Robert Anson Heinlein (1907-1988) is most often thought of as a science fiction writer – the pre-eminent science fiction writer of the twentieth century, second, if at all, only to H.G. Wells. And yet, such a label may be misleading: Heinlein actively resisted literary formulae throughout a long and varied writing career that included many forms of fiction and non-fiction, and his restless experimentation repeatedly expanded and altered the boundaries of science fiction as a genre.

Heinlein came late to the writing profession; it was, in fact, his third choice of career. Born on July 7, 1907, in Butler, Missouri, Heinlein grew up in Kansas City. In high school he was active in the forensics, science and astronomy, and theatre p

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First published 09 June 2004

Citation: Patterson, The Heinlein Scholar 2003-2005, William. "Robert Heinlein". The Literary Encyclopedia. 9 June 2004.
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