He left us with a tantalizing mystery.
A short while after beginning my discussions with Kevin, I was contacted by an estate attorney and informed of the existence of two safety deposit boxes that had belonged to my father. For years they had slipped under the proverbial radar screen, and had been languishing in a bank vault in Bellevue, Washington. An attorney inventoried the contents of the boxes, and found old-style computer disks and comprehensive notes on “Dune 7”—the grand finale of the series. This was a tremendous surprise to all of us, since we didn’t know that my father had made any notes at all. As if this was not enough, we subsequently located more than fifteen hundred pages of working notes that Dad had been using to write the entire series—notes that were in manuscript boxes inside a storage room.
With all of the events unfolding around me I recognized the handiwork of my mother, Beverly Herbert. The white witch who gave me life, who loved and nurtured my entire family, was continuing to do so. I felt comforted in her presence.
Acknowledgments
I AM grateful to many people and organizations who contributed to this biography, in particular to Audrey Alande, Susan Allison, Kevin J. Anderson, Peter Atkins, Helen Z. Ballew, Matt Bialer, Daniel and Vera Blanquie, Marcia Bromley, Charles N. Brown, California State University, Gary and Judy Blanquie, Pat and Kim Blanquie, Ron and Kathleen Blanquie, George Carlson, Barbara Castroni, Laurene Cayo, Hal and Jeanne Cook, Anna Cottle, Connie Delmore-Beals, Frank Dixon, Tom Doherty, Jennifer Duncan, Deloss (Si) Edwards, Patricia Elizabeth, Harlan Ellison, Erica M. Fitzroy, Alan Francescutti, E. J. and Morgan Gold, Frankie Goodwin-Richards, Robert Gottlieb, Lou Guzzo, Howard J. Hansen, Joanne Hansen, David Hartwell, Keith Hauer-Lowe, Beverly Herbert, Bruce Herbert, Eileen Herbert, Frank Herbert, Jr., Frank Herbert, Sr. (F.H.), Janet Herbert, Julie Herbert, Kimberly Herbert, La Rene Herbert, Louis Herbert, Margaux Herbert, Neda Herbert, Phyllis Herbert-Hart, Bart and Sheila Hrast, Darel Jenkins, Karen Jones-Wheeler, Mike and Margaret Kalton, Mary Alice Kier, King County Reference Center, Kitsap County Historical Society, Richard L. Kossen, Marie Landis-Edwards, Marguerite Landis-Forbes, Patricia Herbert Larson, Roy Larson, Hattie Mae Laxson, Lincoln High School, Philip M. Lindsten, Pat LoBrutto, Dan Lodholm, Oak Lodholm, Sandra Macomber, Dave McCarthy, Thomas McCarthy, Byron Merritt, David Merritt, Robert Merritt, Penny Merritt, Ron Merritt, Rebecca Moesta-Anderson, Johnny Moore, James P. Morrison, Joe Muñoz, Mayme Semba Nishimura, Marilyn Niwao, Sharon O’Hara, Michael O’Leary, Oregonian Publishing Company, Ed and Jeannie Pechin, The Peninsula Historical Society, Sharon Perry, Roy Prosterman, Bill Ransom, Steve Reece, Ken and Ruth Rowntree, Violet (Peg) Rowntree, St. Joseph Hospital, Doug Sandau, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Bill and Zee Scheyer, Seattle University, Theresa Shackelford, Bill Sides, Kathleen J. and Nicholas Sidjakov, Catherine Sidor, Sonoma County Library, Rosemary Stein, Paul Stevens, Stewart Intermediate School, Roscoe Stuart, Dick Swift, Clyde Taylor, Jack and Norma Vance, Helen C. Wan, Washington State Historical Society, Washington State Patrol, Phil H. Webber, Duane Wilkins, Maura Wogan.
Special appreciation is also due to Daniel J. H. Levack, who (with annotator Mark Willard) compiled a bibliography of Frank Herbert’s writings, Dune Master: A Frank Herbert Bibliography. My mother and I provided them with assistance, as we submitted bibliographic information and the names of other people to be contacted. Their book contains summaries of published short stories and books, which aided me in analyzing the themes in the writings of my father. Other books which are useful in addressing these themes are Frank Herbert and The Maker of Dune, both by Timothy O’Reilly, and Frank Herbert, by William Touponce.
