Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$16.50 + shipping
Description: 212 pages. >> "When four amateur astronauts finally reached the Moon - they found the most unexpected welcoming committee." >> This is a ex-library edition; Library envelope glued to interior front cover.; cover wear; wear to cover edges; spine slant;; rubbing to backcover; Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
Seller: Comic World, Steinbach, MB, Canada
Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$25.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: 212p., Ex-Library.
Seller: Yushodo Co., Ltd., Fuefuki-shi, Yamanashi Pref., Japan
Heinlein, Robert. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1947.
Price: US$39.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: GOOD; FIRST EDITION with Scribner's logo but no "A" on copywrite page; EX-LIBRARY with usual library markings, stamps, (pocket removed), and labels; the binding is a library re-bind with stamps to the edges and some soiling to the covers; the pages inside are generally clean with some stains and page folds; Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
Seller: Virtual Books, Vancouver, WA, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$47.50 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Discarded library copy with ex-libris, stamps, markings and pocket. Second to last page has 1/2" x 2" torn missing piece. Pages 113 - 119 missing torn bottom corner (2" arc), text okay. Pages 29-36, much smaller arc, except for 29/30, lost a word. Illustrations and text very good to fine. Dust jacket with "Scribner's library binding" sticker and library sticker bright and clean in clear mylar cover.
Seller: Take Five Books, Ashland, OR, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1947.
Price: US$50.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 8vo. 212 pp. No DJ. General wear to covers. No statement of printing. Clean contents - no school or library markings. Black covers with green cover illustrations.
Seller: Table of Contents, Omaha, NE, U.S.A.
Price: US$57.50 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Small octavo, hardcover, good in red pictorial boards. No dj. 212pp. Corners bumped, contents clean. "the first U.S. juvenile SF novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field . it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF ."
Seller: Virginia Martin, aka bookwitch, Concord, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$60.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Later printing ($2.50 price on DJ flap; no Scribner's "A" on copyright page). Author's first book for juveniles. Corners lightly bumped. 2" x 2-1/2" piece of DJ missing on rear top edge; top 2-1/2" of DJ spine torn at top; DJ also has rubbing and edgewear. ; 212 pages
Seller: Acme Book Company, Fayetteville, NY, U.S.A.
Robert A. Heinlein. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1947.
Price: US$97.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: ISBN . B002CTJUYY Hardback. No dustjacket. Early reprint in the same size and format as the First Edition, with black cloth covers and blue pictorial endpapers showing the stars and galaxy. Previous owners bookplate on the first white page in, very slight indent to the top edge of the back cover, and very small neat previous owners name in ink on the top of second white page in, Otherwise book is a Tight sound unmarked copy in Very Good condition. A very nice tight bright unmarked copy of Robert Heinleins first book.
Seller: Tacoma Book Center, Tacoma, WA, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$99.97 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Decorative black cloth binding rubbed at extremities; slightly cocked; spine ends & corners lightly frayed; old price in red-pencil on front free endpaper; bottom leaf edges soiled; paste-downs & endpapers toned, else a very tight & clean first edition. No dj. ; Nice black & white illustrations by Thomas W. Voter; "A" on copyright page.; 8vo; 212 pages
Seller: Hyde Brothers, Booksellers, Fort Wayne, IN, U.S.A.
Rocket Ship Galileo. Robert A. Heinlein. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$125.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: This copy is ex library in the issued library binding. Interior is clean throughout. There is a line of black marker across the top of the publication page that bleeds through to the title page. There is the remains of a card pocket on the last free endpaper. The jacket is bright and fresh and bears a price on the inside front flap of $3.31. A nice colllectible copy of the author's first book.
Seller: BDC Books, Stratford, ON, Canada
Robert A. Heinlein. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1947.
Price: US$175.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: POOR CONDITION. First edition with A and Scribner's seal but may have been rebound - the cover is red with worn white letters handwritten on the spine. Library labels and marks. Pages have lots of light stains. Front hinge broken. Worn cover with a white mark on the back. Booksavers receives donated books and recycles them in a variety of ways. Proceeds benefit the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in the U.S. and around the world.
Seller: Booksavers of MD, Hagerstown, MD, U.S.A.
