Customer Reviews

I.Asimov: A Memoir

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"I, Asimov" was the penultimate book to pour from the pen of Isaac Asimov. During a career that lasted over five decades, Asimov wrote on more topics than virtually any other writer in literary history. From the sciences to history and Shakespeare to the Bible, his clear, concise writing style and ability to simplify even the most complex ideas earned him the nickname "The Great Explainer." His fiction, with the exception of his early Foundation novels, "The Gods Themselves" and some shorter pieces, consisted largely of filler. Nonetheless, by the time of his death, he was quite possibly the most famous SF writer of his time.

Asimov's first volumes of autobiography were published in 1979 and 1980. As his health declined and the end drew near, his wife, Janet, encouraged him to write a third volume, less explanatory and more introspective. He obliged. "I, Asimov" lacks the surface detail of the early memoirs, but is rich in thought, emotion and self-revelation. The man that emerges from these pages was witty, intelligent, kind, loyal and genuinely devoted to sharing his knowledge and talents with others. He could also be vain and arrogant, but he is so honest about these less-attractive attributes that the reader is willing to forgive him anything.

There is a cloud of nostalgia and approaching death that hangs over most of "I, Asimov." The book was written when the author knew he didn't have long to live, and the book reflects that state of mind. In the end, however, it is uplifting and optimistic rather than depressing and gloom-ridden. What keeps me from giving it a full five stars is the rather dull middle section, which is significantly less interesing than the beginning and ending. The first 150 pages of the book are particularly unputdownable. All in all, this is a superb memoir and well-worth reading. I highly recommend it.

Isaac Asimov was just The Man, plain and simple. This book is a collection of dozens of little 2-4 page essays, dealing with myriad personal topics in his life, which amounts to a history of the very field of science fiction, in a lot of ways. He gives his account of his dealings with a lot of the other luminaries in the field -- Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, Hal Clement, Lester del Ray, and lots of others. These accounts are always interesting, and often full of helpful little insights into the characters of other science fiction writers.

One interesting thing -- he says that he had no ability at all to be a critic, in the sense that he couldn't criticize his own work, or anyone elses. He knew if he liked it or not, but that's as far as it went. For me, that was probably the most telling little essay in the whole book. The only author in history to have authored books classified in every single section of the Dewey Decimal system, one of the most prolific writers EVER, simply had no inner critic. He just wrote, and wrote, and wrote. Anyone else out there who finds that interesting, and possibly helpful to them somehow, might want to check out "Writing Without Teachers" by Peter Elbow, or, relatedly, "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. (Yes, I'm serious about the spelling of that guy's name).

You also get a clear sense of Isaac Asimov's strong sense of self-respect, and his fundamental optimism about humanity, and his warmth. I'm glad his voice is still out there, on the printed page, reaching more people even after he has passed on.

You can tell that Isaac Asimov really enjoys talking about himself. But that's quite all right because his enthusiasm is contagious. Divided into scores of essays three to four pages each, this book is a series of thoughts and reminisces that hold a basic chronological order, but skip around occasionally to properly place things into the perspective that he viewed them from at the time of his writing. Asimov offers frank views on a variety of topics, ranging from his days in the army to his two marriages to his fellow science-fiction writers.

This is a very appealing collection of remembrances of a life that saw not just a lot of science fiction history and world events, but also of personal growth. While there is a certain amount of repetition here, it works insofar as a person's life does involve a lot of revisiting the same paths. Asimov says himself in the book that he hadn't really done a lot of things in his life. He didn't travel and he spent most of his life inside his apartment typing away at his keyboard. "Didn't you notice," he once asked someone who had read and enjoyed his first two volumes of autobiographies, "that nothing happened?" That the events described are not world-shattering is hardly a detriment to this book. The witty and intelligent manner in which he describes even simple, everyday events is what makes this so engaging.

Asimov's life was consumed by his writing, and, not surprisingly, most of this book focuses on the hundreds of other books he wrote. He describes in detail how many books he had written, how many he had edited, how many he had co-written. It was an obsession that he did not hide or feel ashamed about. He was proud of his many accomplishments in the literary field and felt no reason not to boast when he thought he deserved it. (There is an amusing anecdote in which due to a last minute cancellation, he ends up unaware that he will be presenting an award to himself. Afterwards, he asks the organizers why they chose him for the task and they replied that he was the only person they knew who wouldn't feel embarrassed about giving himself an award.) The history of Asimov is the history of his writing, and the book details the numerous encounters and adventures that he had with various editors and publishing houses. His passion for writing and the lengths he went through make for surprisingly fascinating reading.

Asimov was apparently fairly ill while he writing this book (he wrote with astonishing speed) though one would not realize that at first if one hadn't read the introduction. Only a few hints are dropped through the beginning and middle of the book as Asimov seems slightly weary describing things that he knows he will never repeat or finish. By the end of the book, Asimov describes some of the ills that have weakened his body. He also expounds on his philosophies of life and death. Despite what he knows he is facing, he comes across as being calm and rational about his impending death.

