Isaac Asimov: A Life of the Grand Master of Science Fiction [Paperback]

Michael White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2005

Isaac Asimov dominated science fiction for over half a century. He wrote over 400 books during the course of his career and was honored with every prize and award the science fiction community could give him. By his late teens, he had already embarked upon the works that would make him world-famous: the Robot stories, in which he laid down the Three Laws of Robotics, which are still accepted today by researchers into artificial intelligence; "Nightfall," arguably the best science fiction short story ever written; and the Foundation novels, where he established the idea of warring galactic empires, changing the face of science fiction forever. Bestselling author Michael White's probing first-ever biography of this extraordinary writer takes us from Asimov's troubled childhood in New York to his ascendancy to the rank of "Grand Master," the highest honor in the science fiction world. With the success of last summer's hit film I, Robot and more Asimovian movies in the works, the founding father of science fiction is as influential and popular today as he was in the 1950s.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 1 edition (April 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786715189
• ISBN-13: 978-0786715183
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,464,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor biography, October 26, 2005

By 

S. Saunders - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Isaac Asimov: A Life of the Grand Master of Science Fiction (Paperback)

A disappointment, largely because this biography seems to have mostly taken information from Asimov's own autobiographies. The author frequently retells the same stories, changes the words just a bit. Not recommended at all. Readers would be much better off reading Asimov's own books on his life, such as In Memory Yet Green, and In Joy Still Felt.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wrong..., September 26, 2005

By 

A Customer "acustomer2" (Malibu, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Isaac Asimov: A Life of the Grand Master of Science Fiction (Paperback)

I guess this author doesn't bother to check his "facts". Too much work perhaps. Many, many errors. Clearly, he didn't even bother to read Asimov's autobiography completely. One of many errors: He thinks Marty Greenberg and Martin H. Greenberg are the same person. In Asimov's autobiography, he says in several places they are 2 different people. Asimov goes to great lengths in his autobiography to stress they are 2 different people. So much so, that he he refers to MHG as 'Marty the Other' in several places. This is just one of several errors. When someone makes as many errors as White does, how can you trust anything he says? Although Asimov wrote fiction and non-fiction, White seems to have blended the 2 in one book. However, how can you tell which part is fiction and which part is non-fiction?

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sloppy job, July 19, 2005

By 

Clayton (Niwot, United States Minor Outlying Islands) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Isaac Asimov: A Life of the Grand Master of Science Fiction (Paperback)

It was fascinating to read about the "real" Isaac Asimov as opposed to the legendary character (as he created himself) and author.

However, White obviously did a very tossed-off job with this bio. He screws up so many details that I can't possibly get into them all here. But here are two examples: He cites the story "The Inevitable Conflict" -- no, it's "The Evitable Conflict." And he calls Ray Bradbury (!?) a "New Wave" writer. Hello?

Again, worth reading, but I have no idea how well I can trust White after such egregious mistakes.