American science fiction author Henry Beam Piper lived from March 23, 1904, through November 6, 1964. His lengthy Terro-Human Future History trilogy and a more condensed collection of "Paratime" alternate history novellas are his most well-known works. His name is listed as "Horace Beam Piper" in another source, along with a different death date. Henry Beam Piper, it states on his tombstone. Piper may have contributed to some of the confusion when he stated that the H stood for Horace, leading some to believe that he did it because he disliked his name. The majority of Piper's education came through self-learning; he did not "submit myself to the absurd pain of four years in the unpleasant constraints of a raccoon coat" in order to learn science and history. He started working as a worker at the Pennsylvania Railroad's Altoona yards in Pennsylvania when he was 18 years old. He also worked for the railroad as a night watchman. When Piper's career appeared to be in trouble in 1964, he killed himself because he was afraid to ask for help and because he adhered to libertarian principles. The last entry in his diary was dated November 5, and his Pennsylvania death certificate states that his body was discovered on November 8. The precise date of his passing is unknown.
