A Biography of Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov is one of the best known scienceAsimov and his first wife were divorced in 1973. He
fiction writers of all time. In part that is probably duemet his soon to be second wife Janet that same
to the sheer volume of material which he wrote, butyear.
it is also due to the scale of his imaginative vision.Asimov died on April 6th, 1992 in New York at the
Over the course of 50 years, Asimov wrote overage of 72 as a result of AIDs contracted from a
500 books, essays and short stories. He won fourblood transfusion received during a heart bypass
Hugo Awards and one Nebular Award along withoperation. He was survived by his second wife and
countless other lesser known awards.his children by his first marriage.
BiographyScience Fiction Writing
Isaac Asimov was more than simply a science fictionAfter the publication of his first short story Marooned
writer. A biochemist with a Ph.D. to his name, AsimovOff Vesta in 1939, Asimov continued to contribute
also wrote a number of popularized science booksstories to science fiction magazines on a regular basis.
which explain many scientific concepts in a historicalBy 1941 when he published the short story Nightfall
way. A long time member of Mensa (whom he(which has been described as the best science fiction
described as intellectually combative), he was moreshort story ever written), he had published some 32
proud of being president of the American Humaniststories.
Association.In 1942 Asimov began to publish what is probably his
Born in Russia on January 2nd, 1920, Asimov grew updefining series, the Foundation stories. The short
in the United States from the age of three. He beganstories were later collected as the Foundation Trilogy:
writing his own stories as early as age eleven and hisFoundation (1951); Foundation and Empire (1952) and
career took off in earnest when in 1939 he publishedSecond Foundation (1953). These stories which
the short story Marooned Off Vesta in Amazingchronicle the collapse of an interstellar empire and it's
Stories.rebirth through the Foundation are firmly aimed at
Asimov went to Columbia University, graduating inthe human condition (through the lens of
1939 and going on to earn a Ph. D. in biochemistry inPsychohistory) rather than gadgets.
1948. During the 40s he spent three years workingPsychohistory is a fictional science which posits that
at the naval Air Experimental Station at thethe course of history can be charted using
Philadelphia Navy Yard. After the end of World Warmathematics to predict how large populations will
II he was drafted into the United States Army forreact to situations.
nine months before receiving an honorable discharge.Around this time Asimov also began to write his
Asimov married Gertrude Blugerman on July 26, 1942Robot stories, which presented the Three laws of
and subsequently they had two children togetherRobotics, a set of ethics for robots. Many of these
David in 1951 and Robyn Joan in 1955.stories were collected as I, Robot in 1950. The Three
After completing his doctorate, Asimov became aLaws of Robotics have become so ingrained in
member of faculty at Boston University. In 1958 hescience fiction culture that it is not uncommon to see
became a full time writer, though he maintained anthem referenced in the work of other writers.
association with Boston in a non-teaching capacity.In 1977, Asimov lent his name to Isaac Asimov's
Isaac Asimov was a firm Humanist and rationalist. HeScience Fiction Magazine, penning an editorial for each
respected what he saw as genuine religiousissue.. The magazine continues, now bearing the
conviction in others but was vocal in his opposition ofname Asimov's Science Fiction.
what he believed to be superstitious or unfoundedIn 1982, Asimov returned to both the Foundation and
beliefs.Robot stories, tying them together with his books
A progressive on many issues, Asimov was a strongFoundation's Edge (1982) and Foundation and Earth
supporter of the Democratic Party and opposed the(1986).
Vietnam War in the 1960s.