Conference noted::sf

Okay, Trace, this is from memory, so it'll be incomplete.

As a public service, I'll also list the ones you've read.

Novels:

Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation
Foundation's Edge

The Caves of Steel
The Naked Sun
The Robots of Dawn

Pebble in the Sky
The Stars, Like Dust
The End of Eternity

The Gods Themselves

Collections:

Nightfall and Other Stories
The Martian Way
Earth Is Room Enough
Nine Tomorrows
Buy Jupiter and Other Stories
The Bicentennial Man
The Early Asimov Vol. I
The Early Asimov Vol. II
(I'm pretty sure there is at least one more collection, out recently.)

Juveniles:

David Starr, Space Ranger
Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury
Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus
Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids
Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter
Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn

Jerry, what did I miss?


Mind you, these are books that are exclusively Asimov. This doesn't include 
stuff that he's edited or co-edited.
Incidentally, Tracey, you should try the Good Doctor's non-fiction. He has 
a marvelous way of explaining most things scientific. I suggest you start 
with the collections that he originally wrote for F&SF. There are seventeen 
volumes of these.


					Have fun!
					 andrew

	re 1.  Mr. Jerry will definitely have a field day on this one!

		sam (Bibliography is NOT my business)(13)

Actually, Andrew did pretty well, though, yes, he did miss a few, for
some of which he should hang his head in shame.

Two novels he missed:

THE CURRENTS OF SPACE
FANTASTIC VOYAGE [novelization of the movie]

Collections:

I, ROBOT	<really, now, Andrew>
THE REST OF THE ROBOTS
	[note: the hardcover of this includes the first two
	robot novels; the paperback doesn't]
ASIMOV'S MYSTERIES
	[among the best examples of the blending of sf and mysteries]
THE BEST OF ISAAC ASIMOV
THE WINDS OF CHANGE AND OTHER STORIES  [which Trace mentioned]
THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY
	[appeared only in England; all of the stories therein have
	undoubtedly appeared in other collections]

Juvenile:

THE HEAVENLY HOST

Mysteries:

THE DEATH DEALERS
	[this has appeared under another title, but for the life of me,
	I can't recall it]
MURDER AT THE ABA
TALES OF THE BLACK WIDOWERS
MORE TALES OF THE BLACK WIDOWERS
FURTHER TALES OF THE BLACK WIDOWERS
	[I'm not positive on this title; I'll have to check it]
THE UNION CLUB MYSTERIES

All of these are off the top of my head, with the assistance of a couple
of references here at work. I'll have to check things out when I get
home in the morning.

Mayhaps I should also mention that there is a hardcover collection
called THE COMPLETE ROBOT, that supposedly contains all of the robot
stories (except for THE ROBOTS OF DAWN), but it doesn't (actually,
it's only missing a couple of minor stories).

--- jerry

You're right Jerry, I hang my head in shame!! I can't believe I missed 
I, Robot.

I didn't include the mysteries, 'cause I was concentrating on SF -- but I 
highly recommend them, especially The Black Widower's books.
(P.S. The 3rd is called "Casebook of the Black Widowers")

The paperback title for "The Death Dealers" is "A Whiff of Death".

					andrew

re .3

And if you're a real Asimov fan, you'll probably want to read one of his
romances.  Jerry would probably know the pen name.  

			Barbara

Errata and Addenda to my additions to Andrew's list follow the responses.

re:.4
	Yes, I figured that you intentionally left out the mysteries (though
ASIMOV'S MYSTERIES *is* sf, and should have been included). I listed them because
I've observed over the years that sf fans/readers tend to also like mysteries
(as a "second best" genre), so in listing works by an sf author, I usually
include mysteries, if any. Just my quirk, and needn't reflect on you.
	And BTW, you had it backwards. THE DEATH DEALERS is the paperback title ---
the book originally came out in paperback in 1958. It was later issued in hardcover
(and subsequently in another paperback edition) as A WHIFF OF DEATH.

re:.5
	Frankly, I've never heard of such a thing. While I know of romances written
by other sf/fantasy authors, under pseudonyms or no, I've never heard of Asimov
doing one. Also, to my knowledge, Asimov has used a pseudonym only twice: (1) Paul
French, for the Lucky Starr books, and (2) George E. Dale, for a single story in an
issue of ASTOUNDING in the early 40's. If you have any other information, Barbara,
I'd be happy to investigate.

*****

Errata and Addenda:

Collections:

THROUGH A GLASS, DARKLY should be THROUGH A GLASS, CLEARLY. I was thinking of the
	original phrase from which the title comes.^^^^^^^

Juveniles:

THE BEST NEW THING
THE KEY WORD AND OTHER MYSTERIES [juvenile mystery collection]

Mysteries:

	As Andrew said, the third Black Widowers collection is:
CASEBOOK OF THE BLACK WIDOWERS
	Also, as Andrew said, the alternate title for THE DEATH DEALERS is:
A WHIFF OF DEATH


--- jerry

I have heard several times (I believe he's even said so himself in one or
more of his autobiography collections), that Asimov has written just about
every type of book -- specifically including Romances, as well as SF,
Mystery, science non-fiction.  I have no idea whether it was done under
a pseudonym or not.  

Out of curiosity (I'm not sure I could stand to read it), does anyone
know if he's published an entire book of limericks?

	/dave

Seems to me that there is, indeed, an Asimov book of limericks. His
Biblical Concordance is also interesting - when I saw that, I knew
that the man could write anything!

-b

(Working from memory) I believe he has FOUR books of limerics.

					andrew

Jerry,
	I haven't read one of Asimov's romances yet, but I would like to.
First I have to find out a title and author.  

	Asimov was on a book review show on the ARTS network recently.
He mentioned that he had written romances (and just about everything
else), but he didn't say whether they were under Asimov.  I'm just 
assuming he used a pen name.   

	Does anyone out there know a romance title by Asimov and/or the
pen name used (if any) ?

			Barbara

Has anyone else noticed how little content there seems to be in Asimov's most
recent books?  He writes so fast nowadays that he seems to be on auto-pilot. 
His science books are at an extremely low level, and even his SF is way below
his former standards.  I thought "Foundation's Edge", for instance, was not a
good extension of the Foundation series.  He had to conjure up an even more
secret foundation, and then started throwing in the robots as sequel hooks. 
The heart of the Foundation series was that you could apply quantitative
scientific methods to the study of history and psychology.  That's what he
should have been exploring, not these secret conspiracy plots.  However, I did
like "The Gods Themselves" and that was written only ten years ago. There must
be some juice left in him. 
/jlr

There are two books, the titles sound something like "Asimov's 100" and
"Asimov's 200". These books contain a few pages from each of his first 100
and 200 books respy. (both fiction/non-fiction I guess). The back cover of
these books list all the works by him. If someone dig up these books in the
library and type in the list....

There is somethig interesting on the cover of these books. Asimov is sitting
surrounded by several books presumably all his. And he is holding the same
book in his hand. Do book covers allow recursion ? :-)

Sampath

The books you're thinking of are OPUS 100 and OPUS 200. Both are obsolete;
OPUS 300 has been out for quite some time.

We've already covered the fiction here. If anyone is interested in a list
of all of Asimov's non-fiction, I suggest looking for OPUS 300 in the
library. I, for one, am not about to type in a list of 300 books.

--- jerry

Re:  .-1:

    And it would be out of date before you finished typing it in.  :-)

    I know this note is old but I just started going through 3000+ entries
    in this notes file, so...
    
    Re .3  Wasn't FANTASTIC VOYAGE first a short story?  I rember reading
    it in PLAYBOY a looong time ago and I thought it was well before
    the movie but I could be wrong.
    
    Re .12  This is the first criticism of FOUNDATIONS EDGE I have seen
    in this file and I was beginning to think I was in the minority.
    I enjoy most of what Asimov writes (try his "editorals" in Isaac
    Asimov's Science Fiction magazine for views of Asimov on Asimov's
    opinion of everything) but I fel that EDGE was a cheap
    commercialization of the foundation series.
    
    Jim

From the data page and cover of my copy of Fantastic Voyage:

			A NOVEL BY ISAAC ASIMOV
		BASED ON A SCREENPLAY BY HARRY KLEINER *
	      ADAPTATION BY DAVID DUNCAN * BASED ON A STORY
		   BY OTTO KLEMENT AND JAY LEWIS BIXBY

	A Condensed version of _Fantastic_Voyage_ has appeared in
	    THE SATURDAY EVENING POST.  Copyright (c) 1966 by
		 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.


Ray

    re:.17,.16
    
    Yes, a two-part condensation of the novel was published in the SEP
    around the time of the film and book's release.
    
    --- jerry

    	A friend of mine said he was at a dinner a few years ago in
    honor of Mr. Asimov, and that all Asimov did during the evening
    was write dirty limericks on napkins and hand them to other peoples'
    wives!
    	THIS is the man who wrote The Foundation Fourology?!
    
    	Larry
    

re:< Note 136.19 by EDEN::KLAES "It obstructs my view of Venus!" >
                            -< THE MARK OF GENIUS? >-

>    	A friend of mine said he was at a dinner a few years ago in
>    honor of Mr. Asimov, and that all Asimov did during the evening
>    was write dirty limericks on napkins and hand them to other peoples'
>    wives!
>    	THIS is the man who wrote The Foundation Fourology?!
>    
>    	Larry

Who wrote 'Venus on the half-shell?'.... Fake beard and all?

    Why do we insist on elevating people who produce something we like?
    
    Of course it's the man who produced the Foundation Tetrology.  He
    has a broad and slightly lecherous sense of humor, just like a lot
    of other people.  So what.  Big deal.  Just because the man writes
    books we like is o reason to expect he's all that different from
    the rest of us.
    
    Dave W.

    Re .19:
    
    It's "Dr. Asimov".
    
    
    				-- edp

        Asimov is reknowned for his volumes of dirty limericks (and
        even one or two clean ones!).  I imagine at least a good
        number of those women appreciated the jokes... and all of
        those napkins probably became moderately valuable.
        
        Anyone who ever thought Asimov was a clean-minded clean-living
        ivory tower genius author knows nothing about him aside from his
        major books.  He's written everything from pulp romance novels
        and collections of dirty limericks to easily readable and
        interesting *non-fiction* books dealing with real present day
        hard science.
        
        He *isn't* clean-minded or clean-living, nor does he reside
        in an ivory tower somehow intrinsically different from everyone
        else's environment.  He *is* a genius, and inarguably he
        is an author of overwhelming prolificity.
        
        To be surprized that the human who wrote The Foundation series
        is human seems a bit... well, odd.  If you like (some
        of---nobody could read *all* his books, and it's starkly
        incredible that anyone could possibly *write* them all!)
        his books, be satisfied with that.  Nobody, especially him,
        would ask that you should also like *him* personally.
        
        As to how he writes so much... well, there was a fantastic
        little humor story in Analog years ago entitled "The Astounding
        Dr. Amizov" about this guy who figured out how to clone himself,
        and put all the clones to work writing full time.  The major
        problem, of course, was that his agent got himself cloned,
        too, and each wanted his 10%...
        
        	/dave

    	Good Lord, I know SF fans can be testy, but this is ridiculous!
    I was simply retelling what a friend told me about DR. Asimov and
    his behavior at a dinner party because I found it more amusing than
    anything; I like Asimov too and was not out to insult the man!
    	I foolishly believed that some other DEC SF fans might have
    gotten a kick out of hearing such a story BECAUSE it showed Asimov
    so "down to Earth"!  
    	I seriously hope no one will find something to attack in this
    letter, too.
    
    	Larry
    

        Sorry, Larry... it was the incredulous tone of your
        
>   	THIS is the man who wrote The Foundation Fourology?!
        
        which got you in trouble, not the anecdote itself.  There
        was a strong implication that you were claiming the anecdote
        cast doubt on his capability as an author, in that it was
        difficult to believe that such a person could have created
        the Foundation series.
        
        If that wasn't your intent, then let's just let this whole
        thing blow over.
        
        	/dave

    	Let's blow it allover, because I'm NOT such a complete idiot
    as to think or imply that Asimov can't write!

    	Larry
                                                                    
    

      Re .19,.21
      
      By the way, the word isn't either 'fourology' or 'tetrology;'
      it's 'tetralogy.'
                =
      
      Dave C.

    	Just to answer Mr. Hays' question "Who wrote Venus on the
    Halfshell"?, it was Kilgore Trout.
    	Incidentally, that is NOT where I got my personal sentence from.
    A pink cigar to the one who knows where the phrase "It obstructs
    my view of Venus!" comes from. (Hints will be given).
    
    	Larry
    

    	"Fourology" was meant to be humorous, but if you look at some
    of the previous responses, you will see that humor doesn't seem
    to go over too well around here!
    
    	Larry
    

    re .28
    
    	Wild eyed guess department!
    
    	Halley's comet?
    
    
    		Now another:
    
    Where does the title for this reply come from, 'Me, I am allowed
    anywhere'.
    
    
    		Stan.

    Re .28	
    
    	C'mon Larry, too easy.  
    
