The Year of the Jackpot. Illustrated

First published in 1952 in Galaxy Science Fiction, this gripping novelette blends statistical analysis, social satire, and apocalyptic suspense in classic Heinlein style. The story follows Potiphar Breen, a quiet, eccentric statistician who notices disturbing patterns emerging from his vast collection of data. Across economics, politics, social behavior, and even fashion trends, the numbers all point toward one grim conclusion — the world is heading for a convergence of catastrophic events.

Breen’s orderly life changes when he meets Meade Barstow, a spirited young woman on the run from trouble. Together, they travel across a restless America, witnessing bizarre social breakdowns and strange cultural phenomena that seem to confirm Breen’s predictions. What begins as a curious statistical puzzle turns into a tense countdown toward a global disaster.

Heinlein masterfully weaves humor and romance into an increasingly dark narrative, balancing witty banter with unsettling scenes of a civilization sliding toward chaos. The science behind Breen’s forecasts — rooted in probability theory and cycles of human behavior — gives the story a sense of eerie plausibility.

As the “jackpot year” draws to a close, Breen and Meade must decide how to face the ultimate crisis — with resignation, defiance, or hope. The climax delivers both a human and cosmic twist, reinforcing Heinlein’s theme that humanity’s fate is tied as much to individual courage as to the cold patterns of statistics.