Robert A Heinlein. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$269.38 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Robert A Heinlein's first novel. 'Rocket Ship Galileo' is one of Heinlein's 'juvenile' series novels. This is his first ever publication, which was initially rejected by publishers as the idea of people travelling to the moon was too unrealistic. This novel follows three teenagers who participate in a pioneering flight to the moon. First edition of this work, with the 'A' to the edition page as well as Scribner's pictorial colophon to the tail of the page. Lacking original dustwrapper, held in a facsimile dustwrapper. Heinlein was a popular science fiction writer. His career spanned almost fifty years. In a full cloth binding with a facsimile dustwrapper. Externally, very smart. Bumping to the extremities and to the head and tail of spine. Patches of rubbing to the joints as well as to the head and tail of spine. Rear hinge is slightly strained but firm. Small light tidemarks to the head of front endpaper and pastedown. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are slightly age toned due to paper used and clean throughout. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Heinlein, Robert. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribners Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$270.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Nice copy with classic illustration on front panel in red white and gray of rocket ship entering outer space. Scribner's seal present on copyright page with no additional printings or dates shown but no Scribner "A". Tight and square with no markings. Price clipped jacket has minor edgewear at spine ends. Former owner's blind stamp to front endpaper but does not stand out amongst the illustrated endpapers of space. In mylar. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
Seller: Timothy Norlen Bookseller, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition, first printing of the author's first published novel. Bound in publisher's original black cloth stamped in green; lacking the dust jacket. Near Fine with light soiling and light wear to covers. Small area from erasure abrasion to front free endsheet and half-title page. A nice copy.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Robert Heinlein. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1947.
Price: US$375.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Nice condition, early copy of Robert Heinlein's first book - "ROCKET SHIP GALILEO" with its original dust jacket. 1947 1st edition, presumed 2nd state (with "1947," the Scribner's seal, and no code on the copyright page, but lacking the "A" 1st printing designation); Charles Scribner's Sons; New York. The dust jacket is un-clipped with the original $2.50 price intact on the front flap. The book contains illustration by Thomas W. Voter; illustrated end papers. From the dust jacket: "A thrilling story of three boys who accompany a scientist on the first piloted rocket ship flight to the moon. The time is several years from now. The action is based on scientific fact, and much of it may come true before long. The illustrations have been carefully worked out under the author's supervision, and are as accurate as it is possible for 'projected' illustrations to be. Mr. Heinlein is in the top rank of science-fiction writers, and his unusual stories for adults have attracted much attention. This, his first book for boys, is even more fascinating than the stories of Jules Verne." Condition: Clean covers and spine; sharp corners. Tight binding with no cracks and no loose pages. Nice interior - the text pages are clean and white and nearly appear unread with no notable issues found. There is an inscription written in pen dated 1957 at the top half of the front end paper. There is an old retail store label ("The Children's Shop" in Santa Barbara) affixed to the bottom-left corner of the rear pastedown. Overall the book is in Near Fine condition. The dust jacket is un-clipped with the original $2.50 price intact on the front flap; there is a tear at the top-left quadrant of the front cover that has been repaired on the back-side with clear tape; there are small pieces missing at the top edge of the back cover and at the top of the spine; small tears at the flap corners.overall the dust jacket is in Good- condition. (The jacket comes with a clear, protective sleeve - not shown.)
Seller: CraigsClassics, Hudson, NH, U.S.A.
Science Fiction - Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardbound octavo in dustwrapper. 212 pp. First edition, first printing of Heinlein's very first science fiction novel. Illustrated by Thomas Voter. First dustwrapper with $2.00 price on the front flap. Scribner Seal and "A" present on the copyright page. A sound well-bound copy in very good condition in a good dustwrapper. Wrapper has some unfortunate scrapes and paper loss at spine area (see attached photo). Otherwise a handsome example of this book. The debut of one of the true greats from the beginning of modern science fiction.
Seller: Derringer Books, Member ABAA, Avon, CT, U.S.A.
