From Grand Master Robert A. Heinlein comes a long-lost first novel written in 1939, introducing themes that would shape his career and define the genre. On July 12, 1939, Perry Nelson's drive takes a dangerous turn when a tire blowout sends his car over a bluff. As he loses consciousness, he glimpses a girl in a green bathing suit. When he awakens, she has transformed into Diana, a woman in furs, and the sunny shore is replaced by snowcapped mountains. Diana rescues Perry from the cold and takes him home to recuperate. Their discussions reveal a shocking truth: it is now January 7, 2086. As Perry grapples with this reality, he embarks on a study of global evolution over the past 150 years, discovering significant changes, including the formation of a United Europe and a reimagined military draft. However, the new world’s customs challenge his understanding of economics, law, and gender dynamics. Despite the alien nature of his surroundings, Perry's knowledge of the past positions him to lead his new peers into an unimaginable future. This novel exemplifies the future history Heinlein popularized, marking the beginning and end of an extraordinary arc in his political, social, and literary legacy.
Robert James Knihy
