According to a post in the alt.fan.heinlein newsgroup, the Master’s first novel, “– For Us, the Living — ,” has been sold to Scribner’s and Pocket Books. It had been thought that all copies of the unpublished novel were been lost or destroyed. A copy was found recently and given to the Heinlein Society, which turned it over to Heinlein’s literary estate. No publication date has been announced. It is believed Heinlein wrote the book between late 1938 and April 1939.
Bill Patterson’s online biographical sketch of Heinlein has this to say about the novel:
“Heinlein’s politics at this period were decidedly left- wing, though his registration was with the Democratic Party. Almost all the events he recollects in TAKE BACK YOUR GOVERNMENT! took place between 1935 and 1938, and there are almost no other references to this period. His interest in Sinclair and the Social Credit movement, which was also active at the time of the EPIC movement, were to appear in later writings, particularly in the unusual economic theory that would shape BEYOND THIS HORIZON. It was not until recently known that in or about 1937, Heinlein wrote a cadet novel, his Opus 1, FOR US, THE LIVING (the title a quotation from The Gettysburg Address), highly influenced by Wells’ THINGS TO COME, which had been released in 1936. Leon Stover discovered the existence of this unpublished novel while doing research for an authorized Heinlein biography. Its economic system is virtually the same as that portrayed in BEYOND THIS HORIZON. (Mrs. Heinlein reports that they destroyed all copies of this manuscript when they moved out of the Bonny Doon house in 1987.)”
“Beyond This Horizon” is my least favorite of Heinlein’s works. Even though ” — For Us, The Living — ” looks to be similar in tone and philosophy. Still, even mediocre Heinlein is better than most other stuff out there.
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