HEINLEIN, Robert.. Rocket Ship Galileo.. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Description: 212 pp. Illustrated by Thomas Voter. 8vo, publisher's cloth in a probable first state (but price-clipped) dust jacket. First edition. 1948 ink gift inscription on front free endpaper; a few slight marks to cloth; a tight, sound copy in a jacket with some minor use at extremities.
Seller: Jeffrey H. Marks, Rare Books, ABAA, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$950.00 + shipping
Description: This is the first edition, first printing of the first novel published by one of the twentieth centurys pioneering and preeminent science fiction authors. First printing is confirmed by the Scribners "A" on the copyright page. Later states of the first printing dust jacket are known to have the original, printed "$2.00" price clipped from the upper front flap and a replacement "$2.50" price ink-stamped thereon. This jacket is a presumed later state; the original "$2.00" price is clipped and there is an additional small rectangle clipped from the front flap between the title and authors name where, it seems plausible to assume, an ink-stamped "$2.50" price may also have been clipped by a later seller. The authors signature "Robert A. Heinlein" is included on a separate 5.375 x 2 inch (13.65 x 5.1 cm) piece of paper tipped onto the front free endpaper recto. Condition of the volume is very good, the jacket very good minus. The illustrated cloth binding is square, clean, and tight with only light shelf wear to extremities, minor wrinkling to the spine ends, and incidental scuffing to the otherwise clean and unfaded boards. The contents are notably clean, with only the mildest age-toning and no spotting. The untrimmed fore edges and the bottom edges are both unblemished. The top edges show just the slightest amount of shelf dust. Apart from the authors cut signature, the only previous ownership mark is the tiny, vintage sticker of a Lowell, Massachusetts bookseller affixed to the lower rear pastedown. The dust jacket is substantially complete. With the exception of the aforementioned price-clipping, fractional loss is confined to the spine head and flap fold corners. The spine is only mildly toned, retaining respectable pinkish hue. Light scuffing is primarily confined to a few extremities, the spine, and the front flap fold. The dust jacket is protected beneath a clear, removable, archival cover.Beginning with this, his first published book, Heinlein spent his early career establishing what we now call the "young adult" market in science fiction. Heinleins so-called "Juveniles" ran to a dozen novels published before 1959. Starting with Rocket Ship Galileo, Heinleins early novels earned him the reputation, material security, and literary confidence to infuse his subsequent work with more complex and controversial cultural, political, and philosophical perspectives. However, not all of Heinleins "Juveniles" were quite so juvenile, and the line of demarcation between Heinleins more and less serious works blurs.As implausibly simple as the plot for Rocket Ship Galileo may seem a trio of teenage boys helping a scientist build an atomic rocket and pilot it to the moon even here there are the seeds of future Heinlein, including more than passing attention to actual science, as well subversive socio-political elements. Offering useful perspective on Heinleins literary precocity, in the late 1940s, at the embryonic beginning of the space age, the story was originally considered "too far out" for publication. Rocket Ship Galileo became a basis for the 1950 film Destination Moon (with Heinlein contributing to the script), and the beginning of Heinleins illustrious career as a defining novelist in the genre.Robert Anson Heinlein (1907-1988) was one of the "Big Three" mid-twentieth century "Golden Age" science fiction writers, along with Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. A prolific writer with a career spanning half a century, Heinlein published more than 30 novels, along with numerous short stories and collections. He was already an established and successful author in the genre when he won his first Hugo Award for Double Star in 1956. He would be recognized thus three more times for Starship Troopers in 1960, for Stranger in a Strange Land in 1961, and for The Moon is a Harsh Mistress in 1966. Fittingly, Heinleins name accompanies his imagination into space; an asteroid and a crater on Mars are named after him.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$1200.00 + shipping
Description: Black cloth with green decorations and titles on cover and spine. Slightly bruised spine ends and lower front tip, inscription on front free endpaper. A near fine copy in near fine dustjacket with four tiny tears along the edges and just a touch of shelf wear. An extremely attractive copy of the author's first book in the later state dustjacket which is price-clipped and has the $2.50 price stamped on front flap. ; Octavo; 212 pages.
Seller: Parigi Books, Vintage and Rare, Schenectady, NY, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO. Charles Scribner's Sons [1947], New York, 1947.
