Order of Book Series
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Future History Books in Order

Robert A. Heinlein has written 15 Future History books, published between 1939 and 1987. The first book is Misfit (1939) and the newest is To Sail Beyond the Sunset (1987). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
15
Published
1939–1987
Confirmed
15 of 15 titles
Pages on record
4,277 in 10 of 15 books
Reading time
71–107 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 4,277 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 10 of 15 titles with a page count on record.

See all 15 books in order Printable Future History checklist

Future History is filed as a character entry for Robert A. Heinlein, although the name matches Heinlein's Future History/Heinlein Timeline series. The entry covers 15 works dated 1939 to 1987, starting with Misfit (1939) and ending with To Sail Beyond the Sunset (1987). Titles in between include Blowups Happen, Methuselah's Children, The Man Who Sold the Moon and Revolt in 2100. Subjects on the books are science fiction and longevity, and Lazarus Long is tagged as a fictitious character.

How many Future History books are there?

Future History has 15 books, released between 1939 and 1987.

Future History Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 15 Future History books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Methuselah's Children by Robert A. Heinlein, book 4 of the Future History/Heinlein Timeline series (1941)
  2. Cover of The Man Who Sold the Moon by Robert A. Heinlein, book 7 of the Future History/Heinlein Timeline series (1950)
  3. Cover of The Green Hills of Earth by Robert A. Heinlein, book 8 of the Future History/Heinlein Timeline series (1951)
  4. Cover of Revolt in 2100 by Robert A. Heinlein, book 9 of the Future History/Heinlein Timeline series (1953)
  5. Cover of Orphans of the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein, book 10 of the Future History/Heinlein Timeline series (1963)
  6. Cover of Time Enough for Love by Robert A. Heinlein, book 1 of the World As Myth series (1973)
  7. Cover of The Number of the Beast by Robert A. Heinlein, book 2 of the World As Myth series (1980)
  8. Cover of The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert A. Heinlein, book 3 of the World As Myth series (1985)
  9. Cover of To Sail Beyond the Sunset by Robert A. Heinlein, book 4 of the World As Myth series (1987)
  1. 1
    MisfitFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #11939 · 169 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1939169
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Let There Be LightFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #21940 · confirmed 3/4
    1940–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Blowups HappenFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #31940 · confirmed 3/4
    1940–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Methuselah's ChildrenFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #41941 · confirmed 3/4
    1941–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    We Also Walk DogsFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #51941 · confirmed 3/4
    1941–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    The Long WatchFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #61949 · confirmed 3/4
    1949–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    The Man Who Sold the MoonFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #71950 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1950320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    The Green Hills of EarthFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #81951 · 288 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1951288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    Revolt in 2100Future History/Heinlein Timeline #91953 · 480 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1953480
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    Orphans of the SkyFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #101963 · 224 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1963224
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    The Past Through TomorrowFuture History/Heinlein Timeline #111967 · 830 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1967830
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    Time Enough for LoveWorld As Myth #11973 · 589 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1973589
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    The Number of the BeastWorld As Myth #21980 · 555 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1980555
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    The Cat Who Walks Through WallsWorld As Myth #31985 · 388 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1985388
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    To Sail Beyond the SunsetWorld As Myth #41987 · 434 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1987434
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Do you have to read Future History books in order?

You should read the Future History books in publication order, the order of the numbered table above. The catalogue does not record whether each Future History book also stands alone.

Where to start with Future History

Start with Misfit (1939), the earliest published title.

What is the newest Future History book?

To Sail Beyond the Sunset (1987) is the newest Future History book released so far.

Is there a new Future History book coming?

No next Future History book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Awards Future History has won

Wikidata records 2 awards and 6 nominations for Future History. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

Future History at a glance

No recent titles
The newest Future History title on record dates from 1987, 39 years ago. No later title is catalogued.
Release pace
Future History books have appeared about one every 3 years on average.
Length
4,277 pages across the 10 of 15 books with a recorded length, a median of 411 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Future History books, 5 of 15, were published in the 1940s.

What the Future History books are about

9 of the 15 Future History books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: science fiction is tagged on 8 of 9. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.

More books by Robert A. Heinlein

The author page linked below lists every book in publication order.