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H. Beam Piper | |
|---|---|
 Piper in 1952 | |
| Born | Henry Beam Piper March 23, 1904 Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | c. November 6, 1964 (aged 60) Williamsport, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Pen name | Horace Beam Piper, Herbert Beam Piper |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Period | 20th century |
| Genre | Science fiction, alternate history |
Henry Beam Piper (March 23, 1904 – c. November 6, 1964) was an American science fiction writer. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales.
He wrote under the name H. Beam Piper. Another source gives his name as "Horace Beam Piper" and a different date of death.[1] His gravestone says "Henry Beam Piper". Piper himself may have been the source of part of the confusion; he told people the H stood for Horace, encouraging the assumption that he used the initial because he disliked his name. On a copy of Little Fuzzy given to Charles O. Piper, Beam's cousin and executor, he wrote "To Charles from Henry."
- ^ Carr, John F., H. Beam Piper: A Biography, McFarland, 2008 ISBN 978-0-7864-3375-9, p.10. According to Carr, during his lifetime Piper claimed the "H." stood for "Horace" and the son of Piper's good friend, Ferd Coleman, claimed it stood for Herbert.