Foundation

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was born in Russia in 1920 and grew up in the USA. His fantastic career as a science fiction writer began in 1939 with the appearance of a short story "Marooned Off Vesta", in Amazing Stories. He won the Hugo Award four times and the Nebula Award once. With nearly five hundred books to his name and several hundred articles, Asimov's output was prolific by any standards. He died in 1992 at the age of 72.

What genres did Isaac Asimov write in?

Primarily science fiction, including space opera and robot stories, plus extensive non-fiction and popular science, essays, and occasional humor and poetry.

What are his major series and notable books?

Major series include the Foundation series (Foundation; Foundation and Empire; Second Foundation; Foundation's Edge; Foundation and Earth; Prelude to Foundation; Forward the Foundation) and his robot collections (I, Robot; The Complete Robot; The Rest of the Robots; The Naked Sun; Robots And Empire; Robot Dreams). Notable standalones include The Gods Themselves, Nemesis and Fantastic Voyage.

Where should I start reading Asimov?

For the classic epic, start with the original Foundation trilogy: Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. For robot-focused stories, begin with I, Robot or The Complete Robot. If you prefer a chronologically earlier origin, Prelude to Foundation and Forward the Foundation are later prequels.

What themes recur across Asimov's work?

Recurring themes are the impact of science on society, the future of civilization, intelligence and robots, large-scale social change, and clear, idea-driven storytelling.

What awards did Asimov receive and how prolific was he?

He won the Hugo Award four times and the Nebula Award once. He was extremely prolific, authoring nearly five hundred books and several hundred articles; his first published story appeared in 1939.