    	It was Chuck Jones' space creature. Stated to Bugs Bunny who
    had just crashed on some sort of space station/world.  
    
    	Next up was the Aluvian(sic) q38 explosive space modulator.
    
    	What next, instant Martians?
    
    	Klaes
    

    re:.32, re:.28
    
    It was the Alludium Q36 Explosive Space Modulator.
    
    (By the way, the space creature was referred to as Martin the
    Martian.)
    
    re:.28, re:.20
    
    Hmmm... I thought I answered the question about VENUS... I guess
    not. Anyways, it was actually Philip Jose Farmer.
    
    --- jerry

    I believe "What! Me not allowed!" Is from Doctor Who.  I think the
    next line is "But I'm allowed everywhere!"
    
    Dave W.

>    	Just to answer Mr. Hays' question "Who wrote Venus on the
>    Halfshell"?, it was Kilgore Trout.

Who is (was) Kilgore Trout?

Phil

    If memory serves, Kilgore Trout is the creation of Kurt Vonnegut,
    whose name was subsequently taken as a psudonym by Philip Jose Farmer.
    
    People with more accurate information cheerfully invited to correct
    me.
    
    Dave W.

    RE Kilgore Trout:
    
    	Yes Kilgore Trout is (was) Philip Jose Farmer. I remember him
    writing an editorial in one of his collections (maybe Riverworld
    and Other Stories) about writing books by fictional authors. 
    (or maybe it was the PURPLE BOOK) anyway, he describes himself as
    a chameleon and a joker, and loves to do things like VOAH-S.
    
    sm

    Hello there fellow SF Lovers!
    
    Since this seems to be the topic for discussing the Good Doctor
    and his works, I have a question.
    
    I have in my possession a copy of the first half of Asimov's
    autobiography, "In Memory Yet Green".  I would like to obtain the
    second half, "In Joy Still Felt", but have been told by several
    bookstores that it is out of print.  Would anyone happen to know
    of a bookstore in the greater Boston area that might still have
    a copy lying around?
    
    Bruce

    	Try the numerous bookstores in Harvard Square - they're relatively
    close and of amazing variety.
    
    	Larry
    

	After reading  'Foundation's  Edge'  for  the  umpteenth time, I
	can't  believe you guys are criticizing it. Man, the Good Doctor
	really   shows  his   genius   there,  30  years  after  'Second
	Foundation'. 
	Anyway, will the 'Origin Question' ever be answered? Will Asimov
	let  the  guys find Earth in the next Foundation book? Or was it
	Gaia?

	A Sirian  cigar  to you if you can figure out who said 'This is,
	of course, impossible.'

	<PO>

    I did; I stole it from John Frederick Lange.
    
    						Don
    
    P.S.  Who said: "Time [...] is what keeps everything from happening
          at once."?
    

	(re: .-1)

	Well, you  have  me  confused there. I'm not very good at names,
	but  you  may  be  right  -  the  expression  was  used  in "The
	Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy: The Restaurant at the End of
	the Universe" when the Restaurant is described by the narrator -
	whose name may, or may not be, John Frederick Lange.

	"... there is no need to make reservations, because you can book
	retrospectively, as it were, when  you return to your own time. 
	This is, of course, impossible."

	The phrase is used several times in the description.

	<PO>

	PS: Sirian  cigars  are,  actually,  quite  nice. They're green,
	    but...

    And someday I may read the tril-4-ogy.  I keep buying new ones,
    'tho...
                                                      
    						Don

    	To elaborate further on the "ancient" question of who was Kilgore
    Trout:
    
    	Yes, he is the fictional creation of Kurt Vonnegut from his
    1965 novel, GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER.  There are even selections
    from the Trout novel, VENUS ON THE HALF SHELL, which were transplanted
    over into an actual full rendition of the novel - I assume this
    was written by Vonnegut himself.  
    
    	Amusing how in GBYMR, Trout's SF could only be found in the
    back of the most perverse porno bookstores imaginable.  Vonnegut's
    novel also makes some very good comments about SF writing.
    
    	Larry
    

    "Venus on the Halfshell" was written by Philip Jose Farmer, with
    (I believe) Vonnegut's permission.
    
    					andrew

    re:.44 re:.43
    
    Yes, Vonnegut gave Farmer permission and has regretted it ever
    since, because he hates having to tell people that he *didn't*
    write VENUS.
    
    --- jerry

From USENET -

Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Path: decwrl!amdcad!lll-crg!caip!daemon
Subject: harlan and isaac
Posted: 27 Sep 86 12:05:31 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
 
From: eric(wccs.e-simon%weslyn@weslyan.bitnet)
 
 
 
Regarding the further discussion of the egos of Isaac Asimov and
Harlan Ellision, I thought y'all would find this passage
interesting.
 
It is taken from _Dangerous Visions #1_ which has comments from
both men.  The passage describes the first time these two
gentlemen met; perhaps the greatest meeting of egos since the
time Asimov dined alone.
 
                     Foreward 2 - Harlan and I
 
                               by Isaac Asimov
 
This book is Harlan Ellison.  It is Ellison-drenched and
Ellsion-permeated.  I admit that thirty-two other authors
(including myself in a way) have contributed, but Harlan's
introduction and his thirty-two prefaces surround the stories
and embrace them and soak them through with the rich flavor of
his personality.
     So it is only fitting that I tell the story of how I came
to meet Harlan.
     The scene is a World Science Fiction Convention a little
over a decade ago.  I had just arrived at the hotel and I made
for the bar at once.  I don't drink, but I knew that the bar
would be where everybody was.  They were indeed all there, so
I yelled a greeting and everyone yelled back at me.
     Among them, however, was a youngster I had never seen
before:  a little fellow with sharp features and the livest eyes
I ever saw.  Those live eyes were now focused on me with
something that I can only describe as worship.
     He said, "Are you Isaac Asimov?"  And in his voice was awe
and wonder and amazement.
     I was rather pleased, but I struggled hard to retain a
modest demeanor.  "Yes, I am," I said.
     "You're not kidding?  You`re *really* Isaac Asimov?"  The
words have not yet been invented that would describe the ardor
and reverence with which his tongue caressed the syllables of
my name.
     I felt as though the least I could do would be to rest my
hand upon his head and bless him, but I controlled myself.  "Yes,
I am," I said, and by now my smile was a fatuous thing,
nauseating to behold.  "*Really*, I am."
     "Well, I think you're --" he began, still in the same tone
of voice, and for a split second he paused, while I listened and
the audience help its breath.  The youngster's face shifted in
that split second into an expression of utter contempt and he
finished the sentence with supreme indiference, "-- a *nothing*!"
     The effect, for me, was that of tumbling over a cliff I had
not known was there, and landing flat on my back.  I could only
blink foolishly while everyone present roared with laughter.
     The youngster was Harlan Ellison, you see, and I had never
met him before and didn't know his utter irreverence.  But
everyone else there knew him and they had waited for innocent
me to be neatly poniarded - and I had been.
     By the time I struggled back to something like equilibrium,
it was long past time for any possible retort.  I could only
carry on as best as I might, limping and bleeding , and grieving
that I had been hit when I wasn't looking and that not a man in
the room had had the self-denial to warn me and give up the
delight of watching me get mine.
     Fortunatley, I believe in forgiveness, and I made up my mind
to forgive Harlan completely - just as soon as I had paid him
back with interest.
     Now you must understand that Harlan is a giant among men
in courage, pugnacity, loquacity, wit, charm, intelligence -
indeed, in everything but height.
     He is not actually extremely tall.  In fact, not to put too
fine a point on it, he is quite short;  shorter, even, than
Napoleon.  And instinct told me, as I struggled up from disaster,
that this young man, who was not introduced to me as the
well-known fan, Harlan Ellison, was a trifle sensitive on that
subject.  I made a mental note of that.
     The next day at this convention I was on the platform,
introducing notables and addressing a word of kindly love to each
as I did so.  I kept my eye on Harlan all this time, however,
for he was sitting right up front (where else?).
     As soon as his attention wandered, I called out his name
suddenly.  He stood up, quite surprised and totally unprepared,
and I leaned forward and said, as sweetly as I could:
     "Harlan, stand on the fellow next to you, so that people
can see you."
     And while the audience (a much larger one this time) laughed
fiendishly, I forgave Harland and we have been good friends ever
since.
 
                                         Isaac Asimov
                                         February 1967
 
 
I just though that was funny.
 
Take care,
 
Eric J. Simon
wccs.e-simon%weslyn@wesleyan.bitnet
 

    	In Kurt Vonnegut's latest novel, GALAPAGOS, there is more
    background given on the "famous" SF writer, Kilgore Trout.  We also
    get to meet his son, Leon, who also happens to exist for over one
    million years on Earth.
    
    	But you're gonna have to read the book to find out why.
    
    	Larry
    

Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf-lovers
Path: decwrl!decvax!ucbvax!cbatt!clyde!rutgers!daemon
Subject: Kilgore Trout and VENUS ON THE HALF SHELL
Posted: 29 Jan 87 08:02:07 GMT
Organization: 
 
From: Bob Pratt <pratt@camelot.stanford.edu>
 
    Kilgore Trout was definitely Phillip Jose Farmer. I went to a
speech he gave today @ Stanford, and someone asked him the story
behind the Trout book. Here it is, as best as I can remember: 

    He (Farmer) read and liked Vonnegut's books, quite a few of which
mention a downtrodden SF author named Kilgore Trout. He empathised
with Trout, and decided it would be fun to actually write one of the
Trout books that had been mentioned in passing by Vonnegut. So he took
the cover blurb that Vonnegut described and wrote a book, which was
published with the same back cover blurb. The photo used of the author
was Farmer with a sliced-up white wig as a beard. He described the
look as that of a terrified Christ. Anyway, it had taken Farmer quite
a while to persuade Vonnegut to go along with the idea, and a problem
arose after publication. Many people assumed that Trout was Vonnegut,
and sent him mail either praising or damning the book. Since Vonnegut
hadn't written it, he was annoyed to get all that mail about it, so
when Farmer asked for permission to write another Kilgore Trout book
that Vonnegut had described, Vonnegut refused to let him. Farmer said
that they feuded for a while as a result of this, but they finally
agreed not to say nasty things about each other in public. Farmer also
said that he thought Vonnegut had cheated on that agreement. 
 
    Anyway, there's what I hope is an accurate version of Farmer
describing how VENUS ON THE HALF SHELL came to be written. And if you
ever get a chance to have him tell the story in person, do so, because
he makes it extremely amusing. 

				Bob 

    	In the Sunday, October 25 edition of THE BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE,
    there is a relatively short but very interesting and informative
    interview with Isaac Asimov, located on the inside front cover.
    Asimov gives some very good insights into today's trends in SF.
    
    	Larry
          

Newsgroups: comp.edu,sci.math,sci.physics
Path: decwrl!purdue!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!nic.MR.NET!umn-d-ub!dkingsle
Subject: Re: Student preparedness
Posted: 18 Jan 89 22:39:52 GMT
Organization: U. of Minnesota-Duluth, Computer Center
Xref: decwrl comp.edu:2117 sci.math:5794 sci.physics:5950
 
    In article <331@sunset.MATH.UCLA.EDU>, troly@redwood.math.ucla.edu
(Bret Jolly) writes: 

> In article <85191@sun.uucp> landman@sun.UUCP (Howard A. Landman) writes:
> >My first grade teacher taught that there was no such thing as a negative
> >number.  It took me three years to figure out she was wrong, but when I
> >did, I was furious for a month.
> 
>   My 3rd grade teacher said the same thing, but I didn't believe her.
> I tried to explain them, but that only served to enrage her. She
> pulled me up in front of the class and said, "All right smarty, show
> the class numbers less than zero on your fingers. See, you can't, so
> there aren't any! Nyaah!" I had just come to this country and the
> encounter left me wondering if Americans were just intellectually
> inferior.
 
    This reminds me of something I read in Isaac Asimov's book,
ASIMOV ON NUMBERS:
 
    In college, Asimov was waiting for a friend's class to finish and
sat in the back of the room.  The instructor had lists of scientists
and mystics on the board and included mathematicians in the list of
mystics. Asimov asked why, and the instructor said, "Because they
believe in numbers that don't exist.  The square root of minus one
doesn't exist, but they believe that it has an existence of some sort." 
 
    Asimov said, "What do you mean?  It's just as real as any other number." 
 
    The instructor said, "My friends, we have here a budding
mathematician who believes that the square root of minus one exists. 
If so, would you care to hand me the square root of minus one pieces
of chalk?" 
 
    Asimov hesitated, then said, "Okay, I'll do it, if you hand me
half a piece of chalk." 
 
    The instructor took a piece of chalk, broke it into two pieces,
and handed one of the pieces to Asimov.  He then said, "Okay.  Now
fulfill your end of the bargain." 
 
    Asimov said, "That isn't half a piece of chalk.  It's one piece. 
It certainly doesn't look like two or three." 
 
    The instructor replied, "A one half piece of chalk is half a
regulation piece." 
 