I have referred to the critical analyses of these writers in my father’s biography, and have added my own insights to theirs. In my work I have also included an analysis of many heretofore unknown and unpublished stories and poems written by Frank Herbert. The works of Levack/Willard, O’Reilly and Touponce include very sketchy biographical information, some of which was useful to me in the assembly of this more extensive biography. Special credit is also due to Ed Naha for The Making of Dune (a behind-the-scenes book about the Dune movie) and to the army of newspaper and magazine reporters who interviewed and wrote about my illustrious father.
Lastly, I wish to thank Sister M. Jeanne of the Saint Leo Convent in Tacoma, who led twenty nuns in prayers for my mother.
Sources and Bibliography
The Published Writings of Frank Herbert
Note: A number of entries show the phrases “publication details not shown,” or “publication date not shown.” Nonetheless, these are presumed to have been published since they were found in Frank Herbert’s working files from his newspaper career.
“A-W-F Unlimited,” in Galaxy, June 1961.
“Adventures in Movement,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 8/11/68.
“Archaeological Find at Cape Alava,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 8/30/70.
“Arctic,” publication details not shown.
The Ascension Factor (with Bill Ransom). New York: Ace/Putnam, 1988.
“BYU,” (Brigham Young University), publication details not shown.
“Baker,” (Rev. Kenneth Baker), publication details not shown.
“Banks,” marked “P-I file,” publication details not shown.
“Bass,” marked “Sunday,” publication details not shown.
“Bay” (San Francisco Bay), (marked “California Living, 1/19/69”).
“Beard,” marked “California Living,” publication details not shown.
The Best of Frank Herbert 1952–1964, Angus Wells, ed. London: Sphere Books Limited, 1976.
The Best of Frank Herbert 1965–1970, Angus Wells, ed. London: Sphere Books Limited, 1977.
“A Better Taste with Chopsticks,” in San Francisco Examiner, 2/6/63.
“Bike,” marked “for Sunday/illus. available,” publication details not shown.
“Bio,” marked “Sunday,” publication details not shown.
“Blanks,” marked “rew/blanks—precede,” publication details not shown.
The Book of Frank Herbert, DAW, New York: 1973.
“Budget,” publication details not shown.
“Bufano,” (sulptor Berry Bufano), in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 7/13/69.
“By the Book,” in Analog, August, 1966.
“California—Notes,” publication details not shown.
“California: Land of the Instant Native,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 12/8/68.
“Campus,” marked “Sunday,” publication details not shown.
“Campus Moratorium Events Planned,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/12/69.
“Care,” publication details not shown.
“Carthage: Reflections of a Martian,” in Mars, We Love You, Jane Hipolito and Willis E. McNelly, eds., New York: Doubleday, 1971.
“Cast of Zakheim Work Shown in Santa Rosa,” in Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 3/1/53.
“Cease Fire,” in The Best of Frank Herbert 1952–1964, Angus Wells, ed. London: Sphere Books Limited, 1976.
“Ceramics,” marked “Sunday—Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/20/70.”
Chapterhouse: Dune, New York: Putnam, 1985.
“Chemical Food Additives Described as Dangerous,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/25/69.
Children of Dune, New York: Berkley, 1976.
“Children of Dune,” in Analog, January–April, 1976.
“Chinatown: A Changing World,” in San Francisco Examiner, 2/6/63.
“Clarke” (Interview with Arthur C. Clarke), publication details not shown.
“Class” (marked “for Sunday”), publication details not shown.
“Clinic” publication details not shown.
“Come to the Party” (with F. M. Busby), in Analog, December, 1978.
“Committee of the Whole,” in Galaxy, April, 1965.
“Commune Folk Stress Love, Not Sex,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/16
/70.
“Communes: Are They Worse than Panty Raids?”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, publication date not shown.
“(Communes): Behind the Commune Curtain,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/15/70.
“(Communes):—New Communities Shun Religion,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/20/70.
“(Communes):—Outside Reaction to Communes Is Widely Varied,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1/19/70.
“Computers: For Better or for Worse,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 11/29/69.
