Methuselah's Children

'Methuselah's Children' was written by Robert A. Heinlein, one of the most influential science fiction authors of the 20th century. The novel was first published in book form in 1958, though it originated as a two-part serial in Astounding Science Fiction magazine in 1941.

The novel follows the Howard Families, a group of humans who have achieved extreme longevity through generations of selective breeding. When their long lifespans are revealed to the general public, they face persecution and ultimately flee Earth aboard stolen starships in search of a new home.

Yes, 'Methuselah's Children' is a key installment in Heinlein's Future History series, a loosely connected set of stories sharing a common timeline of human civilization's expansion into space. The novel is particularly important for introducing the character Lazarus Long, who recurs in later Heinlein works such as 'Time Enough for Love.'

The story first appeared as a serial in Astounding Science Fiction magazine in 1941, with the expanded novel version published in 1958. The 1958 book edition added significant new material and revisions compared to the original magazine serial.