    Asimov said, "Now let's assume that I accept your defintion of
half a piece of chalk.  How can you be sure that isn't a .52 or a .48
piece? Furthermore, how can you feel qualified to talk about the square 
root of minus one when you're a bit fuzzy on the concept of one half?" 
 
    The instructor then became infuriated and ordered Asimov,
laughing, out of the room. 
 
    David Kingsley
    Department of Mathematics and Statistics
    University of Minnesota, Duluth

    "The spear in the other's heart is the spear in your own; you are he."

From:	JUNO::BAILEY       "Eight or bust......." 14-AUG-1989 07:33:48.25
To:	POLAR::LACAILLE
CC:	
Subj:	RE: Permission for cross note

Permission granted!!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Copied with permission -
    
    Charlie
    
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                             -< You be the critic >-
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Note 41.247                   Favorite movie quotes                   247 of 249
BOOTIS::BAILEY "And Soon the Darkness"               33 lines   8-AUG-1989 16:38
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Isaac Asimov recounts the difficulty his daughter had with the 
films (Fantastic Voyage) ending... "Won't the ship now
expand and kill the man, daddy?"
"Yes, Robyn.. but you see that because you're smarter than the 
average Hollywood producer. After all, you're eleven

GBB

        This is from the January Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine:

        Publisher's Note:

        There is one byline missing from this issue, and it's significant
    because it is missing for the first time in 34 years.  Last month we
    published Isaac Asimov's 399th science essay, in a series that has
    continued without interruption since November 1958.  We had hoped to
    present number 400 in this issue, with some fanfare.  That will, sadly,
    be delayed indefinitely; Dr. Asimov has had to stop writing the column
    because of health problems.  We know that you join us in wishing him 
    a rapid improvement, and we hope to elicit at least an occasional
    contribution in the future.  We'll keep you posted on plans for the
    science column in the April issue. - Edward L. Ferman

    I've heard it through the grapevine that Asimov is for all intents
    and purposes retiring from writing completely. His heart never really
    recovered much from the heart attack he had many years ago, and it
    was only a matter of time before he had to stop working or have it
    give out on him completely.
    
    --- jerry

    As an avid SF/Fantasy reader, I find myself in the same predicament
    that I did 7 years ago... *I don't know where to start with the Asimov
    robots series*
    
    Can anyone supply/mail me with a recommended order of reading of the
    Robots series ?
    
    Bob

    re:.55
    
    There's no real order to Asimov's robot stories.  They can all be read
    independently of each other since they are separate stories.  The only
    thing they have in common are the robots.  But if you want a rough
    order, the best way would probably be the following:
    
    "I, Robot"		
    "Caves Of Steel"
    "The Naked Sun"
    "Robots & Empire"
    
    "I, Robot" is a collection of short stories.  It is a good introduction
    to Asimovian robots since the short stories discuss how the 3 laws of
    robotic came about and how robots came into being.  The rest are full
    length novels.  "Robots and Empire" merges Asimov's robot stories with
    his "Foundation series" which is the story of the Galactic Empire.

    Insert "Robots of Dawn" before the last on the list in .56.
    
    Also, there is "The Rest of the Robots", which is another collection of
    robot short stories, and "Robot Dreams", which is a more recent
    collection.
    
    "The Complete Robot" is a compilation of most of the robot short
    stories.
    
    If you want a list of Asimov's books in some kind of "galactic
    timeline" sequence (ie. roughly the "historical" sequence of the 
    stories, as opposed to the order of their writing), there is such a
    list in one of Asimov's more recent books. I think it is in "Prelude to
    Foundation", but I am not certain.
    
    Dave Hazel

    
    	See note 377.* for a discussion on the reading order of the Robot
    and Foundation novels. They do get interwoven.
    
    			Jim

    
    hmmm..  my brother bought me The Robot Novels which I just started
    tonight.  This contains caves of steel, the naked sun, robots of dawn. 
    did i, robot come first (i KNOW i've read it anyway but it was probably
    15 years ago and i dont recall anything about it).
    

    re:.59
    
    Yes, I, ROBOT came first. It was originally published circa 1950
    and is comprised of short stories first published throughout the
    40's. THE REST OF THE ROBOTS is more of the same. THE CAVES OF
    STEEL was originally published in 1953 and THE NAKED SUN in 1956.
    
    ROBOTS OF DAWN and ROBOTS AND EMPIRE was first published in the
    80's.
    
    --- jerry

    Many thanks for the pointers, at least I have somewhere to start now.
    
    Bob

    
    Isaac Asimov: R.I.P.

    WHAT!!!!!!!
    
    Explain, please.

>    Explain, please.

Isaac Asimov died yesterday (Sunday, 5 April 1992) in a New York hospital.
Early reports did not note a proximate cause of death, although he has 
been known to have been in failing health for some time.

    The cause of death that I heard reported was heart and kidney failure.
    
    He was 72.

	Confirmed, heard it on a New York City radio station while driving
	to work this morning. His age was listed as 72, and he died while
	in NY University Hospital.

	- Chris

    
    Sorry to be the bearer of the bad news but a giant of Scince and Scince
    Fiction past away this morning (4-6-92) in New York, Isaac Asimov.
    He will be missed greatly. On the personal side I had met the man many
    of times a Quite a few conentions, and it was a running joke if he
    didn't have a couple of young woman under his arms he was having a
    bad day. To thing this gentle would never fly in an airplane, but I
    heard that he was tricked once into taking one and he was scared realy
    bad and was shaking the whole time, maybe it was because he knew all
    the things that could go wrong. Again may he reast in peace. 
    
    Now let us have a monent of silence and remember him.
    
     

    
    I lost my taste for his stuff as I got older, but there was no denying,
    the man could write.  And the only time I ever met him he was very
    pleasant to a bunch of fairly nervy college students.  R. I. P.
    
    DFW

    I'm sorry he's gone, too.  His "I, Robot" was the first SF I ever read,
    and I collected his non-fiction science for a time; he was very lucid.
    He certainly left his stamp on SF, and even on the real-world computer
    and robotics industries, I think; he set himself the goal of combating
    the "Frankenstein complex," as his robopsychologist character Susan
    Calvin called it, the stereotype of robot as steel bogeyman.  I don't
    think he was the only writer to do this (there were the "Adam Link"
    stories of Eando Binder, for one), but he was certainly the leading
    light.
    
    "Positronic brains" and variations on Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics 
    (especially the First Law, "A robot may not harm a human being or allow 
    a human being to come to harm") crop up a lot in SF now.  (Star Trek's 
    Lt. Cmdr. Data is the best-known example.  Robbie the Robot from
    "Forbidden Planet" is another.)
    
    I am not sure if his "pro-robot" stories made real-world computers and
    robotics more acceptable, but it wouldn't be impossible.
    
    I'm sure galactic empires were written up before and after the
    "Foundation" series, but his empire sticks in my mind as the canonical
    example.  I suppose it's the same for many other SF readers.
    
    He was a major force in SF and in science popularization, for a very
    long time.  I don't think he should be forgotten soon, and I don't
    think he will be.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

Sorry to hear of his passing.

I knew Isaac since I was 17, while he was still at BU.  He had a marvelous
sense of humor then, and it didn't flag throughout his life.  I won't
remimisce too much about him here.  He _was_ a compulsive writer, though.

On his airplaneophobia: the one time he was totally unsympathetic with what I 
considered one of my personal triumphs was when I told him I'd obtained my
pilot's license.  I suspect he was afraid I might invite him to take a flight
with me at the controls.  He used this phobia as a character-facet for his
futuristic armchair detective, Wendell Urth.

He will be missed.  Her is one of the few science-fiction writers whose name is a
household word.

Steve Kallis, Jr.

Died, Robot.

								- JIM CAD*

Article: 886
From: clarinews@clarinet.com
Newsgroups: clari.news.interest.people,clari.news.books
Subject: Science fiction author Isaac Asimov dies at 72
Date: 6 Apr 92 14:21:28 GMT
 
	NEW YORK (UPI) -- Isaac Asimov, the patriarch of science
fiction, died early Monday at New York University Medical Center after
a lengthy illness.  He was 72. 

	The author of more than 375 books died of chronic heart
trouble and kidney failure at 2:30 a.m., said his physician, Dr. Paul
Esserman.  He had entered the hospital last Thursday. 

	In addition to science fiction, which he began writing in
1950, Asimov also wrote expertly about science, religion, mathematics,
the Bible, Shakespeare, and Gilbert and Sullivan.  He was a biochemist
by profession and a longtime professor at the Boston University School
of Medicine. 

	His last book, ``Asimov Laughs Again,'' was published by
Harper Collins last week and contained his favorite jokes and
anecdotes about himself and his friends. 

	The books closes with the observation that he had lived a long
time, gained fame and fortune and, ``No matter what happens now, I've
had a good life and I'm satisfied.'' 

	``It's not everyone who can go out saying that,'' said his
wife, Janet, who said there would be no funeral service but a memorial
service which was being planned for later. 

	Asimov was considered the most prolific fiction writer ever,
except for the late John Creasey, who wrote almost 600 mysteries under
various names, and French author Georges Simenon, creator of Inspector
Maigret, whose count stands somewhere in between that of Asimov and Creasey. 

	He was one of the Big Three of science fiction, along with the
late Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. 

	Asimov was born in Petrovichi, Russia, Jan. 2, 1920.  He came
to the United States in 1923 and was naturalized five years later.  He
grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from New York's Columbia University
in 1939, adding a master's degree in biochemestry in 1941, and a
doctor's degree in 1948.  He served as a chemist with the U.S. Navy
during World War II. 

	He began writing science fiction short stories for magazines
in 1939 and published his first books, ``Pebbles in the Sky'' and ``I,
Robot,'' in 1950. 

	He is best known as the creator of the ``Foundation'' trilogy,
written in 1951-1953, which won the Hugo award in science fiction.
Asimov picked up additional Hugos in 1982 with ``Foundation's Edge,''
and a fifth volume, ``Foundation and Earth,'' in 1986. ``Prelude to
Foundation'' appeared in 1988. 

	The original Foundation trilogy, featuring Hari Seldon's
theory of psychohistory, was published first in a magazine, then in
book form from a small press, Gnome Press, in the 1950s but did not
become hits until their publication by Doubleday in 1966. 

	Asimov said he developed his robot characters as a way of
side-stepping his first editor, Jim Campbell, who objected to any
alien superiority over human beings. 

	``About the only way to make them a robot is to make them
better than human beings,'' Asimov said.  For example, his robot
character Olivaw R. Daneel ``is more ethical, more noble, more
rational, more sacrificing.  To me that's a dead giveaway.'' 

	Asimov is intensely interested in artificial intelligence, and
robots often appear in his books.  With his book ``I, Robot,'' Asimov
established the Three Laws of Robotics that science fiction writers in
general adhere to.  The laws state that: 

	1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction,
allow a human being to come to harm. 

	2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings,
except where such orders would conflict with the first law. 

	3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such
protection does not conflict with the first or second law. 

	In 1984, Asimov added a fourth law, which he called
``zeroeth,'' in ``Robots and Empire.''  This law took precedence over
the other three and stated that a robot may not injure humanity, or
through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. 

	From his West 66th Street apartment overlooking New York's
Central Park, Asimov also wrote numerous mysteries, and books on
science and religion such as guides to the New Testament and Old
Testament.  Many of his books on science were written for young people
and laymen. 

	Whatever the topic, Asimov writes with a sense of humor --
sometimes tongue-in-cheek, sometimes with puns. 

	``I have been fortunate to be born with a restless and
efficient brain, with a capacity for clear thought and ability to put
that thought into worlds,''  Asimov once said.  ``I have been avid to
learn and avid to teach.'' 

	The author began Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine and
Isaac Asimov Presents to provide outlets for young science fiction writers. 

	Asimov admitted to being a workaholic and said he would like
to end his days ``face down on my typewriter.'' 

	Asimov's love besides writing was singing with his fellow
members of New York's Gilbert & Sullivan Society. 

	In 1979, he was appointed full professor of biochemistry at
Boston University, the repository for his manuscripts, letters and
papers.  Among his many honors were 14 honorary doctors degrees from
various universities. 

	He married Gertrude Blugerman in 1942 and they were divorced
in 1973.  They had two children, David and Robyn Joan.  He married Janet
Jepson in 1973. 

As you might know, Isaac was a friend.
This is appropriate.

The following appeared in the January, 1992 issue of _Fate_, copyright 1992
Llewellyn Publications, and entered without permission.

                         FROM THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

     It was at his 70th birthday party, held only a few weeks after he under-
went heart by-pass surgery.  Isaac Asimov, author of over 440 science and
science fiction books, reveals that he hardly ever remembers any of his dreams
upon awakening.  However, he remembers a recent one very vividly.  He dreamed
he had died and arrived at heaven's gate and after giving his name to "the 
keeper" was cordially invited in.
     "But I don't belong here," he protested.  "I'm not worthy nor qualified --
I'm an athiest!"
     "The decision isn't up to you," said the gatekeeper.  "We decide who is
worthy to be in heaven."
                                 ####

     Enter in peace, Isaac.