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, cloth. This is the author's first book, preceded by a pamphlet printing a convention speech. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest."- Anatomy of Wonder 5-62. Basis for the 1950 film Destination Moon in which Heinlein also contributed to the writing of the screenplay. This is a fine copy in a near fine later state dust jacket (printed price of $2.00 price clipped and publisher's increase price of $2.50 rubber stamped to upper front flap) which has mild shelf wear along lower edge and to spine ends, tiny chip to base of rear panel, mild darkening to spine panel. (10207)
Seller: John W. Knott, Jr, Bookseller, ABAA/ILAB, Laurel, MD, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO. Charles Scribner's Sons [1947], New York, 1947.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, cloth. The importance of this book cannot be overstated, as it is the first published novel (in book form), by one of the major, if not the most, important science fiction writer of post-war America. Heinlein established himself in the field of science fiction during the golden age of Astounding Science Fiction (starting in 1939), he would later introduce a generation of baby boomer children to this literary genre. After World War II, Heinlein's career expanded the reach of the genre by being published in the 'slick' magazines of the period (Saturday Evening Post and others) and he also began a series of juvenile novels to be published by the mainstream firm of Charles Scribner's Sons. Their reach was wide, especially into the library marketplace were many young children would encounter them. This title is ".the first US juvenile sf novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field", ".it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF." Clute and Nicholls: The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), p. 554-557. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 5-62. George Pal's 1950 film Destination Moon is loosely based on ROCKET SHIP GALILEO. Heinlein co-authored the screenplay and served as a technical advisor to the production, along with German rocket expert Hermann Oberth. Destination Moon, the first of Pal's many sf films, "has great historical importance: its commercial success initiated the sf film boom of the 1950s, after a decade that had contained almost no sf cinema at all. It has interest in hindsight, too, in the partial accuracy with which it anticipated the actual Moon landing of 1969. To this day, Destination Moon stands as a film obvious made by people who knew about science." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), p. 324. A near fine copy, small stain at lower right corner of front free end paper with a little bleed to title page, small stain to rear paste-down at lower edge with light bleed to rear free end paper in an about near fine dust jacket, mild rubbing to corners and spine ends, front fold; stain to verso of jacket at rear panel/spine panel which does show through lightly at upper portion of spine. These stains look are not water stains, more on the order of a light oil type. Still, it is a nice looking copy of this book. Printed price of $2.00 to jacket flap. (11840)
Seller: John W. Knott, Jr, Bookseller, ABAA/ILAB, Laurel, MD, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO .. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, cloth. First edition. The author's first book, preceded by a pamphlet printing a convention speech. The importance of this book cannot be overstated. It is the first published novel by a major, perhaps the most important, science fiction writer of postwar America. Heinlein began publishing SF in 1939 during the golden age of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. After World War II, he expanded the market for SF genre material, publishing his fiction in upscale magazines of the period (THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, BOY'S LIFE, and others). In 1947 he introduced a generation of postwar young readers to this literary genre with the first of a series of juvenile novels which were published as hardcover books by the renowned mainstream publisher Charles Scribner's Sons, and later by G. P. Putnam. Their circulation was wide and they could be found in the children's section of most public libraries of the day. This title is ". the first U.S. juvenile SF novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field . it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), pp. 554-7. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-515. George Pal's 1950 film Destination Moon is loosely based on this novel. Heinlein co-authored the screenplay and served as a technical advisor to the production, along with German rocket expert Hermann Oberth. Destination Moon, the first of Pal's many SF films, "has great historical importance: its commercial success initiated the SF film boom of the 1950s, after a decade that had contained almost no SF cinema at all. It has interest in hindsight, too, in the partial accuracy with which it anticipated the actual Moon landing of 1969. To this day, Destination Moon stands as a film obvious made by people who knew about science ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1993), p. 324. Small stain at lower right corner of front free endpaper with a little bleed to title page, small stain to rear paste-down at lower edge with light bleed to rear free endpaper, a near fine copy in an about near fine first state dust jacket ($2.00 price printed on front jacket flap) with mild rubbing to corners, spine ends, and along front fold, stain to verso of jacket at rear panel spine fold with faint show on upper portion of spine. Still a presentable copy of this book. (#127515)
Seller: Currey, L.W. Inc. ABAA/ILAB, Elizabethtown, NY, U.S.A.
