to organize into a social and political movement with a national network. Throughout the 1990s, polyamorists utilized the internet to spread their ideas, often undermining any remaining religious or spiritual significance their ideas held. Polyamory now encompasses a diverse set of people, from those with libertarian leanings seeking unlimited freedom from government interference in their consensual partnerings to those who pursue legal recognition of their relationships, especially issues revolving around children. Offering an original perspective on sexuality, marriage, and the family, American Poly reveals the history of polyamory in the United States from fringe practice to a new stage of the sexual revolution.

While students and general readers typically cannot relate to esoteric definitions of science fiction, they readily understand the genre as a literature that characteristically deals with subjects such as new inventions, space, robot and aliens. This book looks at science fiction in precisely this manner, with twenty-one chapters that each deal with a subject that is repeatedly addressed in science fiction of recent centuries. Based on a packet of original essays that the author assembled for his classes, the book could serve as a supplemental textbook in science fiction classes, but also contains material of interest to science fiction scholars and others devoted to the genre. In some cases, chapters offer thorough surveys of numerous works involving certain subjects, such as imagined vehicles, journeys beneath the Earth and undersea adventures, discovering intriguing patterns in the ways that various writers developed their ideas. When comprehensive coverage of ubiquitous topics such as robots, aliens and the planet Mars is impossible, chapters focus on major themes referencing selected texts. A conclusion discusses other science fiction subjects that were omitted for various reasons, and a bibliography lists additional resources for the study of science fiction in general and the topics of each chapter.

 By examining important aspects of science fiction in the twentieth century, this book explains how the genre evolved to its current state. Close critical attention is given to topics including the art that has accompanied science fiction, the subgenres of space opera and hard science fiction, the rise of SF anthologies, and the burgeoning impact of the marketplace on authors. Included are in-depth studies of key texts that contributed to science fiction's growth, including Philip Francis Nowlan's first Buck Rogers story, the first published stories of A. E. van Vogt, and the early juveniles of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein.

Robert A. Heinlein began publishing in the 1940s at the dawn of the Golden Age of science fiction, and today he is considered one of the genre's 'big three' alongside Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. His short stories were instrumental in developing its structure and rhetoric, while novels such as Stranger in a Strange Land and Starship Troopers demonstrated that such writing could be a vehicle for political argument. Heinlein’s influence remains strong, but his legacy is fiercely contested. His vision of the future was sometimes radical, sometimes deeply conservative, and arguments have flared up recently about which faction has the most significant claim on his ideas. In this major critical study, Hugo Award-winner Farah Mendlesohn carries out a close reading of Heinlein’s work, including unpublished stories, essays, and speeches. It sets out not to interpret a single book, but to think through the arguments Heinlein made over a lifetime about the nature of science fiction, about American politics, and about himself.