Steve Kallis, Jr.

    Taken from the Main News section edited by Tom Povey.  This document is
    133 lines.
    
    From: MAGIC::MARVIN::CASEE::VNS "The VOGON News Service  07-Apr-1992 1009"  7-APR-1992 05:20:04.01
    Aritcle by RAYNER PIKE Associated Press Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) - Isaac Asimov, the prolific writer of science fact and
    fiction who laid down the literary laws of how robots must behave, died
    today, his brother said. He was 72. Stanley Asimov, a vice president of
    Newsday, said his brother died at 2:20 a.m. at New York University
    Hospital of heart and kidney failure.

    Earlier this year, Asimov announced that a prostate operation had slowed
    him down and he was cutting back on his writing. He also suspended his
    monthly column in Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine, to which he had
    contributed some 400 columns and articles over 33 years. Publishing 10
    or more titles in a year was no big deal for Asimov, and his production
    had continued after a heart attack in 1977 and triple bypass surgery in
    1983.

    Among the nearly 500 books Asimov wrote, three early novels known as the
    ``Foundation'' trilogy were honored in 1966 with a special Hugo Award as
    the best science-fiction series ever. Asimov promulgated the three
    ``Laws of Robotics'' in his second book, ``I, Robot,'' a 1950 collection
    of connected stories about the introduction of sentient machines into
    human society. He required that each robot brain be programmed with
    these immutable commandments: Robots may not injure a human or, by
    inaction, allow a human to be harmed; robots must obey humans' orders
    unless that conflicts with the first law; robots must protect their own
    existence unless that conflicts with the first two laws. Robots as
    conscienceless marauders and implacable killing machines were a cliche
    of pre-Asimov pulp sci-fi. But the logic of Asimov's laws have been
    largely acknowledged by other writers and, ``Terminator'' movies
    notwithstanding, they changed the image of fictional robots from the
    malign to the solicitous. The Foundation books, set in a future galactic
    empire, featured another engine of the imagination that Asimov called
    ``psychohistory,'' a wedding of mathematics, history, psychology and
    sociology that almost unerringly reveals what the future holds. Robot
    and galactic empire themes eventually expanded and intertwined in 14
    novels. Taken together, they formed a picture of humanity in millennia
    to come - spread through the stars, with earth itself all but forgotten,
    but the people still in the thrall of human nature.

    Asimov was a biochemist by training and a hallmark of his fiction was
    that the science, sometimes mindboggling - like faster-than-light travel
    - was nonetheless convincing. One book in which Asimov conceded his
    science was not so hot was the popular ``Fantastic Voyage'' in 1966,
    about a medical team being miniaturized and injected into the
    bloodstream of a dying man. The microscopic-sized characters were so
    small that a molecule of oxygen would be too big to breathe, Asimov
    said.

    In hundreds of books of science fact, Asimov was a master explainer of
    the abstruse and complicated, a plain-English guide for the young or the
    scientifically semiliterate. He could put an intelligent but ignorant
    reader at ease with everything from the mysteries of mathematics to the
    keys to the genetic code. His work also ranged through history, the arts
    and humor, as indicated in such titles as ``The Sensuous Dirty Old Man''
    in 1971 and ``The Shaping of France'' and ``Asimov's Annotated Don
    Juan'' in 1972.

    His most recent entry in ``Who's Who'' said he was the author of 467
    books and actually lists 249 titles. A not untypical year for Asimov,
    1977, included such books as ``Familiar Poems Annotated,'' ``The
    Collapsing Universe,'' ``Asimov on Numbers,'' ``How Did We Find Out
    About Outer Space?'' ``Still More Lecherous Limericks,'' ``The Hugo
    Winners, Vol. II,'' ``The Beginning and the End,'' ``Mars, the Red
    Planet,'' ``The Golden Door,'' ``The Key Word and Other Mysteries'' and
    ``Asimov's Sherlockian Limericks.''

    Asimov once told an interviewer about a time he was saddened at the
    prospect of dying and having his brain decay. But then he cheered
    himself with the thought, ``I don't have to worry about that, because
    there isn't an idea I've ever had that I haven't put down on paper.''
    Contemplating his output and popularity, Asimov called himself ``the
    beneficiary of a lucky break in the genetic sweepstakes.''

    He was born in Petrovichi in the Soviet Union Jan. 2, 1920, and brought
    to the United States when he was 3. His parents ran a candy store in
    Brooklyn and at age 9 Asimov, helping out in the store, began reading
    the stock of science-fiction pulps. He majored in chemistry at Columbia
    University, but also put his hand to storytelling. His first short
    story, ``Marooned Off Vesta,'' after a dozen rejections, ran in the
    October 1938 issue of Amazing Stories. One of the rejecting editors,
    John Campbell of Astounding Science Fiction, said years later that the
    18-year-old Asimov was ``lean and hungry and very enthusiastic. He
    couldn't write, but he could tell a story. You can teach a guy how to
    write, but not how to tell a story.''

    Asimov said a watershed of his writing career came at age 21, when
    Campbell paid him $150 for his 12,000-word story ``Nightfall.'' That was
    a cent-and-a-quarter per word rather than the then-standard one cent a
    word and Asimov exulted over the bonus, saying later, ``I had never,
    till then, received so huge a payment for any story.'' Asimov earned
    advanced degrees in chemistry at Columbia, sandwiched around Army
    service in World War II. He became a biochemistry teacher at Boston
    University Medical School in 1949 and there co-wrote a textbook on human
    metabolism. That set him off to writing science books for laymen and led
    to his quitting his academic post in 1958 to be a writer full time.
    ``All I did was abandon the retail field for wholesale teaching,'' he
    quipped. What was involved, he said, was ``to read what other scientists
    write and translate it into English.''

    During his decade of teaching, his first novel, ``Pebble in the Sky,''
    came out in 1950, followed by the first robot and Foundation books. Also
    notable among the novels were ``The Caves of Steel'' in 1954 and ``The
    Naked Sun'' in 1957, in which a human cop is teamed with a robot
    detective. The two characters reappear in later books. Asimov said
    writing was a pleasure for him, not the tortured exercise many authors
    describe. He said he rarely could ``stop writing for as much as three or
    four days at a time without feeling either guilty or restless.'' ``I
    actually love the mechanics of sitting at the typewriter or the word
    processor and doing it,'' he told USA Today in 1987. He said he was too
    self-assured to have doubts about his outpourings, ``so I'm not forever
    patching and repatching and worrying and losing sleep.''

    Interviewer Barbara Walters once asked what he'd do if a doctor said he
    had six months to live. ``I'd type faster,'' Asimov responded. His
    keyboard speed was a fast-enough 90 words per minute and a typical
    workday might yield 2,000 to 4,000 words.

    He worked from a 33rd floor apartment on Central Park West, where he
    lived with his second wife, Janet Jeppson, a retired psychiatrist. His
    first marriage, to Gertrude Blugerman in 1942, produced two children,
    David and Robyn. He also is survived by a sister, Marcia Rapanes.
    Stanley Asimov said a memorial service for his brother will be held at a
    date to be announced.

	AP-NY-04-06-92 0830EDT


    Permission to copy material from this VNS is granted (per DIGITAL PP&P)
    provided that the message header for the issue and credit lines for the
    VNS correspondent and original source are retained in the copy.

<><><><><><><><>   VNS Edition : 2551     Tuesday  7-Apr-1992   <><><><><><><><>
    

    
    According to an interview rebroadcast last night, Dr. Asimov is
    credited in the Oxford English Dictionary with having first used the
    words "robotic" "positronic" and "psychohistory" in published English.
    
    DFW

	If I have to make a choice, I would pick Robert A. Heinlein.

	But lucky for me (and all of us), no choice is necessary;
	all their work is out there, to revisit like old friends or
	to discover and be amazed the way I was as a teenager when I
	read Nightfall and Foundation and I, Robot for the first time.

	Isaac Asimov educated me and entertained me and helped to show
	me the magic and glory of our universe.

	Back in the '50s my friend and I bicycled from Medford to
	his home in Newton, Mass.  We didn't have the guts to ring his
	doorbell.  Maybe we thought he would be out cutting the grass 
	or something.  Yeah, right.

	So we left without seeing him, but we were satisfied just
	knowing	he was there and as we rode away, I could have sworn
	I heard the sound of a typewriter...

	rjc

    

    Re .76 (Bob):
    
        >So we left without seeing him, but we were satisfied just
	>knowing	he was there and as we rode away, I could have sworn
	>I heard the sound of a typewriter...
        
    One of my earliest Asimovian memories.
    
    Shortly after I met him, he invited me out to his house in West Newton
    (Mass).  After meeting his wife, he asked me if I'd like to see his
    work area.
    
    Naturally, I assented.
    
    He took me up to the attic of his house, which had been remodeled into
    a kind of study, with desk, lamps, some bookshelves, etc.  The
    wallpaper, which showed spaceships, was specially made for him by
    Doubleday  (he was still primarily teaching at BU, but he was already
    grinding them out).
    
    What caught my attention was that in this pre-word-processor study
    there were four typewriters.  Two were electric; two manual.
    
    I asked him, politely, why he had two electric typewriters (which, in
    those days, were Expensive).
    
    He replied, "Well, I generally work on  this one.  If it should break
    down, I still have the other, so I can keep working."
    
    "Okay," I said carefully.  "But why the two manual ones."
    
    He looked at me seriously.  "Suppose there's a power failure ...."
    
    He _was_ a compulsive writer
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

The Master is gone and the world is diminished by his passing. Isaac Asimov, 
is dead at 72. 

Luck Starr introduced me to the rings of Saturn and to what was to 
become a life long passion for fiction of science and fantasy. R. Danieel 
showed us the futility of science without humanity...and Isaac, himself, showed 
us that science could save the world as well as destroy it.

We'll miss his warmth, his humor, and his insight. A great man and human being 
has passed, but his memory and his work remains as a beacon showing, as always, 
the way to the future and the stars. Good-by Mr. Asimov, we'll miss you.

    re:.68
    
    Like Dave Wall, I lost my taste for his work with time, but in my
    younger days, he was one of my favorites. Back in high school, in
    my junior year English class, we were assigned a term paper on a
    modern American writer, and I chose Asimov. I got an A+ (yes, really,
    an A+) on the paper. A year or so later, I met Isaac at a NESFA
    meeting (in those days, he was still living in Newton and attended
    NESFA meetings with some regularity) and told him about my paper;
    he seemed genuinely pleased and we spent a nice half-hour chatting
    about this and that.
    
    Asimov was one of the people responsible for my interest in science
    fiction, and in science, and for that I owe him a great deal. His
    passing was inevitable. Not just because it had to happen some day,
    but because I knew when I first heard some months back that he was
    essentially retiring from writing because it took too much out of
    him that it was only a matter of time. Writing is what he lived for.
    
    One of my favorite anecdotes concerns Isaac. It was from an article
    in the Boston Sunday Globe Magazine about 20 years back. In describing
    some of the best compliments he'd received about his work, he mentioned
    one time in which a librarian told him, "Dr. Asimov, your books are the
    ones most stolen from our shelves." That's praise indeed, he said.
    
    --- jerry

	The first "real" science fiction book I can remember reading
	(other than Tom Swift Jr., or A Wrinkle in Time) was Foundation.
	It is also the one that has had the most impact on me.

	I can remember the exact time and place ... summer job, August, 
	1977, Kendall Square, on the lawn of the old NASA building, second
	tree to the right ...  A year later I changed my major to psychology.  
	Next I went on to computer programming, term paper in  robotics.  I 
	wonder if psychohistory might have predicted that I end up working 
	in an organization that develops AI/expert systems?

	I'm envious of those of you who have known him other than through
	his works.  My biggest regret is never having had the opportunity 
	to meet Isaac Asimov, shake his hand, and tell him how much pleasure 
	his stories have given me.

	Mike H.

Article: 50
From: revpk@cellar.org (Brian 'Rev P-K' Siano)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.fandom,rec.arts.sf.announce,rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Asimov Rememberance by James Randi
Date: 8 Apr 92 13:41:11 GMT
Sender: scott@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Scott Hazen Mueller)
Organization: The Cellar BBS and public access system
 
        the following is a brief rememberance of Isaac Asimov by James
"The Amazing" Randi: 
 
	The news came this morning that Asimov has died.  His passing
has to be a loss to the community of skeptics, and I feel that I should 
share with you a few observations on the phenomenon he represented. 

	In recent months, Dr. Asimov suffered greatly from depression.
He'd undergone a triple bypass operation some two years ago, and I'm
told that depression often follows that procedure.  He'd given up
writing and even corresponding with friends.  My last card from him
says merely, "I'm very ill, and unable to become involved in new
projects."  That was very unlike Isaac. 

	A prodigious talent, he possessed the ability to express
clearly and concisely the beauty of science and technology while also
sweeping us away with grand, fabulous scenarios set on imaginary
planets in remote and wonderful galaxies.  Isaac probably wrote more
lucidly to express science to the layman, than any other person we can
think of.  Everything from the Sun to the Bible came under his
analytical eye and was the better for the experience.  All of us were
certainly well served by our teacher. 

