I.Asimov : A Memoir

Rating:
Summary: witty, engaging, and a little melancholy
Review: Isaac Asimov's autobiographical books are some of the funniest, most interesting, and most thoughtful books you can find these days, but they're frequently overlooked for his huge range of sci-fi and nonfiction works. This book is very funny, packed with anecdotes and stories that tell you a lot about who Asimov was as a person, but it also contains a tragic note that his other autobiographical books do not contain, as it was barely completed before his death, and contains a posthumous epilogue by his wife, Janet. The book is amusing and interesting, but contains more reflection and sadness than his other books. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming read
Review: Isaac Asimov's writing style is easy to read, but it does not detract from his ability to be profound. This novel was captivating and brought out feelings of compassion in me. Isaac edifies everyone whom he has felt made a positive impact on his life, and in turn shows what a humanitarian he was.

Isaac was undeniably a great author having published hundreds of books. You can really get a sense of how fantastic his accomplishments are from this book. It is awe inspiring the rate at which he published books and articles. And it seems that quantity did not detract from quality.

I recommend this book if you are a fan of Isaac Asimov, autobiographies, humanism, or reading.

Aaron

Rating:
Summary: All you'd want to know about a tremendous author
Review: Issac Asimov was a tremendous writer in my eyes. It was the discovery of his works that transformed me from a casual reader to a very avid reader. I feel I have learned SO much from his non-fiction works and I have enjoyed the ideas in many of his works of fiction. His autobiography sheds much detail about his life(as it should) but I felt I already knew who Mr. Asinov was anyway by reading many of his essays. What made this book so enjoyable for me was that it shed a lot of light on the beginnings of science fiction. It was an exciting time when the SF mags were in their infancy! I wish I had been a writer back then. Also, I appreciated Asimov's insights on some of the other people in SF and even some of the simple details of dealings with publishers, conventions and fans. If you really like Asimov, I don't see how you won't find this book quite interesting.

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Read
Review: Obviously, the people that have an interest in this book are fans of Dr. Asimov, and they won't be disappointed (as evidenced by the near-idolatrous comments below). The book is written in the typical Asimov style -- clear, simple, clever, amusing. Bright high school students might find a kindred soul, and budding scientists might be inspired. It makes a good "subway book," because it can be read piecemeal. Be forewarned that if you're looking for deep soul-searching or profundity, you'll have to find it elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: A strong biography of a polymath
Review: Perhaps Issac Asimov had a vigorous ego matched by cultivated insecurity; and of course there are such people in the world who enjoy seizing upon that. Whatever the case may be, Asimov's gift in stringing words together honestly and transparently is strongly in effect in this book, where he describes his thoughts about his entire world. As usual his execution is flawless because of that honesty -- his primary goal with his writing was to please himself, and he apparently had a difficult time fooling that audience.

Rating:
Summary: He outnumbered us all
Review: The accomplishments of Isaac Asimov are very great indeed. He is probably the all- time best explainer of science to the layman that the world has ever known. His mastery and competence in most areas of scientific learning is a tribute to his great intelligence and persistence in learning. He is considered by those who know the field one of the premier writers of Science Fiction. He wrote something like four- hundred and seventy books, and provided to his readers a little library . His ideas, especially those on the ethical code for Robots are now part of the intellectual legacy of mankind.
With all this he had his limitations which were in a sense the limitations of his virtues. His work on humanistic subjects on the Bible and on Shakespeare reveal the same kind of one- dimensional quantitative mind so suited to explaining science and so poor to comprehending humanities. Poetic complexity is simply not part of his make- up.
This autobiogrphy has the same kind of flat surface and tone that Asimov's other writings do. It is possible to fault him on all the countings , all the self- serving business of trying to establish his own value by counting up the numbers of things he has done. It is possible too to fault him for his bad relation to key people in his life, including his first wife and son. It is possible also to see that his great scope in learning was achieved at a price in depth. Asimov is not a poetic, and not a religious and not a truly literary soul. But again he is a person who has contributed a tremendous amount to the broad public's understanding of Science.
As I do not believe ' numbers can be the true measure ' of the worth of what is most important I have a quite reserved attitude toward Asimov. A unique and distinctive and in many ways remarkable figure but by no means a great writer.

Rating:
Summary: More Interesting Than His Works of Fiction
Review: The first biography that I ever read. It was written in the final year of Isaac Asimov's life. I found the book to be entertaining on many fronts. First of all, Asimov was a devout atheist all the way until the end, although he was technically Jewish. Secondly, it was interesting to find out that a man that wrote over 50 science fiction books and over 400 books in all, almost never left the city of New York...ever! Finally, what I liked most about the book was how flawed an individual Asimov appeared to be, especially in the characterization of his children. He obviously loved his daughter and despised his son, David, although he refused to say that in so many words. This book was clearly better than any science fiction novel that Asimov ever wrote.

Isaac Asimov
Wrote About Space and Time But
He Never Left Home

Rating:
Summary: The most touching autobiography ever
Review: This book is truly wonderful. And while no one should take it as a bible, it does indeed have things we all had to experience. In a way or another, all of my friends who have read this book had something in common with him. And I'm not an exception. It is a must, wholeheartedly. I could read it many times and still so don't get bored of it. I love it. I really mourn he has passed away. But his legacy is eternal. Read the Foundation & Robot series, and you'll know what a so great mind can create.

Rating:
Summary: An Illuminating Portrait
Review: This book is written in Asimov's usual simple, straightforward manner, and will keep the reader entertained throughout. It also succeeds in giving a good insight into his life and character, although Asimov fans may not like what they learn. Asimov's cavalier attitude to friends and family is quite shocking. We learn in one brief section that his son does not work, and has been supported all his life by Isaac. Isaac voices no regret at how he raised his son, and one is left with the impression that he just doesn't care (the same holds true for his relationship with his first wife). After that one passage, his son is never mentioned for more than a sentence or two thoughout the rest of the 500+ page book. Also on display is Isaac's attitude towards his writing, which can only be explained as an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He devotes countless paragraphs describing in detail how many words, books, articles, etc. he has published, and tedious essays on why such-and-such a book should count or not count in his official count of published books. By the evidence of this memoir, this count of published books was Asimov's only way of measuring his success in life. Such a bizarre motivation is unlikely to resonate with most of us, and this memoir shows us what a shallow life it can lead to.

Rating:
Summary: free association kind of memoir
Review: This is an entertaining autobiography. Asimov didn't have the most exciting life, but even so, he makes the events of his life sound very interesting, and there are some extremely funny stories. The style is chatty--it makes you feel like Isaac Asimov is an old friend. The book would have been better if a few of the parts were cut; he discusses every book, including all the nonfiction ones that he ever wrote. Overall, it is a fast read, despite its length, it entertained me, and made me want to read more Asimov.