Knowing that Asimov died shortly after completing this book made the ending seem even more heartbreaking. Although I had never met the man, I felt as though I had lost a friend. The clarity of his writing is quite good at making the reader feel close to the man; his thoughts aren't hidden behind any deceitful or misleading prose. He was a master at making himself crystal clear and the world will and does miss him. A highly recommended memoir of a great writer.

I bought this book with some reluctance, I have not read any book by Asimov since I was in College (In Memory Still Green (old book), Nemesis (kind of new book at the time).
Supposedley with age I was somewhat a more "sophisticated" reader, whatever that means, and even though I greately regret Asimov's death at the time, I did not feel compelled to buy any more books by him after that time.
This Christmas among the several books I bought to spend the Holidays I bought I Asimov, and I did not expect too much since I thought that its fragmented structure, with different topics was kind of haphazard, and just a marketing plot to exploit the author`s fame postmortem.
Boy I was wrong!, from all the books I read this past month, this really made an impression, it was like being in the same room with the man himself, and to hear his evaluation of his memories, and his outlook in what his final days would be.
Since I was a teenager I enjoyed Asimov`s fiction and nofiction, but I can say that I enjoyed the most when he wrote about himself, and the world he inhabited, I highly appreciated his sincerity, humor, and authenticity.
It always warmed me to read about how this boy from very humble origins got to get to the top of the the craft that he so much loved.
This was a very emotional book to read, I laughed aloud many times, and shed a tear at some of the last essays.
I highly recommend this to anyone who has or has not read Asimov in the past, as an account of a man`s life, his virtues, deffects, accomplishments, and the legacy he left for his family, readers and fellow human beings.
Finally, I do not think that the Good Doctor had to worry about being forgotten any time soon, each new genaration that reads any of his books will keep his ideas and dreams alive.

What a touching book. This is a complex and multi-layered book. This seems only appropriate, as Isaac Asimov was a very complex and multi-layered person. This book is pure Asimov. The bulk of the book is written in 1988 to 1990 when Isaac was just entering the last bout with illness in his incredibly prolific career. This is a book written by Isaac and about Isaac. Humility was never a trait Isaac felt had much usefulness. Isaac was a great Author and an incredibly prolific one. Isaac was a very smart individual and an honest one. This all being said and true why be falsely modest. Isaac certainly didn't see any reason to be. The reader can hardly hold any of this against Asimov as it makes the book that much more enjoyable even when confronted with Isaac's rather radical political views.

This book is valuable not only in understanding Isaac but other authors and players in the industry. The book gives insight into Lester Del Rey, Frederik Pohl and many other luminaries of days gone bye.

Isaac made no apologies in this book for the things he believed in and even saw fit to lecture us for a chapter or two on the virtues of liberalism. This is ok. I despise most of the tenants of liberalism but this does not affect my respect and affection for Asimov. Isaac truly believed what he said and was consistent and made no apologies for it. I would far rather count as a friend someone who truly disagrees with me then one who agrees but changes his tune constantly. You get the impression from this book that Isaac was a greatly honest man and one who counted loyalty as a valuable thing.

The book is long but not boring. The photos in the middle are delightful but to few. The entire book is written by Isaac with the exception of the last chapter which Janet Asimov penned and it gives us a tear jerking story of Isaac's last few months. There is also included an in-depth biography of Isaac's books as an appendix. A very worth while book.

Asimov finished this book shortly before he died in 1992--on a sad day for sf fans who admired him. Of course his fame went much further than that, for Asimov was the foremost "explainer" of science in our time. I admit a bias toward him since he was good enough to answer three letters I wrote him at the tender age of twelve or so. But I will not sentimentalize him, nor claim great things for his fiction. He was a competent plotter and had good ideas. No one reads his work for its characterization or style. Nevertheless, he has been praised by writers John Gardner (author of Grendel) and Thomas Pynchon. This book, published two years after his death, gives a vivid impression of his last attitudes about his life and those who were part of it. He comes across as an insecure workaholic who clung to the people he loved (his second wife and his daughter), and surrounded himself with casual acquaintances to while away the time with, especially with meals and speeches where he was the center of attention. His charisma is evident, but his continual references to women being attractive (something he always did) gets old. He was of his generation, coming of age in the late thirties. The sadness of his last years, especially due to friends dying, is palpable. He is frank about conflicts with his first wife (whom he was never happily married to) and other writers. The table of contents reads like a non-alphabetized index--if you're looking for something specific about his output or life, you can quickly scan to find it. Recommended to those who already know and like this author's work.

"I. Asimov" is a much more personal work than Isaac Asimov's previous autobiographies. Although "In Joy Still Felt" and "In Memory Yet Green" provide the reader with an amazing amount of detail, they don't go much further than to narrate the day-to-day events of the writer's life. If you want to learn something of the inner man behind the writer, this is the book for you.