	He had an ego.  A prodigious ego.  But I've often said that
the man had a perfect right to it.  He was paradoxical in some
respects; while he freely wrote of faster-than-light space vehicles
streaking among the stars, he had a life-long fear of flying here on
Earth, and could often be found standing in New York's Grand Central
Station consulting train schedules, rather than at an airport. 

	Years ago, when I timidly wrote him to ask for an introduction
to one of my first books, he graciously replied by postcard (his
favorite form of postal communication) and merely asked how many words
would be required.  Having just seen Isaac on a television interview
in which he used a triple redundancy ("Some authors only write one
book or poem, but it becomes an eternal classic for all time"), and in
a feeble attempt at pulling his side-burns, I wrote back.  "Perhaps,"
I said, "one who uses such figures of speech might not be capable of
writing an introduction for my new book!"  Almost instantly a postcard
response was before me. "Then tell me, sir, what horse's ass, when he
wished to say, `The unkindest cut,' would say instead, `The most
unkindest cut of all'?"   I surrendered the field quickly, having been
unwise enough to attempt fencing with Zorro. 

	The man will always be with us through his books.  That is his
immortality; he can never be truly gone from among us.  And, for all
we know, that fear of flying may not have kept him from now soaring
among the nebulae and perhaps chasing down an interesting comet for
closer examination.  Thank you for being here, Dr. Asimov, and sharing
your wit and wisdom with us all.  We cannot forget you. - JR
 
Brian "Rev. P-K" Siano                                  revpk@cellar.org

...Saure really turns out to be an adept at the difficult art of papryomancy,
the ability to prophesy through contemplating the way people roll reefers -
the shape, the licking pattern, the wrinkles and folds or absence thereof
in the paper.  "You will soon be in love," sez Saure, "see, this line here."
"It's long, isn't it?  Does that mean --" "Length is usually intensity.
Not time."                       -- Thomas Pynchon, _Gravity's Rainbow_

    Here are the last paragraphs of Asimov's last book, _Asimov Laughs
    Again_.
    
         Janet and I met on May 1, 1959, and fell in love at once. 
         Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about it.  I was
         married.  It was an unhappy marriage, but I was married.  And
         I had two small children.
         
         So we could only correspond and yearn for each other, until
         my marriage broke up.  Since then, we have lived together,
         gotten married, and the point is that for thirty-two years
         now we have stayed deeply in love.
         
         I'm afraid that my life has just about run its course and I
         don't really expect to live much longer.  However, our love
         remains and I have no complaints.
         
         In my life, I have had Janet and I have had my daughter,
         Robyn, and my son, David; I have had a large number of good
         friends; I have had my writing and the fame and fortune it
         has brought me; and no matter what happens to me now, it's
         been a good life, and I am satisfied with it.
         
         So please don't worry about me, or feel bad.  Instead I only
         hope that this book has brought you a few laughs.

    From "Asimov on Science" subtitled "A 30 Year Retrospective 1959-1989"
    
    "I also know that I cannot live forever and that there is not likely to
    be any way in which I can write another 360 essays. Someday the last
    essay will be written and what its number will be I don't know. But
    when that day comes I suppose there will be very little I will regret,
    in the leaving of life, as much as the loss of the chance to keep on
    writing these essays forever."
    
    [The book is a collection of selected essays published in Asimov's
    monthly science column in _The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction_.]

Article: 6290
From: cs635124@umbc5.umbc.edu (cs635124)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Asimov's Ghost?
Date: 8 Apr 92 04:04:47 GMT
Sender: newspost@umbc3.umbc.edu (News posting account)
Organization: University of Maryland Baltimore Campus, Academic Computing 
              Services
 
   I heard about the Good Doctor's death Monday morning driving to
work. (This must have been only a few hours after he died.)  When I
got to work and logged on for the day, my fortune was: 
 
   "I do not fear computers; I fear the lack of them."

                            -- Isaac Asimov
 
Silly, but I had to tell someone....
 
Goodbye, Doctor A.  >snif<  Thanks for all the wonderful stories.

    "The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new
   discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's funny ..."

					 -- Isaac Asimov (1920-1992)

Article: 6586
From: jwenn@world.std.com (John C Wenn)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.books
Subject: Author Lists: Isaac Asimov [repost]
Date: 15 Apr 92 05:56:18 GMT
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
 
Here's a repost of my Isaac Asimov list.  Since the orignal posting
I've added all of his non-SF fiction, plus all the anthologies he has
edited.  Still not listed are the 200-ish non-fiction books.  And I'm
sure that there are several more yet to be published. 
 
/John
 
-----------------------
Date:  2 Dec 88 08:26:50 PST (Friday)
Subject: Author Lists: Isaac Asimov
From: jwenn@world.std.com (John Wenn)
To: SF-LOVERS%rutgers:EDU
Edited: 9-Apr-92
 
> elm@ernie.Berkeley.EDU (ethan miller) wrote:
> OK, who wants to post Asimov's list?  I'd do it, but our disk wouldn't
> have enough space to hold the entire thing :-).
 
Actually, Asimov hasn't written incredible amounts of SF.  Poul
Anderson and Andre Norton, among others, have all written more books.
In this list there are ~71 different titles.  But since there are lots
of omnibuses, and duplications, one could get all the material by
buying only ~37 different books (or nearly 1/2 of the titles are
redundant!).   Asimov has written massive amounts of non-fiction (e.g.
"Isaac Asimov's Guide to the Bible"), lots of non-SF fiction (e.g.
"Murder at the ABA") and has edited huge numbers of anthologies (both
alone ["The Hugo Winners"] and with others [mostly Martin Greenberg &
Charles Waugh]).  But I'm only including Asimov's SF fiction. 
 
[C] == Story Collection.
[O] == Omnibus.  Includes other books.
[YA] == The book is for young adults (however you define them).
[Abr.] == Abridgment of other title.
[= ...] == Also known by this other title.
exp == Expansion of other title.
 
/John
 
arpa: jwenn@world.std.com
 
notplanenorbirdnorevenfrogitsjustlittleoldmeunderdog-ly
----------------------------------------------------------------
Asimov, Isaac	(U.S.S.R., U.S.A., 1/2/1920-4/6/1992)	Galactica
	(Hugo 1973, 1977, 1983, Nebula 1972, 1976, Nebula Grand Master 1986)
	(married to Janet Asimov)
 
Series
	Foundation
		Prelude to Foundation (1988)
		Foundation (1951) [abr. as The 1000 Year Plan (1955)]
		Foundation and Empire (1952) [= The Man Who Upset the Universe]
		Second Foundation (1953) [= 2nd Foundation: Galactic Empire]
			[O/3N= The Foundation Trilogy (1963); = An Isaac 
                               Asimov Omnibus]
		Foundation's Edge (1982) [Hugo]
		Foundation and Earth (1986)
 
	The Positronic Robot Stories
		I, Robot (1950) [rev. 1958] [C]
		The Caves of Steel (1954)
		The Naked Sun (1957)
			[O/2N= The Robot Novels (1971)]
		The Rest of the Robots (1966) [O/2N+8ss]
		Eight Stories from the Rest of the Robots (1966) [C] [Abr./ 
                  The Rest of the Robots]
		The Complete Robot (1982) [O/2C+14ss= I, Robot + Eight Stories 
                  from the Rest of the Robots]
		The Robot Collection (1983) [O/2N+C= The Robot Novels + The 
                  Complete Robot]
		The Robots of Dawn (1983)
			[O/3N= The Robot Novels (1988)]
		Robots and Empire (1985) [segues into Foundation Series]
 
	Trantorian Empire
		Pebble In The Sky (1950)
		The Stars, Like Dust (1951) [= The Rebellious Stars]
		The Currents of Space (1952)
			[O/3N= Triangle (1961);= An Isaac Asimov Second Omnibus]
 
	[Same Universe]
		Fantastic Voyage (1966) [movie novelization]
		Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain (1987)
 
The Alternate Asimovs (1986) [C]
The Asimov Chronicles: Fifty Years of Isaac Asimov (1989) [C]
	= The Asimov Chronicles Volume 1 (1990) [C]
	+ The Asimov Chronicles Volume 2 (1990) [C]
	+ The Asimov Chronicles Volume 3 (1990) [C]
	+ The Asimov Chronicles Volume 4 (1991) [C]
	+ The Asimov Chronicles Volume 5 (1991) [C]
	+ The Asimov Chronicles Volume 6 (1991) [C]
	[also]
	= The Asimov Chronicles Volume 1 (1991) [C]
	+ The Asimov Chronicles Volume 2 (1991) [C]
Asimov's Mysteries (1968) [C]
Azazel (1988) [C]
The Best of Isaac Asimov (1973) [C]
The Best Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov (1986) [C]
The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories (1976) [C]
Buy Jupiter and Other Stories (1975) [C] [rev./ Have You Seen These?]
Cal (1991) [CB] [free to members of the Isaac Asimov Collection BC]
The Complete Stories of Isaac Asimov, Volume 1 (1990) [O/3C= Nightfall + Nine 
    Tomorrows + Earth is Room Enough]
The Complete Stories of Isaac Asimov, Volume 2 (1992) [C]
The Early Asimov; or, Eleven Years of Trying (1972) [C]
	= The Early Asimov, Book 1 (1974) [C]
	+ The Early Asimov, Book 2 (1974) [C]
		[also]
	= The Early Asimov; or, Eleven Years of Trying, Volume 1 (1973) [C]
	+ The Early Asimov; or, Eleven Years of Trying, Volume 2 (1974) [C]
	+ The Early Asimov; or, Eleven Years of Trying, Volume 3 (1974) [C]
Earth is Room Enough (1957) [C]
The Edge of Tomorrow (1985) [C]
The End of Eternity (1955)
The Far Ends of Time and Earth (1979) [O/2N+C= Pebble In the Sky + Earth is 
    Room Enough + The End of Eternity]
The Gods Themselves (1972) [Hugo] [Nebula]
Good Taste (1977) [C]
Have You Seen These? (1974) [C]
The Heavenly Host (1975) (YA) [C]
Isaac Asimov (1981) [O/5N+C= The Foundation Trilogy + The Stars, Like Dust + 
      The Naked Sun + I, Robot]
Isaac Asimov (1984) [O/N+C= Foundation + I, Robot]
The Martian Way and Other Stories (1955) [C]
Nemesis (1989)
Nightfall and Other Stories (1969) [C]
	= Nightfall One (1969) [C]
	+ Nightfall Two (1969) [C]
Nine Tomorrows (1959) [C]
Other Worlds of Isaac Asimov (1986) [O/2N+C= The End of Eternity + The Gods 
      Themselves + The Martian Way and Other Stories]
Out of Everywhere (1990)
Prisoners of the Stars (1979) [O/2N+C= The Stars Like Dust + The Martian Way 
          and Other Stories + Currents of Space]
Robot Dreams (1986) [C]
Robot Visions (1990) [C]
Three Science Fiction Tales (1981) [C= Three by Asimov]
Through a Glass, Clearly (1966) [C]
"The Ugly Little Boy" (1989) [Tor Double # 9]
The Winds of Change and Other Stories (1983) [C]
 
with Janet Asimov
	Norby [YA]
		Norby the Mixed Up Robot (1983)
		Norby's Other Secret (1984)
			[O/2N= The Norby Chronicles (1986)]
		Norby and the Lost Princess (1985)
		Norby and the Invaders (1985)
			[O/2N= Norby: Robot for Hire (1987)]
		Norby and the Queen's Necklace (1986)
		Norby Finds a Villain (1987)
			[O/2N= Norby Through Time and Space (1988)]
		Norby Down to Earth (1989)
		Norby and Yobo's Great Adventure (1989)
		Norby and the Court Jester (1991)
 
with Robert Silverberg
	Nightfall (1990) [exp. of "Nightfall" by Asimov]
	Child of Time (1991)
 
as Paul French
	Lucky Starr [YA]
		David Starr, Space Ranger (1952)
		Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids (1953)
			[O/2N= An Isaac Asimov Double (1972)]
		Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus (1954)
		Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury (1956)
			[O/2N= A Second Isaac Asimov Double (1973)]
		Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957)
		Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn (1958)
			[O/2N= A Third Isaac Asimov Double (1973)]
			[O/first 3= The Adventures of Lucky Starr (1983)]
			[O/last 3= The Further Adventures of Lucky Starr (1983)]
 