“Conflict,” publication details not shown.
“Confrontation in the Streets,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3/1/70.
“Confrontation: UW Black Turmoil Echoes Mad Dance of SF State,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3/15/70.
“The Consentiency and How It Got That Way,” in Galaxy, May, 1977.
“Cristo” (marked “illustrated”), publication details not shown.
“Daily,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 7/10/70.
“Danz,” publication details not shown.
“Death of a City,” in Future City, ed. by Roger Elwood, New York: Trident, 1973.
“Defoliation, Heavy Rains Peril Vietnam Rice Crop,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/9/69.
“Democracy at Dos Rios,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 6/29/69.
Destination: Void, New York: Berkley, 1966.
“Dialogue: Forum,” in Omni (magazine), August, 1983.
Direct Descent, New York: Ace, 1980.
“Do I Wake or Dream?”, in Galaxy, August, 1965. (Expanded to novel form in Destination: Void.)
“Dog,” publication details not shown.
“Doll Factory, Gun Factory,” in The Maker of Dune, ed. by Tim O’Reilly, New York: Berkley, 1987.
“Don’t Buy Death!!!” in The Stranger, June, 1970.
The Dosadi Experiment, New York: Putnam, 1977.
“The Dosadi Experiment,” in Galaxy, May–August, 1977.
The Dragon in the Sea, Garden City: Doubleday, 1956.
Dune, Philadelphia: Chilton, 1965.
Dune. Norwalk, Conn.: Easton Press, 1987. (Includes “Remembrances” by friends and associates of Frank Herbert.)
“Dune”—unpublished—see The Unpublished Writings of Frank Herbert.
Dune (young adult version), adapted by Rosemary Border, London: Oxford University Press, 1980.
Dune Messiah, New York: Putnam, 1969.
“Dune Messiah,” in Galaxy, July–November, 1969.
“Dune World,” in Analog, December, 1963–February, 1964.
“Dune” (brief article), publication details not shown.
“Dune—For Family Weekly,” publication details not shown.
“Dune Genesis,” in Omni, July, 1980.
“Dune—Introduction,” in Eye, Byron Preiss Visual Publications, New York: Berkley, 1985.
“Dune—States/The Bene Gesserit View/All States are an Abstraction,” publication details not shown.
“Egg and Ashes,” in If, November, 1960.
“Election” (marked “with art”), publication details not shown.
“The Encounter Group,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, date not shown.
“Encounter in a Lonely Place,” in The Book of Frank Herbert, New York: DAW, 1973.
“Escape Felicity,” in Analog, June, 1966.
Eye, Byron Preiss Visual Publications, New York: Berkley, 1985.
The Eyes of Heisenberg, New York: Berkley, 1966.
“Fancy Feathers,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 11/10/68.
“The Featherbedders,” in The Worlds of Frank Herbert, New York: Ace, 1971.
“Feathered Pigs,” in Destinies, October–December 1979, New York: Ace Books.
“Featuring: The City of San Francisco,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 6/2/68.
“Fiction Writer ‘Saucer’ Expert,” in Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 2/15/53.
“Fire,” (marked “California Living”), publication details not shown.
“A First Look at our Galaxy,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 7/14/68.
“Flying: Opens a New World for Californians,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 12/10/67.
“Flying Saucers: Facts or Farce?” in The Maker of Dune, ed. by Tim O’Reilly, New York: Berkley, 1987.
“Forward,” in Eclipse, by Brian Brewer, Seattle: Earth View, 1978.
“Fourteen-Year-Old Bride Misses Death by Hair’s Breadth!”, in Santa Rosa Press Democrat, publication date not shown.
“Frank Herbert,” in The Faces of Science Fiction, by photographer Patti Perret, New York: Blue Jay, 1984.
“Frank Herbert Gives His Name to Turkey Stuffing, and Kitchen Posterity,” in Santa Rosa Press Democrat (marked “1949”).
“Freeway Signal Arrangement Is Confusing to Drivers,” in Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 7/20/49.
“Frogs and Scientists,” in Destinies, August–September, 1979, New York: Ace Books.
“G. McNamee Has Dynamic Personality, Says Writer,” in The Lincoln News, 9/23/38.