ROBERT HEINLEIN. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO (signed on laid in signature). CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, 1947.
Price: US$1895.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First Edition, First impression Beautiful book with the original first printing dust jacket. Boldly SIGNED by Robert Heinlein in vibrant blue ink on a cut signature adhered to the half title page. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO was Heinlein’s first published novel, and a hallmark science fiction book described as follows: ROCKET SHIP GALILEO is “the first US juvenile sf novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field . it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children’s sf .” – Clute and Nicholls (eds.), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1993), pp. 554-57. “A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest.” – Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 5-62. The book is in great condition with black boards, and green titles to spine with a green rocket ship to front board. The book is signed in vibrant blue ink by Robert Heinlein on a signature cut which is laid and adhered to the half title page. The boards are clean with slightly rounded corners and no edgewear. The binding is tight and square. The end papers are clean with no owner names, no inscriptions and no book plates. The internal pages are clean, and flat with No marks, No bent pages, No foxing and no stains. Beautiful clean book with several fun illustrations. Please see detailed images. The original price clipped dust jacket has benefited from some restoration and presents beautifully with a faint spot of rubbing to the front flap crease. The dust jacket has strong bright vibrant colors with No edgewear, No rips, No chips, No stains, No fading, No foxing and No rubbing. Please see multiple images. A handsome Science Fiction highlight classic, scarce signed. Presents well on the shelf! ADDITIONAL IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our Abe store for other rare and signed SciFi titles
Seller: Meier And Sons Rare Books, New Canaan, CT, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$2749.99 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: A near fine first edition copy in black cloth with green lettering/rocket. Spine ends/corners slightly softened. Very slight reading ridge. Very slight separation of inner hinge at title page. Faint touch of foxing to top text block edge, tiny stain to bottom textblock edge. The price of $2.00 is present at first issue jacket, in mylar. Jacket has very short closed tear at spine foot and a bit of rubbing at spine ends/corners. This very attractive book is housed in a fine custom clamshell box. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall
Seller: curtis paul books, inc., Northridge, CA, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO .. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$3500.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, cloth. First edition. The author's first book, preceded by a pamphlet printing a convention speech. The importance of this book cannot be overstated. It is the first published novel by a major, perhaps the most important, science fiction writer of postwar America. Heinlein began publishing SF in 1939 during the golden age of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. After World War II, he expanded the market for SF genre material, publishing his fiction in upscale magazines of the period (THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, BOY'S LIFE, and others). In 1947 he introduced a generation of postwar young readers to this literary genre with the first of a series of juvenile novels which were published as hardcover books by the renowned mainstream publisher Charles Scribner's Sons, and later by G. P. Putnam. Their circulation was wide and they could be found in the children's section of most public libraries of the day. This title is ". the first U.S. juvenile SF novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field . it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), pp. 554-7. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-515. George Pal's 1950 film Destination Moon is loosely based on this novel. Heinlein co-authored the screenplay and served as a technical advisor to the production, along with German rocket expert Hermann Oberth. Destination Moon, the first of Pal's many SF films, "has great historical importance: its commercial success initiated the SF film boom of the 1950s, after a decade that had contained almost no SF cinema at all. It has interest in hindsight, too, in the partial accuracy with which it anticipated the actual Moon landing of 1969. To this day, Destination Moon stands as a film obvious made by people who knew about science ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1993), p. 324. A fine copy in fine first state dust jacket ($2.00 price printed on front jacket flap) with very light wear at spine ends and upper front corner tip and mild internal tanning to spine panel and along flap folds. A very attractive copy. (#155549)
Seller: Currey, L.W. Inc. ABAA/ILAB, Elizabethtown, NY, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO. Charles Scribner's Sons [1947], New York, 1947.