Edited
Before the Golden Age (1974)
The Hugo Winners, Volume 1 (1962)
The Hugo Winners, Volume 2 (1971)
	= Stories from The Hugo Winners, Volume 2 (1973)
	+ More Stories from The Hugo Winners, Volume 2 (1973)
The Hugo Winners, Volume 3 (1977)
The Hugo Winners, Volume 4 (1985)
	= Beyond the Stars (1987)
	+ The Dark Void (1987)
The Hugo Winners, Volume 5 (1986)
Nebula Award Stories 8 (1973)
Science Fiction Masterpieces (1986)
Tomorrow's Children (1966)
Where Do We Go From Here? (1971)
 
with Terry Carr and Martin H. Greenberg
	100 Great Fantasy Short Short Stories (1984)
 
with Groff Conklin
	Fifty Short Science Fiction Tales (1963)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg
	Amazing Stories: 60 Years of the Best Science Fiction (1985)
	Cosmic Critique (1991)
	Election Day 2084 (1984)
	The Great SF Stories 1: 1939 (1979)
	The Great SF Stories 2: 1940 (1979)
		[O/2A= The Golden Years of Science Fiction (1982)]
	The Great SF Stories 3: 1941 (1980)
	The Great SF Stories 4: 1942 (1980)
	   [O/2A= The Golden Years of Science Fiction, Second Edition (1983)]
	The Great SF Stories 5: 1943 (1981)
	The Great SF Stories 6: 1944 (1981)
		[O/2A= The Golden Years of Science Fiction #3 (1984)]
	The Great SF Stories 7: 1945 (1982)
	The Great SF Stories 8: 1946 (1982)
		[O/2A= The Golden Years of Science Fiction #4 (1984)]
	The Great SF Stories 9: 1947 (1983)
	The Great SF Stories 10: 1948 (1983)
		[O/2A= The Golden Years of Science Fiction #5 (1986)]
	The Great SF Stories 11: 1949 (1984)
	The Great SF Stories 12: 1950 (1984)
		[O/2A= The Golden Years of Science Fiction #6 (1987)]
	The Great SF Stories 11: 1949 (1984)
	The Great SF Stories 13: 1951 (1985)
	The Great SF Stories 14: 1952 (1986)
	The Great SF Stories 15: 1953 (1986)
	The Great SF Stories 16: 1954 (1987)
	The Great SF Stories 17: 1955 (1988)
	The Great SF Stories 18: 1956 (1988)
	The Great SF Stories 19: 1957 (1989)
	The Great SF Stories 20: 1958 (1990)
	The Great SF Stories 21: 1959 (1990)
	The Great SF Stories 22: 1960 (1991)
	The Great SF Stories 23: 1961 (1991)
	The Great SF Stories 24: 1962 (1992)
	The New Hugo Winners (1989)
	The New Hugo Winners II (1991)
	Science Fiction and Fantasy Story-A-Month 1989 Calendar (1988)
	Visions of Fantasy (1989) [YA]
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and George R. R. Martin
	The Science Fiction Weight Loss Book (1983)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and Joseph Olander
	100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories (1978)
	The Future I (1981)
	The Future in Question (1980)
	Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Treasury (1980) [O/2A= The Future in 
              Question + Space Mail]
	Microcosmic Tales (1980)
	Space Mail (1980)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and Carol-Lynn R. Waugh
	13 Horrors of Halloween (1983)
	The Twelve Frights of Christmas (1986)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh
	Isaac Asimov's Magical Worlds of Fantasy
		Wizards (1983)
		Witches (1984)
			[O/2A= (1985)]
		Cosmic Knights (1985)
		Spells (1985)
		Giants (1985)
		Mythical Beasties (1986) [= Mythic Beasts]
		Magical Wishes (1986)
		Devils (1987)
		Atlantis (1988)
		Ghosts (1988)
		Curses (1989)
		Faeries (1991)
	Isaac Asimov's Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction
		Intergalactic Empires (1983)
		Science Fictional Olympics (1984)
		Supermen (1984)
		Comets (1986)
		Tin Stars (1986)
		Neanderthals (1987)
		Space Shuttles (1987)
		Monsters (1988)
		Robots (1989)
		Invasions (1990)
	The 13 Crimes of Science Fiction (1979)
	The 7 Cardinal Virtues of Science Fiction (1981)
	The 7 Deadly Sins of Science Fiction (1980)
		[O/2A= The Seven Deadly Sins and Cardinal Virtues of Science 
                       Fiction (1982)]
	After the End (1981) [YA]
	Asimov's Ghosts & Monsters (1988)
	Baker's Dozen: 13 Short Fantasy Novels (1984) [= The Mammoth Book of 
                       Short Fantasy Novels]
	Baker's Dozen: 13 Short Science Fiction Novels (1984) [= The Mammoth 
                       Book of Short Science Fiction Novels]
	Bug Awful (1984) [YA]
	Catastrophes! (1981)
	Caught in the Organ Draft (1983)
	Children of the Future (1984) [YA]
	Dragon Tales (1982)
	Earth Invaded (1982) [YA]
	Encounters (1988)
	Fantastic Creatures (1981)
	Flying Saucers (1982)
	Great Science Fiction by the World's Great Scientists (1985)
	Great Tales of Classic Science Fiction (1990) [Abr./The Mammoth Book 
              of Classic Science Fiction]
	Hallucination Orbit (1983)
	The Immortals (1984) [YA]
	Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Fantasy of the 19th Century (1982)
	Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction of the 19th Century 
              (1981)
	Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction Firsts (1984)
	The Last Man on Earth (1982)
	Mad Scientists (1982) [YA]
	The Mammoth Book of Classic Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 1930s 
            (1988)
	The Mammoth Book of Golden Age Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 
            1940s (1989)
	The Mammoth Book of New World Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 
            1960s (1991)
	The Mammoth Book of Vintage Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 1950s 
            (1990)
	Mutants (1982) [YA]
	Science Fiction A to Z: A Dictionary of the Great S.F. Themes (1982)
	The Science Fictional Solar System (1979)
	Sherlock Holmes Through Time and Space (1984)
	Space Mail, Vol. II (1982)
	Starships (1983)
	Tales of the Occult (1989)
	Thinking Machines (1981) [YA]
	Tomorrow's TV (1982) [YA]
	Travels Through Time (1981) [YA]
	TV: 2000 (1982)
	Wild Inventions (1981) [YA]
	Young Extraterrestrials (1984) [YA] [= Asimov's Extraterrestrials] 
              [= Extraterrestrials]
	Young Ghosts (1985) [YA] [= Asimov's Ghosts]
	Young Monsters (1985) [YA] [= Asimov's Monsters]
	Young Mutants (1984) [YA] [= Asimov's Mutants] [= Mutants]
	Young Star Travelers (1986) [YA]
	Young Witches and Warlocks (1987) [YA]
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and Patricia S. Warrick
	Machines That Think (1984) [= War With the Robots]
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and George Zebrowski
	Creations (1983)
 
with Janet O. Jeppson
	Laughing Space (1982)
 
with Alice Laurence
	Speculations (1982)
 
Non-Genre Fiction
	Black Widowers
		Tales of the Black Widowers (1974) [C]
		More Tales of the Black Widowers (1976) [C]
		Casebook of the Black Widowers (1980) [C]
		Banquets of the Black Widowers (1984) [C]
		Puzzles of the Black Widowers (1990) [C]
Asimov's Sherlockian Limericks (1978) [C] [limericks]
The Best Crime Stories of the Nineteenth Century (1988)
The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov (1986) [C]
Death Dealers (1958) [= A Whiff of Death]
The Disappearing Man and Other Mysteries (1985)
The Key Word and Other Mysteries (1977)
Murder at the ABA (1976) [= Authorised Murder]
The Union Club Mysteries (1983) [C]
 
Edited
The Big Apple Mysteries (1982)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg
	Show Business is Murder (1983)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and Joseph Olander
	Minature Mysteries (1981)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and Carol-Lynn R. Waugh
	Hound Dunnit (1987)
	The Twelve Crimes of Christmas (1982)
 
with Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh
	Computer Crimes and Capers (1983)
	Tantalizing Locked Room Mysteries (1982)
 
with Alice Laurence
	Who Done It? (1980)
 
Nonfiction
(plus about 200 nonfiction books on all varieties of topics)


Article: 6608
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: seiler@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (Ed Seiler)
Subject: Re: Asimov
Sender: usenet@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov (Usenet)
Organization: Hughes/STX
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 19:50:35 GMT
 
In article <65476@apple.Apple.COM>, John_Jenkins@taligent.com (John H.
Jenkins) writes: 

> PS  Does anybody have or know of a complete Asimov bibliography the way
> Asimov counted it?  Books in Print isn't always an accurate guide, since
> publishers will often count a book as "by" Asimov to boost sales, even if 
> Asimov didn't count it himself.  I haven't seen an official list in 
> any of Asimov's books since OPUS 300 and would dearly like one.  
 
I don't believe an official list has been published. Perhaps it will
show up in the third volume of his autobiography. As you stated,
Asimov had his own way of counting. He would count books he spent
considerable time in producing, even if he only edited them. But
considering how many of his later books were ones he only edited, I
wonder if that was part of the reason he never published an Opus 400. 
 
For what it is worth, here is a list of some books he published after
300, and the way he numbered them (I wrote to him with a list of
titles and got the numberings in reply). 
 
301 The Science Fictional Olympics                  NAL/Signet
303 Banquets Of The Black Widowers                  Doubleday
304 Election Day 2084 : Science Fiction
       Stories On the Politics of the Future        Prometheus Books
305 Isaac Asimov's Limericks For Children           Caedmon
306 Isaac Asimov Presents
       The Great Science Fiction Stories : 1950     DAW
307 Young Extraterrestrials                         Harper & Row
308 Sherlock Holmes Through Time And Space          Bluejay Books
309 Asimov's New Guide To Science                   Basic Books
310 Supermen                                        NAL/Signet
311 Baker's Dozen : 13 Short Fantasy Novels         Greenwich House
312 How Did We Find Out About Robots?               Walker
313 Asimov's Guide To Halley's Comet                Walker
314 Cosmic Knights                                  NAL/Signet
315 The Hugo Winners, Volume 4                      Doubleday
316 Young Monsters                                  Harper & Row
317 The Exploding Suns                              Truman Talley Books
318 Norby And The Lost Princess                     Walker
321 Living In The Future                            Beaufort Books
322 Robots, Machines In Man's Image                 Crown/Harmony
323 The Edge Of Tomorrow                            Tor
324 Great Science Fiction Stories By
       The World's Great Scientists                 D. I. Fine
325 Isaac Asimov Presents
       The Great Science Fiction Stories : 1951     DAW
326 The Subatomic Monster                           Doubleday
327 The Disappearing Man And Other Mysteries        Walker
328 Robots And Empire                               Doubleday
329 Amazing Stories : Sixty Years Of
       The Best Science Fiction                     TSR Inc.
330 Young Ghosts                                    Harper & Row
332 It's Such A Beautiful Day                       Creative Education
333 Norby And The Invaders                          Walker
335 How Did We Find Out About DNA?                  Walker
336 The Alternate Asimovs                           Doubleday
337 Isaac Asimov Presents
       The Great Science Fiction Stories : 1952     DAW
338 Comets                                          NAL/Signet
339 Young Star Travelers                            Harper & Row
340 The Hugo Winners, Volumes 1-5                   Doubleday
341 The Dangers Of Intelligence and
       Other Science Essays                         Houghton Mifflin
342 Mythical Beasties                               NAL/Signet
343 How Did We Find Out About
       The Speed Of Light?                          Walker
346 Tin Stars                                       NAL/Signet
347 The Best Science Fiction Of Isaac Asimov        Doubleday
348 The Best Mysteries Of Isaac Asimov              Doubleday
349 Foundation And Earth                            Doubleday
350 Robot Dreams                                    Ace
351 Norby And The Queen's Necklace                  Walker
352 Magical Wishes                                  NAL/Signet
 
I also have a complete (to the limits of what I have been able to
find) bibliography, which lists both hardback and paperback editions,
together with publisher, publishing date, ISBN #, Library of Congress
call numbers, etc.  It is 132-column ASCII text, and runs about 157K.
If anyone wants a copy, let me know. 
 
Ed Seiler
seiler@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov

    "A hundred billion is *not* infinite and it's getting less infinite 
  all the time!" - Isaac Asimov, "The Last Question" 

    
    
    	It was announced in the paper yesterday that _a_ movie would
    be made based on Asimov's Foundation Trilogy.  I mean, it's about
    time...but, all three books into _one_ movie???  Can anyone say,
    "Dune"???   Gawd, doesn't Hollywood have *any* respect for _real_
    SF??   Well, we'll see...
    
    
    Debbi

    Re .86:
    
       "Gawd, doesn't Hollywood have *any* respect for _real_ SF??"
    
    No.  Hadn't you noticed?
    
    Other genres share the problem, but SF seems to have it particularly
    bad, probably because people get distracted by the special effects,
    along with other reasons that don't occur to my now.  Well, I just
    thought of another one: when SF isn't a special-effects fest, it's "the
    literature of ideas."  Ideas, except very simple ones, are hard to make
    into big box-office hits.  (Like, I can just see it in the teasers
    before the main feature: "Coming Soon! Escape from the Fallacy of
    Misplaced Concreteness!")
    
    Actually, though, I can think of several descent (in my view) SF movies
    with SF ideas.  The "Back to the Future" series and "Bill and Ted's
    Excellent Adventure" both deal with time travel pretty well, while
    keeping up a suitable level of slapstick, car chases, and flirtation. 
    "Star Trek" in its various incarnations continues to preach ethnic
    tolerance.  (Preaching is an old SF function.)
    
