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The Roads Must Roll

Robert A. Heinlein

First published June 1940
Type Short Fiction
Length Novelette
Series Future History

Synopsis

Set in a future where the automobile has been replaced by The Roads, a gigantic set of parallel conveyor belts. The belts run at different speeds allowing a pedestrian to enter the Road at slow speed, and make his way to the center, where speeds are in excess of 100 MPH. Follows the exploits of Gaines, the Transport Commisioner, as he tries to put down a strike by the Rolling Roads Guild.

External Links

Wikipedia

Awards

YearAwardCategoryStatus
2012 Locus Online 20th Century Novelette Nominee/Finalist
2016 Retro Hugo Award Best Novelette Winner

Publications (93)

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
June 1940 Astounding Science-Fiction, June 1940 Street & Smith Publications, Inc. MAGAZINE 9
June 1940 Astounding Science-Fiction, June 1940 Atlas Publishing and Distribution Co. Ltd MAGAZINE 2
1946 Adventures in Time and Space Random House Anthology 551
August 1946 Adventures in Time and Space Random House Anthology 551
February 1950 The Man Who Sold the Moon: Harriman and the Escape from Earth to the Moon! Shasta Collection 60
March 1951 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet Collection 29
1952 Adventures in Time and Space Grayson & Grayson Anthology 9
1953 Adventures in Time and Space Random House Anthology
1955 The Man Who Sold the Moon Pan Books Collection 51
1955 The Man Who Sold the Moon Shasta Collection 60
February 1955 More Adventures in Time and Space Bantam Books Anthology 99
1957 Famous Science-Fiction Stories: Adventures in Time and Space Modern Library Anthology 551
1957 Famous Science-Fiction Stories: Adventures in Time and Space Random House Anthology 551
July 1958 The Robert Heinlein Omnibus The Science Fiction Book Club (UK) Omnibus |1.4
April 1959 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet Collection 26
1961 Journeys in Science Fiction Globe Book Company Anthology 457
1961 Journeys in Science Fiction Globe Book Company Anthology 457
1963 The Man Who Sold the Moon Pan Books Collection 49
October 1963 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet / New American Library Collection 26
October 1963 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet / New American Library of Canada Collection 26
1966 A Robert Heinlein Omnibus Sidgwick & Jackson Omnibus
September 1966 More Adventures in Time and Space Bantam Books Anthology 99
1967 Tomorrow X 4 Coronet Books Anthology 138
March 1967 The Past Through Tomorrow Putnam Collection 30
March 1967 The Past Through Tomorrow Longmans (Canada) Collection
April 1967 The Past Through Tomorrow G. P. Putnam's Sons / SFBC Collection 30
April 1970 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One Doubleday Anthology 52
May 1970 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One Doubleday / SFBC Anthology 52
July 1970 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet / New American Library Collection 26
July 1971 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Avon Anthology 74
July 1971 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Avon Anthology 74
1972 Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol One Sphere Anthology 74
1972 Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol One Sphere Anthology 74
November 1972 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Avon Anthology 74
1973 Present Imperfect: Facets of the Utopian Vision Scott, Foresman and Company Anthology 9
April 1973 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Avon Anthology 74
October 1973 The Best of Robert Heinlein Sphere Collection 32
October 1973 The Best of Robert Heinlein Sidgwick & Jackson Collection 32|3
1974 Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol One Sphere Anthology 74
June 1974 Great Science Fiction Stories Dell Laurel-Leaf Anthology 55
October 1974 Great Science Fiction Stories Dell Laurel-Leaf Anthology 55
1975 Science Fiction Hall of Fame: The Greatest Science Fiction Stories of All Time Avon Anthology 74
January 1975 The Past Through Tomorrow Berkley Medallion Collection 35
January 1975 The Past Through Tomorrow Berkley Medallion Collection 35
February 1975 The Past Through Tomorrow Berkley Medallion Collection 35
April 1975 The Past Through Tomorrow Berkley Medallion Collection 35
August 1975 Adventures in Time and Space Ballantine Books Anthology 551
1977 Neutron Stars Fawcett Gold Medal Anthology 196
May 1977 The Best of Robert Heinlein 1939-1942 Sphere Collection 32
December 1977 The Past Through Tomorrow: Book One New English Library Collection 37
March 1978 Adventures in Time and Space Del Rey / Ballantine Anthology 551
November 1978 The Past Through Tomorrow: Vol. 1 New English Library Collection 37
December 1978 Adventures in Time and Space Del Rey / Ballantine Anthology 551
April 1979 The Man Who Sold the Moon New English Library Collection 49
June 1979 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet / New American Library Collection 20
June 1979 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet / New American Library of Canada Collection 20
December 1979 Adventures in Time and Space Del Rey / Ballantine Anthology 551
1980 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet / New American Library Collection 20
September 1980 The Past Through Tomorrow Berkley Books Collection 35
March 1981 The Man Who Sold the Moon New English Library Collection 49
July 1981 The Past Through Tomorrow Berkley Books Collection 35
1982 The Man Who Sold the Moon Signet / New American Library Collection 20
May 1982 The Past Through Tomorrow: Vol. 1 New English Library Collection 37
July 1983 The Man Who Sold the Moon New English Library Collection 49
August 1983 The Past Through Tomorrow Berkley Books Collection 35
December 1983 The Best of Robert Heinlein Amereon House Collection
July 1986 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Avon Anthology 74
March 1987 The Man Who Sold the Moon Baen Books Collection 23
March 1987 The Man Who Sold the Moon Baen Books Collection 23
July 1987 The Past Through Tomorrow Ace Books Collection 35
September 1987 The Past Through Tomorrow: Vol. 1 New English Library Collection 37
May 1988 The Past Through Tomorrow Ace Books Collection 35
1989 The Man Who Sold the Moon New English Library Collection 49
1990 Astounding Stories: The 60th Anniversary Collection (Vol. 1) The Easton Press Anthology 231
August 1990 Adventures in Time and Space Random House / SFBC Anthology 556
August 1998 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One Doubleday / SFBC Anthology 52
June 1999 The SFWA Grand Masters, Volume One Tor Anthology 16
March 2000 The Man Who Sold the Moon Baen Books Collection 23
June 2000 The Past Through Tomorrow Science Fiction Book Club Collection 25
August 2000 The SFWA Grand Masters, Volume 1 Tor Anthology
2001 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One The Easton Press Anthology 52
November 2001 Adventures in Time and Space Science Fiction Book Club Anthology
February 2003 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929-1964 Tor Anthology 53
February 2005 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929-1964 Orb Anthology 53
February 2010 The Future History of Robert Heinlein: Volume I The Virginia Edition Collection 51
September 2013 The Man Who Sold the Moon / Orphans of the Sky Baen Books Omnibus |7
September 2013 The Man Who Sold the Moon / Orphans of the Sky Baen Books Omnibus
December 2013 The Man Who Sold the Moon Brilliance Audio Collection |23
February 2014 The Past Through Tomorrow Gollancz / Orion Collection 31
March 2014 The Past Through Tomorrow Gateway / Orion Collection |31
November 2014 The Man Who Sold the Moon / Orphans of the Sky Baen Books Omnibus
December 2017 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929-1964 Blackstone Audio Anthology |52
February 2018 The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929-1964 Tor Anthology