Price: US$3750.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, illustrated by Thomas Voter, cloth. The importance of this book cannot be overstated, as it is the first published novel (in book form), by one of the major, if not the most, important science fiction writer of post-war America. Heinlein established himself in the field of science fiction during the golden age of Astounding Science Fiction (starting in 1939), he would later introduce a generation of baby boomer children to this literary genre. After World War II, Heinlein's career expanded the reach of the genre by being published in the 'slick' magazines of the period (Saturday Evening Post and others) and he also began a series of juvenile novels to be published by the mainstream firm of Charles Scribner's Sons. Their reach was wide, especially into the library marketplace were many young children would encounter them. This title is ".the first US juvenile sf novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field", ".it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF." - Clute and Nicholls: The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), p. 554-557. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." - Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 5-62. George Pal's 1950 film Destination Moon is loosely based on ROCKET SHIP GALILEO. Heinlein co-authored the screenplay and served as a technical advisor to the production, along with German rocket expert Hermann Oberth. Destination Moon, the first of Pal's many sf films, "has great historical importance: its commercial success initiated the sf film boom of the 1950s, after a decade that had contained almost no sf cinema at all. It has interest in hindsight, too, in the partial accuracy with which it anticipated the actual Moon landing of 1969. To this day, Destination Moon stands as a film obvious made by people who knew about science." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), p. 324. A fine copy in a fine dust jacket with a printed price of $2.00, very slight shelf wear along upper edge, touch of rubbing to flap folds, tiny rub spot to rear panel at spine edge. An attractive copy of this important book. (12943)
Seller: John W. Knott, Jr, Bookseller, ABAA/ILAB, Laurel, MD, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO .. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$3750.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, cloth. First edition. The author's first book, preceded by a pamphlet printing a convention speech. The importance of this book cannot be overstated. It is the first published novel by a major, perhaps the most important, science fiction writer of postwar America. Heinlein began publishing SF in 1939 during the golden age of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. After World War II, he expanded the market for SF genre material, publishing his fiction in upscale magazines of the period (THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, BOY'S LIFE, and others). In 1947 he introduced a generation of postwar young readers to this literary genre with the first of a series of juvenile novels which were published as hardcover books by the renowned mainstream publisher Charles Scribner's Sons, and later by G. P. Putnam. Their circulation was wide and they could be found in the children's section of most public libraries of the day. This title is ". the first U.S. juvenile SF novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field . it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), pp. 554-7. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-515. George Pal's 1950 film Destination Moon is loosely based on this novel. Heinlein co-authored the screenplay and served as a technical advisor to the production, along with German rocket expert Hermann Oberth. Destination Moon, the first of Pal's many SF films, "has great historical importance: its commercial success initiated the SF film boom of the 1950s, after a decade that had contained almost no SF cinema at all. It has interest in hindsight, too, in the partial accuracy with which it anticipated the actual Moon landing of 1969. To this day, Destination Moon stands as a film obvious made by people who knew about science ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1993), p. 324. A fine copy in a fine first state dust jacket ($2.00 price printed on front jacket flap) with very light shelf wear along upper edge, touch of rubbing to flap folds, and tiny spot of rubbing on rear panel near spine fold. An attractive copy. (#129696)
Seller: Currey, L.W. Inc. ABAA/ILAB, Elizabethtown, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$7750.00 + shipping
Description: This is a signed first edition, first printing of the first novel published by one of the twentieth centurys pioneering and preeminent science fiction authors. The author signed "Robert A. Heinlein" immediately below his printed name on the title page. First printing is confirmed by the Scribners "A" on the copyright page and the unclipped "$2.00" price on the upper front flap confirms first issue of the dust jacket. Condition of the volume is near fine, the jacket very good. The illustrated cloth binding is square, clean, and tight with nicely rounded spine and sharp corners. Shelf wear to extremities is trivial, including a few tiny dings to the edges and minor wrinkling to the spine ends. The contents are notably clean, with only the mildest age-toning, no spotting, and no previous owner marks apart from the authors signature. Even the page edges remain unblemished. The dust jacket is substantially complete, fractional loss confined to the upper joints and flap fold corners. The unfaded spine shows no color shift between it and the front face. We note light overall scuffing and a short, closed tear with associated wrinkling to the bottom edge of the front face. The dust jacket is protected beneath a