    It's cinemizing novels that's so deadly.  A movie actually has enough
    material in it for nothing longer than a short story or novelette. 
    Like you, I look forward to cinemizing "Foundation" with considerable
    trepidation.  If they're smart, they'll just pick out an episode.  The
    series has a very episodic structure anyway.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

    
    I would have to ask, why DON'T they have any respect for _real_ SF? 
    Could it be the same reason they don't have any respect for anything
    except $$$$$?   The import of things today seem to hinge on
    "instant gratification" and Hollywood seems to thrive on it.  I recall
    watching "Dune" and saying to others watching, "They've left so much
    OUT!  We're missing the whole politics of the thing and only seeing the
    action!"  However, there was no "instant gratification" in the politics
    of this book, so why "ruin" a movie with it?  They can do a good job
    with a book if they want to, "The Godfather" is a good example; again,
    it was primarily an action-type movie and as I recall so was the book.
    
    A phrase neated burned into my mind is "Hollywood Hype".  Hollywood
    sells action, at the expense of everything else:  it's got to happen,
    and happen fast.
     
    Perhaps there is a way that we, as consumers, can demand more quality?
    
    They haven't done it to SF only, they almost completely ruined "Clan of
    the Cave Bear", which would have been better done as a mini-series, or,
    if they insisted, set up into sequels.  Why wouldn't the authors of
    these works make sure they're reproduced correctly?  Perhaps I'm
    feeling cynical tonight, but then again, maybe it's the "instant
    gratification" of money?
    
    Cynically yours,
    Helen 

    I'd vote for the latter half of Second Foundation for the
    adaptation, because it has the best story and would give them a
    chance to explore three different styles of society.  
    
    For starters, you have the ruined magnificence of
    Trantor.  It's Babylon, Rome, and New York rolled up into one. 
    It's Imperial Society, a culture based on brute power and money. 
    The production designer can go wild.   Put every architectural
    style you've ever seen into it: ziggurats with Roman columns,
    Greek temples with Chinese dragons in the pediments, huge Nazi
    sculptures of heroic figures holding up skyscrapers.  Its
    representative is a mad old general still dreaming of conquest and
    glory in the debris of the Galactic Empire.
    
    Then you have Modern Society, as represented by the First
    Foundation and by Arcadia Darrel, our protagonist.  The Moderns
    are democratic, free, and quick.  Their culture is based on wit
    rather than power.  Their influence is through trade rather than
    war.  They're going to be our stand-ins, and so are not of
    particular interest except for audience identification.
    
    Lastly there is Post-human Society, as represented by the Mule
    and the Second Foundation.  They no longer manipulate crude
    matter, but operate on mental planes.  This is a problem for
    movie-makers, because there's nothing to see.  Still, some
    interesting lighting effects might bring it across.  The Mule's
    hypnotic power could be shown by having the rest of the room
    darken while he becomes brighter and brighter.  Hallucinations
    could be induced.  The faces of the Second Foundationers would be
    masked by a shifting blur, leaving only their eyes untouched.
    
    So, you get a spunky young heroine who comes into maturity, scenes of
    ancient glory and space wonder, mind-warping intrigue, and a
    mystery to solve.  I'd pay to see it.  
    
    /jlr

    	If you want a good idea of how Hollywood functions when it comes
    to making films and having "creative" ideas, check out THE PLAYER.
    
    	Larry
    

    To the moderators:  This rathole deserves a separate note.
    
    Re movies/SF/etc.:
    
    Movies are aimed at a mass audience, often on the preconceived ideas of
    the producers.  In the early days of silent films, the concept of a
    film lasting longer than about 10 minutes was unthinkable.  Early
    films were often short and inexpensive (the motto in those days was
    "cheap films for cheap people," where the people classifier didn't mean
    they were skinflints).  
    
    SF has grown a bit more respectable than it was, say, in the 1950s, but
    the general public isn't up to the distinctions that purists are: a
    film like _Suburban Commando_ (starring Hulk Hogan) is accepted as "Sci
    Fi" as readily as _2001_ was.  Look at the recently released-to-tape
    _Freejack_ and compare it to Sheckley's original novel, _Immortality,
    Inc._, which raised all _kinds_ of interesting questions that were
    neatly sidestepped in the utterly simplistic "derivitive" film.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    
    Is there an Asimov's Law aside from the three laws of robotics? If not,
    how about:
    
      "Hollywood always manages to leave a submarine inside the body."
    
    That's from Asimov's essay about the screenplay from "Fantastic
    Voyage." You see, the miniaturization of the vessel and people lasted
    only so long. The sub was crushed and the people got out but the
    wreckage stayed behind. Asimov told them that they had a gaping logical
    hole there and they ought to fix it. 
    
    Their response was, "Huh? But the sub was _destroyed_."
    
    I just hope the Good Doctor can rest in peace despite what Hollywood
    does to Foundation.
    
    JP

    You want the literature of ideas, don't turn to the movies.  Books are
    for ideas, movies for action.
    
    After all, they are called the "movies," not the "thinkies."

    >The argument that to move and to think are mutually exclusive is
    >absurd. Don't tar a whole medium because most of it is crap. Hell,
    >most novels are crap, too.
    >
    >--- jerry

    		90% of *everything* is crap!
    
    					andrew
    

Article: 46254
From: steve_abrams@gw.isu92.ac.jp (Steve Abrams)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Space FestSchrift'92
Date: 21 Jul 92 06:40:56 GMT
Sender: news+@cs.cmu.edu
Organization: [via International Space University]
 
                       Subject:                               Time:5:18 AM
  OFFICE MEMO          Space FestSchrift'92                   Date:7/21/92

(The following announcement is being sent on the 23rd anniversary of
the 1969 human landing on the Moon by Neil Armstrong.  Before anyone
corrects us, the Apollo 11 landing was early in the morning on 21 July
1969 in *Japan*, the current site of the ISU 1992 Summer Session. 
Please feel free to pass the information along to any person,
newsgroup, digest, listserv, club, organization, or agency that you
deem appropriate.) 
 
========FESTSCHRIFT'92(tm):  20 July-20 August 1992========
 
        "The Space Community Tribute to Those Who
      Passed and Significant Events of the Past Year"
 
=======SEND BY E-MAIL:  festschrift@uchu.isu92.ac.jp=======
 
YOU ARE INVITED to participate in an open celebration of the
individuals who died and events which occurred during the past year -
"Festschrift'92".  This is a Space Generation-era borrowing of the
German tradition called "festschrift" (written tributes given in
memory of those who died).  Based on a suggestion of International
Space University (ISU) Faculty member James D. Burke, Festschrift'92
tributes will be compiled during the ISU'92 summer session taking
place right now in Kitakyushu, Japan.  If a sufficient number of
responses is received, the tributes will be published on a Special
Edition CD-ROM.  The CD-ROM will be produced in ISO9660 standard
format, suitable for CD-ROM drives in Macintosh, MS-DOS, or UNIX
environments. 
 
All participants are invited to submit a short essay, poem/haiku,
song, artwork, or just a few sentences on a space-related topic of
their choice.  Submissions may be made in non-English languages
(please include an English translation).  Although we suggest a theme
of "Why Space?" (i.e., a survey of rationales for space exploration
and development), we also encourage people to respond with thoughts,
reminiscences, and/or anecdotes about some of the space pioneers
who've died in the past year, as well as any thoughts about specific,
space-related events in the past year.  The group of people includes,
but is not limited to: 
 
     Science Fiction author, Isaac Asimov
     Space Studies Institute founder and visionary, Dr. 
        Gerard K. O'Neill
     Former NASA Administrator, Dr. Thomas O. Paine
     Star Trek producer, Gene Roddenberry
     ISU'89 alumnus, Rick Robinson
 
For those without access to CD-ROM drives, the essays will also be
available via anonymous ftp to host 'isu.isunet.edu' (192.31.110.15)
in directory /pub/festschrift.92 around 15 September 1992.  Depending
upon the volume of responses, we reserve the right to only make
subsets of the essays available via ftp (due to storage constraints);
we also reserve the right to edit inappropriate responses.
"Inappropriate" specifically *does not* include essays that are
unfavorable to space exploration and development, but *does* include
essays with obscene or offensive language as well as essays that are
not relevant to space, in general. Such inappropriate essays will not
be included on the CD ROM, but will be available via anonymous ftp
upon request. Finally, we reserve the right not to produce a CD-ROM if
the level of response is deemed to be insufficient; the ftp option
will still be supported, however. 
 
All participants submitting essays are encouraged, but not required,
to submit biographical and demographic information about themselves. 
Such information could include: name, age range (i.e., 0-10, 11-20,
etc.), occupation, geographic location, educational background, how
you learned of FestSchrift'92, etc.  Essays submitted anonymously will
be accepted and included with the other essays. 
 
The project will be completely financed by voluntary individual or
organizational sponsorship.  If you would like to become a sponsor of
the Festschrift'92 project, please see the file 'sponsor.info' in the
anonymous ftp directory above.   If you do not have access to ftp
services, please e-mail a request for the file to: 
steve@uchu.isu92.ac.jp (Steve Abrams).  Sponsors will be acknowledged
on the CD- ROM, as well the planned Bonestell "Mars Globe" exhibit
planned for the ISU Permanent Campus Exhibit (see below). Sponsors
will also receive a copy of the CD-ROM.  This is a trial project and
the results will be used to determine its feasibility for future
years.  If you feel that celebrating the lives of visionaries who may
(or may not) have influenced your life or personal philosophy is a
worthwhile endeavor, then we encourage to read the file mentioned above. 
 
Festschrift'92 is coordinated by ISU Founder Todd B. Hawley, who heads
ISU's Space Humanities Program.  Steve Abrams, Director of Information
Systems at ISU, is the Festschrift'92 Compiler.  The Space Generation
Foundation of Washington, DC, is acting as repository of this
International Space Year (ISY) project, until completed products (Mars
Globe and CD Master) are turned over to the International Space University. 
 
MARS GLOBE EXHIBIT
 
In addition to the Festschrift CD ROM project, sponsors will have a
unique opportunity to preserve a piece of space history.  As a
permanent reminder of the ISU'91 International Mars Mission design
project, an original Chesley Bonestell painting of the planet Mars on
an 18" globe will be purchased from a Bonestell protege, the
astronomical artist and author Ron Miller.  This unusual globe was
used as a model for the "flat" paintings of Mars in Bonestell's famous
Collier's series in the early 1950s. This series has been often cited
as having inspired many people to consider a career in the space
field.  The globe is permanent art and "one-of-a-kind," linking the
past 40 years of spaceflight to our next 40 years, when Mars shall
become a new outpost for humankind. 
 
So put down your thoughts about Asimov, O'Neill, Paine, Robinson
(ISU'89), Roddenberry, and others, plus events between 20 July 1991
and 19 July 1992, and SEND THEM IN!!! Entries will NOT be accepted
after 20 August 1992, when the ISU'92 computer center closes. 
 
===========GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION============== 
================FOR PARTICIPANTS IN====================
===================FESTSCHRIFT'92======================
 
FESTSCHRIFT'92 RATIONALE: 

   o In Memoriam of Those Who Died Between 20 July 1991 and 19 July 1992 
   o Collect Personal Thoughts and Reflections on Events of the Past 12 Months 
   o A Tribute to ISU'91 Design Project: the International Mars Mission 
   o Preserve/Exhibit a Unique Work by Master Space Artist Chesley Bonestell
 
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? 

   o ANYONE sending their Festschrift'92 files by e-mail to 
     the ISU'92 session via festschrift@uchu.isu92.ac.jp
 
FORMAT: 

   o Electronic Entries - Personal Statements or Original Articles of 
     Any Length 
   o Entries made by 20 August 1992 to:  festschrift@uchu.isu92.ac.jp 
 
LEGAL NOTIFICATIONS: 

   o Space Generation Foundation and ISU jointly own 
     copyrights to materials sent to the Festschrift'92 
     account at ISU'92, and reserve the right to withhold 
     from publication materials deemed unsuitable to the 
     spirit of Festschrift'92, or which pose any legal, 
     copyright or liability risk to SpaceGen or ISU 
   o This is a not-for-profit, educational project for the benefit of all
 
======================Festschrift'92(tm)====================
=====(tm) and (c) copyright 1992 by the Space Generation====
=======Foundation, Inc  All rights reserved worldwide.======

Article: 199
From: ekh@Panix.Com (Ellen Key Harris)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.announce
Subject: Isaac Asimov Award announcement
Date: 24 Mar 1993 14:36:11 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC
Sender: zorch@ftp.UU.NET
 
What follows is a press release sent to me by Sheila Williams,
managing editor of _Asimov's Science Fiction._ I thought it would be
of enough interest to sf.written and sf.announce readers to post it.
 
