Earlier Adult Works

Heinlein Cover Art: Earlier Adult Works

The label of “earlier adult works” is a little fuzzy, but it seems appropriate here. Some clarifications might be in order, though:

First, of course, adult here is not a euphemism for works of erotica, but instead simply the literal term for novels written for readers over 18 years of age...as opposed to teenagers whose annoying high school librarians, who made their schools’ purchasing decisions, might object to a hell or damn, or the occasionally dark and gritty turn of plot.

Second, by earlier, I mean those prior to the groundbreaking Stranger in a Strange Land of 1961. The later adult novels, after all, are much, much different animals.

Third, this section generally showcases book-length works each published in, well...a single book. Many tales appeared first in the early pulps like Astounding, often across two or three issues—and those versions thus will appear in “Pulp Magazines”—while some, like The Puppet Masters, appeared first in the smaller postwar SF magazines, appearances which instead are featured in “Serializations.” Here, therefore, we focus on the stand-alone adult books themselves. For lack of a better place, however, I also have included the two Virginia Edition volumes on Heinlein’s screenwriting, since they were written with an adult audience in mind.

Finally, remember that books in the “juvenile,” or young-adult series, written for Scribner’s from 1947 through 1959 of course appear on their own page instead. And speaking of the 1950s, by the way, notice here that at the same time Heinlein was writing one YA novel a year for Scribner’s, he also still was working in the occasional adult novel like The Puppet Masters, Double Star, and The Door into Summer—quite a versatile and prolific fellow.

For Us, The Living, 1938-1939

Cover art by Mark Stutzman

Cover art by Dave Stevenson

This, Heinlein’s first attempted novel, actually had been lost to history for 60-odd years. After being rediscovered by Heinlein scholar Robert James, it was published in 2003.

Orphans of the Sky, 1941

Cover art by Irv Doktor

Under jacket art by Irv Doktor

Cover art by Gene Szafran

Cover art by Carl Lundgren

Cover art by James Warhola

For the earlier appearance of “Universe” with Hubert Rogers artwork in Astounding Science-Fiction in May 1941, and “Common Sense” in the October 1941 Astounding with Hubert Rogers cover art and Orban interiors, see my “Pulp Magazines” page.

Methuselah’s Children, 1941

Cover art by Gene Szafran

Cover art by Vincent Di Fate

Cover art by John Melo

A bit cheesy, yes, but these appear to be the models from the front cover, and that is indeed a nice touch...

For the Hubert Rogers artwork for Methuselah’s Children when it was serialized in Astounding Science-Fiction in July, August, and September 1941, see “Pulp Magazines.”

Beyond This Horizon, 1942

Cover art by Donnell

Cover art by Kossim

Cover art by Gene Szafran

Cover art by Vincent Di Fate—Ah, who could turn down capes, ray guns, and overhead building-to-building ramps?

The Hubert Rogers art for Beyond This Horizon when it appeared in the huge Astounding Science-Fiction of April and May 1942 is at the “Pulp Magazines” page.

Waldo and Magic, Inc., 1950 (1942)

Cover art by Vincent Di Fate

I’m not terribly fond of abstract-photo covers, and to my taste, adding a human face in the montage weakens it further still... Nevertheless, a good example of the genre.

Cover art by Barclay Shaw

“Waldo” appeared first in the huge August 1942 Astounding Science-Fiction with cover art by Hubert Rogers and interiors by Orban, while “Magic, Inc.” was printed as “The Devil Makes the Law” in the September 1940 Unknown with interiors by Edd Cartier. Both of course can be found at “Pulp Magazines.”

Sixth Column, 1949 (1941)

Cover art by Gene Szafran

Cover art by Patrick Turner

Cover art by John Melo

Cover art by Bob Eggleton

Sixth Column first came out in January, February, and March 1941 in Astounding Science-Fiction. To see the covers by Hubert Rogers and interiors by Schneeman, see my “Pulp Magazines” page.

(The scan is not crooked—the cover and spine are.)

The Puppet Masters, 1951

Not exactly a compelling cover—maybe it once had a dust jacket?—but it definitely is a nice vintage copy.

Cover art by Gene Szafran

Cover art by Barclay Shaw

Cover art by Bob Eggleton

For some nifty covers and a pile of interiors by Don Sibley from the first release of The Puppet Masters in Galaxy in September, October, and November 1951, see my “Serializations” page.

Double Star, 1956

Cover art by Mel Hunter

I like the way this gorgeous purple painting wraps around the spine and back cover. Unfortunately this old copy is far too fragile for me to open it up for a single scan.