His many books on atomic theory, chemistry, astronomy, and physics have been recognized for their extraordinary clarity, and Asimov has been praised for his ability to synthesize complex data into readable, unthreatening prose. Many critics, scientists, and educators, however, believe Asimov's greatest talent was for popularizing or, as he called it, 'translating' science for the lay reader. His books about robots-most notably I, Robot The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun-did much to legitimize science fiction by augmenting the genre's traditional material with the narrative structures of such established genres as mystery and detective stories, while displaying a thematic concern for technological progress and its implications for humanity. Comprised of Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation, The Foundation Trilogy describes the 'future history' of a vast galactic empire. Asimov died in 1992.Īsimov received his greatest popular and critical acclaim for The Foundation Trilogy: Three Classics of Science Fiction and his robot series. After serving in World War II, Asimov became an instructor at Boston University School of medicine. Asimov graduated from Columbia University with a B.S. His first professionally published story, 'Marooned off Vesta,' appeared in Amazing Stories in 1939.

He also read science fiction magazines and wrote stories. During the next two years Asimov's interest in history grew and he read numerous books on the subject.

He transferred to the main campus in 1936, where he switched his major from biology to chemistry. A year later he entered Seth Low Junior College, an undergraduate college of Columbia University.

In 1934, while attending Boys High School of Brooklyn, Asimov published his first story, 'Little Brothers,' in the school newspaper. His family immigrated to the United States in 1923, settling in Brooklyn, New York, where they owned and operated a candy store. The author of nearly five hundred books, Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) is esteemed as one of the finest writers of science fiction and scientific fact in the twentieth century.Īsimov was born on January 2, 1920, to middle-class Jewish parents in Petrovichi, Russia, then part of the Smolensk district in the Soviet Union.

Ben, Robot by Isaac Asimov