ISAAC ASIMOV AWARD
 
_Asimov's Science Fiction_ magazine and the International Association
for the Fantastic in the Arts (IAFA) are pleased to announce the
creation of the Isaac Asimov Award.  The annual award will go to the
best unpublished science-fiction or fantasy short story by a college
or university undergraduate.  The winner will receive $500 from
_Asimov's_ and will be invited to the IAFA's annual Conference on the
Fantastic to receive the award.  The story will be considered for
publication in _Asimov's._
 
The Isaac Asimov Award will honor the legacy of one of science
fiction's most distinguished authors.  Throughout his career, Dr.
Asimov encouraged other writers while constantly introducing science
fiction to an ever-widening audience.  He founded _Asimov's_ in 1977
for writers and readers, and the magazine has always been a home to
beginning authors as well as established ones.
 
IAFA, the award's co-sponsor, is a worldwide network for scholars,
educators, writers, artists, and editors with an interest in the study
of the fantastic in literature and art.  IAFA's annual Conference on
the Fantastic takes place each year in mid-March in Ft. Lauderdale,
Florida.
 
The deadline for entries in this year's contest is 15 November 1993.
The contest is open to all full-time undergraduates at accredited
colleges and universities.  All submissions must be previously
unpublished, and they should be from 1,000 to 10,000 words long.
Authors may submit an unlimited number of stories, but each manuscript
must include the writer's name, address, and phone number.  No
submissions can be returned.  The winner will be determined by the
editors of _Asimov's,_ but submissions or requests for writer's
guidelines should be sent to:  Isaac Asimov Award, USF 3177, 4204 E.
Fowler, Tampa, Florida 33620-3177.  Sample copies of _Asimov's_ are
available for $3.00 from _Asimov's,_ Dell Magazines, 1540 Broadway,
New York, New York 10036.
 
contact:  Sheila Williams (212) 782-8569
          Rick Wilber (813) 974-2591
 
That's all I know...
-- 
 
Ellen Key Harris  ekh@panix.com
Associate Editor, Del Rey Books	       		        |DEL|
201 E. 50th St., NY, NY   10022		       		|REY|
 

From:	US1RMC::"loss@husky.bloomu.edu" "MAIL-11 Daemon" 11-OCT-1993 12:43:43.43
To:	space-tech@cs.cmu.edu
CC:	
Subj:	 Seminar 1994

Subject: 1994 Asimov Seminar (on space development)
Status: ON 32768
Mailed To: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu 

   Here's some information on a seminar I've attended in the past.  I
thought it might be of interest to members of this mailing list. 

  The Development of Space

The 1994 Asimov Seminar at the Rensselaerville Institute will be held
August 6-10.  The participants will be looking at ways to put man in space,
facilitate a permanent presence, and create trade and business with Earth
and other off worlders.  The seminar advisors will include Ben Bova,
renowned science fiction author and past editor of Analog and Omni Maga-
zines.  Ben has worked for the space program and will be helping the Asimov
steering committee secure experts in the aeronautics and space fields to
complete the advisor panel.  With their help, the participants will find 
the  best way to create habitats, foster commercial concerns, and pursue
scientific endeavors. 

  Background

In 1972, world-renowned author Isaac Asimov thought discussing current
technology and social topics with a group of interesting and diverse people
in a casual and beautiful rural setting might make a great summer vacation.
The Rensselaerville Institute, a non-profit research organization located
in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains in rural Albany County, NY,
invited Dr. Asimov to host a four-day retreat. During this retreat, 50-70
people gathered to think about the future of life in large cities.  This
successful event became one of the regular summer programs at the Insti-
tute. Today, the program is still going strong.

Each year a different topic is chosen.  These topics will often have a
technological or scientifically based theme or be related to science
fiction or futurism. This relationship is not guaranteed. Past themes have
included the governance of a closed, limited colony in space, bioengin-
eering, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, treaties in space,
global warming, artificial intelligence, human response to global-scale
catastrophes, and alternate histories.  Normally, these topics are presen-
ted in a manner that invites role-playing to a greater or lesser extent.

The whole session is not taken up by work on the given topic, however.
There are plenty of opportunities for hiking, swimming, boating, tennis,
and other recreational activities. Occasionally these activities include
cross-country croquet and "Calvin ball."  One evening features an outdoor
barbecue.

Many have enjoyed themselves so much they come back year after year. New
participants have remarked on the lack of "cliquishness" among recidivists
(as people who have been to more than one session call themselves).  Most
of the recidivists take pride in the diversity of the group and see new
people as a way to maintain and broaden this multi-cultural environment.

The seminar takes place during late July or early August every year. 
Unfortunately, Isaac is no longer with us. His design and direction of the
seminar is maintained by a steering committee selected from the partici-
pants every year. More information about the seminar and this year's topic,
"The Development of Space," can be obtained by writing to the address below.

The Asimov Seminar                or call 1993 Steering Committee member
P.O. Box 54                       Don McGrain at (609) 629-3732, or send   
Rensselaerville, NY 12147         e-mail to Compuserve 71554,3331.
                                  (71554.3331@compuserve.com)

Doug Loss                   loss@husky.bloomu.edu
Data Network Coordinator    Voice: (717) 389-4797
Bloomsburg University       Bloomsburg PA 17815

% ====== Internet headers and postmarks (see DECWRL::GATEWAY.DOC) ======
% From: loss@husky.bloomu.edu
% Date: Mon, 11 Oct 93 12:20 EDT
% To: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu

Article: 81871
From: loss@husky.bloomu.edu (Doug Loss)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: 1994 Asimov Seminar
Date: 24 Jan 94 20:23:32 GMT
Organization: Bloomsburg University
 
The Asimov Seminars
 
Press Release:  For Immediate Release
 
  Astronaut Joins Seminar Advisor Panel
 
Dr. William Pogue, Skylab 4 astronaut and space program consultant,
has agreed to serve as an advisor for the 1994 Isaac Asimov
Seminar, The Development of Space. The seminar will be held at The
Rensselaerville Institute August 6-10, 1994. Bill's background
includes piloting the third Skylab mission and he has been a
independent consultant to the space program for over ten years.
 
On November 16, 1973, Bill, along with fellow astronauts Jerry Carr
and Ed Gibson, launched for the third and final manned visit to
Skylab. The crew spent the next eighty-four days orbiting the
Earth, during which time Bill completed two space walks. On
Christmas day, 1973, Bill and Jerry Carr set a new record for the
longest EVA (just over seven hours). Bill left NASA in 1977 to
pursue a new career working as an independent contractor to
aerospace and energy companies. This has included work on several
advanced technology and future mission studies. He is working
currently with the Boeing company in support of the Space Station
Freedom Project.
 
The seminar advisor panel will also include Ben Bova, renowned
science fiction author and past editor of Analog and Omni
Magazines, and Byron Lichtenberg, a NASA mission specialist. With
their help, the participants will find  the  best way to create
habitats, foster commercial concerns, and pursue scientific
endeavors in space. 
 
  Background
 
In 1972, world-renowned author Isaac Asimov thought that discussing
current technology and social topics with a group of interesting
and diverse people in a casual and beautiful rural setting might
make a great summer vacation. The Rensselaerville Institute, a non-
profit research organization located in the foothills of the
Catskill Mountains in Albany County, NY, invited Dr. Asimov to host
a four-day retreat. During this retreat, 50-70 people gathered to
think about the future of life in large cities.  This successful
event became one of the regular summer programs at the Institute.
Today, the program is still going strong.
 
Each year a different topic is chosen.  These topics will often
have a technological or scientifically based theme or be related to
science fiction or futurism. This relationship is not guaranteed.
Past themes have included the governing of a closed, limited colony
in space, bioengineering, the search for extraterrestrial
intelligence, treaties in space, global warming, artificial
intelligence, the human response to global-scale catastrophes, and
alternate histories.  Normally,  these topics are presented in a
manner that invites role-playing to a great extent.
 
The whole session is not taken up by work on the given topic,
however. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking, swimming,
boating, tennis, and other recreational activities. Occasionally
these activities include cross-country croquet and "Calvin ball." 
One evening  features an outdoor barbecue.
 
Although Isaac is no longer with us, his design and direction of
the seminar is maintained by a steering committee selected from the
participants every year. More information about the seminar and
this year's topic, "The Development of Space," can be obtained by
writing to the address below.
 
The Asimov Seminar          or call 1994 Steering Committee member
P.O. Box 54                 Don McGrain at (609) 629-3732, or send
Rensselaerville, NY 12147   e-mail to 71554.3331@compuserve.com.
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Doug Loss                        Americans will accept your idea
Data Network Coordinator         much more readily if you tell them
Bloomsburg University            Benjamin Franklin said it first.
loss@husky.bloomu.edu
Voice (717) 389-4797

    
    
    
    
     I found at the book store this weekend. Hardcover. 
    
    "I,Asimov" It's the autobiography he started when he became ill.
    
    
    	

Article: 572
From: sauron@ee.nus.sg (Soh Kam Yung)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: Review: I.Asimov: a memoir
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 1994 07:19:47 GMT
 
Review of _I.Asimov: a memoir_ by Isaac Asimov
 
by Soh Kam Yung (sauron@ee.nus.sg,engp3010@leonis.nus.sg)
 
Isaac Asimov is one of the people whom I admire. A prolific writer,
I've read just about every science fiction story he wrote and quite a
number of his non-science fiction works also.
 
So, it should come as no surprise that when it was annouced that
_I.Asimov_ was to be released, I made an advanced order for it. Well, I
have it now and I've finished reading it. And I can say that it was
worth it.
 
_I.Asimov_ is NOT a linear continuation of his earlier autobiographies,
_In Memory Yet Green_ and _In Joy Still Felt_. _I.Asimov_ is a complete
autobiography in itself. It goes over the ground covered by his earlier
autobiographies which continuing on where they left off. This may make
the earlier parts of the book boring but it's still interesting to see
those events again in this book because the emphasis in this book is
not the same as his previous books.
 
His first two autobiographies were written with chronological order in
mind; _I.Asimov_ wasn't. _I.Asimov_ consists of many chapters (166 of
them), each a few pages long and made up of one topic. That topic may
be about friends or events that happen to him. In each chapter, he
gives his thoughts and feelings about the topic and how they affect
him.  Not being tied down by chronological order, he can continue talking 
about it, showing us the consequences brought on by those actions.
 
This makes this book more personal than his previous ones. Then, he
concentrated on details of his life; now, he presents us with his inner
emotions and thoughts. This gives a new perspective on Asimov and makes
clear his stands and opinions on issue like humanism, religion and
relations with such people as his family, Campbell, Clarke and his
various editors; and also his feelings about his wife, Janet Asimov,
his brother Stanley and, inevitably at the end of the book, about
death. These parts are, perhaps, what make the book worth reading, even
for those, like me, who already know so much about him through his
other writings.
 
Unfortunately, the book does have some flaws. At my first reading, I
found one minor inconsistency between this book and his earlier
autobiographies. At the con where he was presented a special Hugo for
his science column in F&SF, he states that the envelope holding the
award notice was unmarked.  In his earlier autobiographies, he states
that the envelope was marked innocuously to deceive him.
 
The book list at the back also contains some mistakes. _I, Robot_ is
called _I, Robert_. Robert Silverberg is not mentioned in connection
with the books _Nightfall_, _The Ugly Little Boy_ and _The Positronic
Man_. Some other sharp eyed readers in the newsgroup alt.books.isaac-asimov 
have also spotted other mistakes in the book list.
 
And, if there is one thing that the book sorely lacks, it is an index.
His previous autobiographies were indexed by book title and name. There
is none here, making it hard to refer to events and people.
Fortunately, the chapter headings help but not much.
 
Hopefully, these mistakes will be dealt with in a second edition.
 
One also wonders about what Janet Asimov said in the epilogue. She
mentions that the publisher wanted the book severly shortened but she
thought that it should be left much that way that Isaac Asimov wanted
it. She leaves open the question as it whether the book was shortened
or not.
 
A 'true' Asimov fan would get this book. People interested in knowing
about Asimov should also read this. It is personal, private, and very
clear. As with his other writings, the words in this book come through
crytal clear with very little attempt at being stylistic. No one should
have any trouble enjoying this book.
 
After all, to paraphase an often used phrase in this book, "Don't be
silly, Isaac. Everybody will want to read this book!"
 
-- 
Soh Kam Yung
sauron@ee.nus.sg | engp3010@leonis.nus.sg 
 
%T I.Asimov: a memoir
%A Asimov, Isaac
%I Doubleday
%C New York
%G ISBN 0-385-41701-2
%D 1994
%P 562
%O Hard Cover, US$25.00
%K Asimov, Autobiography

    Can anyone supply the ISBN numbers of Asimov's autobiographic works _In
    Memory yet Green_ and _In joy still felt_ ? My local bookshop here in
    England couldn't find them on the books-in-print computer. They also
    didn't have a reference to _I.Asimov: A Memoir_ mentioned in .102
    above.
    

    
    
    
    Poor Issac.
    
    "Today Show" yesterday morning mistakenly reported that one of the
    Unabomber Books was "BASIMOV's Guide to the bible."