clear, removable, archival cover.Beginning with this, his first published book, Heinlein spent his early career establishing what we now call the "young adult" market in science fiction. Heinleins so-called "Juveniles" ran to a dozen novels published before 1959. Starting with Rocket Ship Galileo, Heinleins early novels earned him the reputation, material security, and literary confidence to infuse his subsequent work with more complex and controversial cultural, political, and philosophical perspectives. However, not all of Heinleins "Juveniles" were quite so juvenile, and the line of demarcation between Heinleins more and less serious works blurs.As implausibly simple as the plot for Rocket Ship Galileo may seem a trio of teenage boys helping a scientist build an atomic rocket and pilot it to the moon even here there are the seeds of future Heinlein, including more than passing attention to actual science, as well as subversive socio-political elements. Offering useful perspective on Heinleins literary precocity, in the late 1940s, at the embryonic beginning of the space age, the story was originally considered "too far out" for publication. Rocket Ship Galileo became a basis for the 1950 film Destination Moon (with Heinlein contributing to the script), and the beginning of Heinleins illustrious career as a defining novelist in the genre.Robert Anson Heinlein (1907-1988) was one of the "Big Three" mid-twentieth century "Golden Age" science fiction writers, along with Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. A prolific writer with a career spanning half a century, Heinlein published more than 30 novels, along with numerous short stories and collections. He was already an established and successful author in the genre when he won his first Hugo Award for Double Star in 1956. He would be recognized thus three more times for Starship Troopers in 1960, for Stranger in a Strange Land in 1961, and for The Moon is a Harsh Mistress in 1966. Noticeable in his early writing but particularly prevalent after Starship Troopers, Heinlein used his novels to provoke thought and limn his own perspectives about the role, limitations, and confining structures of society, the obligations of citizenship, and the prerogatives of freedom. Heinlein was lauded not just for individual stories, but also for weaving coherent speculative futures with themes and characters that spanned swathes of his writing over decades. Heinleins "Future History" series was nominated for a Best All-Time Series Hugo Award in a very strong field in 1966, losing (along with fellow nominee The Lord of the Rings) to Asimovs Foundation series. Fittingly, Heinleins name accompanies his imagination into space; an asteroid and a crater on Mars are named after him.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
ROBERT HEINLEIN. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO (FLAT SIGNED). CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, 1947.
Price: US$7995.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First impression, Signed: A Fine condition book with a near fine dust jacket. Boldly SIGNED by Robert Heinlein in vibrant black ink on the title page ?Robert Heinlein? ROCKET SHIP GALILEO was Heinlein?s first published novel, and a hallmark science fiction book described as follows: ROCKET SHIP GALILEO is ?the first US juvenile sf novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field . it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children?s sf .? ? Clute and Nicholls (eds.), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1993), pp. 554-57. ?A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest.? ? Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 5-62. The book is in fine condition with clean black boards still maintaining their original sheen, and green titles to spine with a green rocket ship to front board. The book has sharp corners and no edgewear. The binding is very tight, and square. The end papers are clean with no owner names, no inscriptions and no book plates. The internal pages are clean, and flat with No marks, No bent pages, No foxing and no stains. Beautiful clean book internally appearing as unread. Boldly SIGNED by Robert Heinlein in vibrant black ink on the title page ?Robert Heinlein? Please see detailed images. The original unrestored dust jacket is in near fine condition with but a few very tiny nicks, and some sunning to the spine. The dust jacket has strong bright vibrant colors and is not price clipped showing the price of $2.00 on the inside flap. Please see multiple images. An extremely scarce title to find signed, and more scarce in this condition. Presents well on the shelf! Per L.W. Curry: The importance of this book cannot be overstated. It is the first published novel by a major, perhaps the most important, science fiction writer of postwar America. Heinlein began publishing SF in 1939 during the golden age of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. After World War II, he expanded the market for SF genre material, publishing his fiction in upscale magazines of the period (THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, BOY S LIFE, and others). In 1947 he introduced a generation of postwar young readers to this literary genre with the first of a series of juvenile novels which were published as hardcover books by the renowned mainstream publisher Charles Scribner s Sons, and later by G. P. Putnam. Their circulation was wide and they could be found in the children s section of most public libraries of the day. This title is the first U.S. juvenile SF novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children s SF Clute and Nicholls (eds). The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), pp. 554-7. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-515. ADDITIONAL IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Please see our ABE store for additional landmark SciFi titles.