“GIs on Vietnam Crime Carousel,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/8/69.
“The GM Effect,” in Analog, June, 1965.
“Gambling Device,” in The Book of Frank Herbert, New York: DAW, 1973.
“Of Ginsburg, Vishnu and a Sea of Grass,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3/31/70.
“A Glance at Areas of Campus Conflict,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/13/70.
God Emperor of Dune, New York: Putnam, 1981.
“God Emperor of Dune,” excerpt in Playboy, January, 1981.
The God Makers, New York: Putnam, 1972.
“Goldwater” (marked “Barry”), publication details not shown.
“The Gone Dogs,” in The Book of Frank Herbert, New York: DAW, 1973.
The Green Brain, New York: Ace, 1966.
“Greenslaves,” in Amazing, March, 1965. (Expanded to novel form in The Green Brain.)
“Gulick” (Bill Gulick), in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, publication date not shown.
“Have We Left the Woods Too Far Behind…Or, Where in the Environment Are We?”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Northwest Today, 7/26/70.
“Hearing,” publication details not shown.
“Hearing Insider,” publication details not shown.
The Heaven Makers, New York: Avon, 1968.
“The Heaven Makers,” in Amazing, April and May, 1967.
“Heisenberg’s Eyes,” in Galaxy, June and August, 1966. (Published in novel form as The Eyes of Heisenberg.)
Hellstrom’s Hive, Garden City (NY): Doubleday, 1973.
Heretics of Dune, New York: Putnam, 1984.
“Highest UW Grad Merely ‘Played Game,’” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 6/14/70.
“His Bag Is Being a Gentle Savage,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 7/21/68. (feature on the artist Vargas).
“Ho’s Death Could Advance War’s End, Says U.S. Aide,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, marked “September 4th.”
“Home Again,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 3/29/70. Also published as “You Can Go Home Again,” in The Maker of Dune, ed. by Tim O’Reilly, New York: Berkley, 1987.
“How Indians Would Use Fort,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 3/22/70.
“Ice” (marked “ecology file”), publication details not shown.
“Ice/Insider” (marked “ecology file”), publication details not shown.
The Illustrated Dune, New York: Berkley Windhover, 1978.
“Indian Rights to Alaska Land Emphasized at Land Law Meet,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 12/8/70.
“Inside/Editor,” publication details not shown.
“Institute” (marked “with illustration/Kash—Don E. Kash”), publication details not shown.
“Into V.C. Land,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/30/69.
“Intr
o/Herbert Collection,” pre-publication manuscript.
“Introduction,” in Nebula Winners Fifteen, Frank Herbert, ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1981.
“Introduction,” in Saving Worlds, Roger Elwood and Virginia Kidd, eds., New York: Doubleday, 1973.
“Introduction—Tomorrow’s Alternatives?” in Frontiers I: Tomorrow’s Alternatives, Roger Elwood, ed., New York: Macmillan, 1973.
“Introduction,” in Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1973.
The Jesus Incident (with Bill Ransom), New York: Berkley, 1979.
“The Jonah and the Jap,” in Doc Savage, April, 1946.
“Knighthood Re-Flowers in Medieval Marin,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 9/8/68.
“Land,” publication details not shown.
“Land” (marked “with art”), publication details not shown.
“Land of the Instant Native,” in San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, California Living, 12/8/68.
“Land Reform” (marked “Memo to Lou Guzzo 8/20/70—Seattle Post-Intelligencer), publication details not shown.
“Land Reform Crisis in South Vietnam,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 8/31/69.
“Land Reform or Civil War (Philippines),” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, publication date not shown.
“Land Reform Enters Week of Decision,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/9/69.
“Land Reform: Vietnam’s ‘Other War’ Can’t Wait,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 9/3/69.
The Lazarus Effect (with Bill Ransom), New York: Putnam, 1983.
“Letter” (marked “Precede/Letter”), publication details not shown.
“Listening to the Left Hand,” in The Book of Frank Herbert, New York: DAW, 1973.
“The Little Green Car That Could,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 8/6/70.
“Location of Freeway Signs Confuses Many Motorists,” in Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 7/19/49.
“Lodge’s Goal to Shake Hanoi’s Hopes of Victory,” in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/10/69.
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