We learn more about his rocky relationship with his mother, the basis for the stereotypically stupid female characters which show up in most of his early works; his relationship with his second wife, the basis for the much more realistic female characters which show up in his later works such as "The Caves of Steel" (which makes me wonder if this is why young men subconsciously prefer the earlier works); his troubles with academia, which he admits were as much his fault as academia's; and of course his famous ego, which at times gets in the way of the story. Even so, I cried at his admission that his son was not all he had hoped for, and rejoiced at his pride in his daughter's accomplishments.

I can see how this book might not appeal to a young reader looking for a hero to worship. Asimov isn't an easy character to understand; a combination of insufferable ego and blinding insecurities, of bad luck and incredibly good fortune, of horrendous thoughtlessness and heart-warming kindness. He was an imperfect man and he knew it, and he still loved himself. And good for him.

In reading this book, I (obviously) discovered about Asimov's life. But I also learned about how it impacted his writing and why rather than how he wrote some of his stories. Though he is famed for science-fiction, this autobiography I consider one of his better stories because it is true and he tells it in such a casual manner that you feel like he is there telling you these stories. Some of the thoughts and actions, he tells you makes you wonder, how he became a writer. Asimov makes his story extremely interesting by telling it through his eyes and even though he digress from the topic of the chapter (Which happens a lot), you will not even notice because you will be enjoying his story so much. I loved this book! I found writing every page completely enjoying and think that anyone interested in getting to know the man behind classic science-fiction should read this and discover who they are dealing with. Though the book is over 500 pages, it is split up by man chapters (over 140), which make it easy to sit down and read a few chapters, or find a way to pace yourself by reading a certain amount of chapters per a set time.

This is Isaac Asimov's last autobiography, following In Memory Yet Green: The Autobiography of Isaac Asimov, 1920-1954 and In Joy Still Felt: The Autobiography of Isaac Asimov 1954-1978. It is written as 166 short essays--a form familiar to readers of The Good Doctor's numerous columns and short-chapter nonfiction books. The book covers his entire life by topic, only roughly in sequence. It concludes with a touching description of Asimov's final weeks written by his wife Janet, followed by a topically organized catalog of his written work.

An incomplete sampling of topics shows what Asimov valued in his life. Several chapters recount impressions of and interactions with fellow science fiction writers. They include John Campbell, Robert Heinlein, Jack Williamson, Arthur C, Clark, Harlan Ellison, and others. Asimov also discusses the science fiction community, devoting chapters to Science Fiction Conventions, More Conventions, Star Trek Conventions--apparently very different, and numerous publishers and editors he has worked with and walked away from. Chapters about Asimov's non-science fiction work include Scientific Papers, Nonfiction, Mystery Novels, Essay Collections, and The Bible. These work-oriented chapters are interspersed with others devoted to family, milestones of life, and personal challenges.

Asimov also reveals a great deal about his writing process. Writing chapters include Beginning to Write, First Novel, Prolificity (sic), Writer's Problems, Titles, and Word Processor. Reflecting on his writing, he observes: "How does one become a really prolific writer? The very first requirement is that a person have a passion for the process of writing. I mean he must have a passion for what goes on between the thinking of a book and its completion." Isaac Asimov had such passion, lived the prolific writing life, and took great pride in his accomplishments. Shortly after his death, his wife found a piece of paper on which her husband had written: "Over a space of 40 years, I sold an item every ten days on the average. Over the space of the second 20 years, I sold an item every six days on the average. Over a space of 40 years, I published an average of 1,000 words a day. Over the space of the second 20 years, I published an average of 1,700 words a day." Far from average.

I admire the hell out of Isaac Asimov. His science fiction captivated me as a child; his nonfiction instructed me as a teen and as an adult. I respect his extensive knowledge and his exhausting work habits. I still learn from The Great Explainer's nonfiction writing style--his clear prose, his self-deprecating egotism, and his strong and distinctive personal voice. I recommend his autobiography to readers, writers, and...well, everybody else. It's a well-written book about a well-lived life.

First of all, let me say this as a preface: I own a Kindle, so I used the Sample feature to read a section of the book. Overall, I was pleased with the whole experience.

On one note, this particular sample was actually a decent sample as opposed to other samples that I have used before buying a book. It gave several full essays, filling to maybe the first quarter or third of the book. So I now have a clear picture of what kind of autobiography this is, as opposed to when I have used other samples that gave maybe a page or two that did little to entice me (though I ended up buying anyway).

In dealing with the actual contents of the book, I must say that the quality of the writing and information was superb. What Isaac Asimov lacked in poetic metaphor-making and the liked, he more than made up for in clarity; Asimov was time and again nicknamed, "The Greatest Explainer of the Age". He went on to use his talents for explanation to deal with topics ranging in history, religion, literature, and of course both science fact and fiction. With regards to his autobiography, the explanations of where he comes from and how he feels about aspects of his life was not only insightful, but makes one feel as though this man was talking to you, sharing a drink on a Friday night. Yes, at times it may seem self-indulging and more than a trifle arrogant, but with the way that Asimov apologetically reminds us that arrogance is one of his many flawes, we can forgive him that.

So in closing, I say that this is a remarkable book, one that gives clear insight to one the best regarded writers of not only science fiction, but other subjects as well.