Seller: Meier And Sons Rare Books, New Canaan, CT, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$9500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, first printing of the author's first published novel. Signed by Robert A. Heinlein on the title page. Bound in publisher's original black cloth stamped in green. Near Fine with light wear to spine ends, tiny spot to top of textblock edge and pages tanned. In a later state dust jacket which has been price clipped and over-stamped with a new price of $2.50, with toning and light wear, with a small repaired tear to the bottom of the rear flap fold.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. ROCKET SHIP GALILEO .. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$10000.00 + shipping
Description: Octavo, cloth. First edition. Early signed inscription by Heinlein on front free endpaper: "For Dirce Archer / Sincerely / Robert A. Heinlein." Additionally signed in full by Heinlein on the title page. The author's first book, preceded by a pamphlet printing a convention speech. The importance of this book cannot be overstated. It is the first published novel by a major, perhaps the most important, science fiction writer of postwar America. Heinlein began publishing SF in 1939 during the golden age of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. After World War II, he expanded the market for SF genre material, publishing his fiction in upscale magazines of the period (THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, BOY'S LIFE, and others). In 1947 he introduced a generation of postwar young readers to this literary genre with the first of a series of juvenile novels which were published as hardcover books by the renowned mainstream publisher Charles Scribner's Sons, and later by G. P. Putnam. Their circulation was wide and they could be found in the children's section of most public libraries of the day. This title is ". the first U.S. juvenile SF novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field . it was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1994), pp. 554-7. "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." - Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-515. George Pal's 1950 film Destination Moon is loosely based on this novel. Heinlein co-authored the screenplay and served as a technical advisor to the production, along with German rocket expert Hermann Oberth. Destination Moon, the first of Pal's many SF films, "has great historical importance: its commercial success initiated the SF film boom of the 1950s, after a decade that had contained almost no SF cinema at all. It has interest in hindsight, too, in the partial accuracy with which it anticipated the actual Moon landing of 1969. To this day, Destination Moon stands as a film obvious made by people who knew about science ." - Clute and Nicholls (eds), The Science Fiction Encyclopedia (1993), p. 324. A fine copy in bright, fine second state dust jacket ("$2.00 printed price clipped and publisher's increased "$2.50" price rubber-stamped on front flap) with a just a touch of rubbing to lower spine end. A stunning copy. (#136272)
Seller: Currey, L.W. Inc. ABAA/ILAB, Elizabethtown, NY, U.S.A.
Heinlein, Robert A.. Rocket Ship Galileo [Dedication Copy]. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1947.
Price: US$32000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, first printing. The dedication copy of the author's first published novel, signed and inscribed by Robert A. Heinlein in the year of publication "with best wishes to my nephew Lawrence Lewis 'Buddy' Heinlein [signed] Robert Heinlein Nov. 1947" with an arrow pointing to Buddy's printed name on the dedication page. Additionally signed by Lawrence Lewis Heinlein as "L. L. Heinlein" on the front free endpaper. Lawrence was the son of Robert's brother. Bound in publisher's original black cloth stamped in green. Very Good with light wear and light soiling to cloth, spine ends and corners lightly worn, bumping to corners throughout, toning to endsheets with a small check mark to the top of the front free endpaper, pages tanned and with sporadic imperfections mostly affecting the margins at the fore edge. In a Near Fine supplied first state dust jacket priced at $2.00 with light edge wear and two tape reinforcements made to the verso. An immensely important work of science fiction and milestone in the genre. It was the first in the Heinlein juveniles, a long and successful series of science fiction novels published by Scribner's, and introduced a new generation of post-war young readers to the genre of science fiction Anatomy of Wonder calls this "A pioneering novel that began American mainstream science fiction for children and combined young protagonists, gadgetry, current science, and adventure in such a way that even today the book retains interest." It was "the first U.S. juvenile SF novel to reflect the new levels of characterization, style and scientific plausibility now expected in the field. It was the first in a series that represents the most important contribution any single writer has made to children's SF." - Clute and Nicholls, The Science Fiction Encyclopedia.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.