Isaac Asimov

**Isaac Asimov** ( – April 6, 1992) was a  writer of science fiction. He was also a biochemist with a PhD from Columbia University.

## Life

Asimov was born in Petrovichi, Smolensk Oblast, Russian SFSR to a Jewish family, on an unknown date between October 4, 1919 and January 2, 1920. Asimov celebrated his birthday on January 2. He was taken to the United States when he was three, and learned English and Yiddish as his native languages. He wrote many books. People know about Isaac Asimov because of his science fiction books and his science books for non-scientists.

## Writing

Asimov's most famous books were the Foundation series. He also wrote the _Galactic Empire,_ the _Robot_ Series, mystery, fantasy, and non-fiction books. He wrote the Norby series with his wife, Janet Asimov. He wrote or edited over 500 books and about 90,000 letters. Other subjects he wrote about were history, the Bible, literature, and sexuality.

Many of Asimov's early writings were short stories published in cheap science fiction and fantasy magazines. Years later, most of them were collected and republished as collections. Well-known collections include _I, Robot_, _The Rest of the Robots_, _Earth is Room Enough_ and _The Early Asimov_.

### Asimov's reading list

Asimov made a list of 15 of his science fiction books, which he advised should be read in this order:
1. _I, Robot_ (1950). Alternatively, _The Complete Robot_ (1982).
1. _Caves of Steel_ (1954).
1. _The Naked Sun_ (1957).
1. _The Robots of Dawn_ (1983).
1. _Robots and Empire_ (1985).
1. _The Currents of Space_ (1952).
1. _The Stars, Like Dust_ (1951).
1. _Pebble in the Sky_ (1950).
1. _Prelude to Foundation_ (1988).
1. _Forward the Foundation_ (1993).
1. _Foundation_ (1951).
1. _Foundation and Empire_ (1952).
1. _Second Foundation_ (1953).
1. _Foundation's Edge_ (1982).
1. _Foundation and Earth_ (1986).

Numbers 1–5 are 'Robot' books; 6–8 are 'Galacticos Empire' books; 9–15 are Foundation series books.

Asimov's novels have influenced science fiction on television and movie. Especially his 'Three Laws of Robotics' is a lasting contribution to our thinking.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
1. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
1. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

## Beliefs

Although ethnically a Jew, Asimov was an atheist:
- "I am an atheist, out and out. It took me quite a long time to say it. I've been an atheist for years and years, but somehow ... it was better to say one was a humanist or an agnostic".

## Death

When he had heart surgery in 1983, he received blood infected with HIV. He developed AIDS, and died of the effects of the medical condition in 1992. His widow did not speak of this until years later.

## Related pages

- Arthur C. Clarke

## Infobox (scientist)

- **embed**: yes
- **fields**: Biochemistry
- **workplaces**: Boston University
- **doctoral advisor**: Charles Reginald Dawson
- **academic advisors**: Robert Elderfield <small>(Postdoctoral researcher, post-doctoral)</small>
- **thesis title**: The kinetics of the reaction inactivation of tyrosinase during its catalysis of the aerobic oxidation of catechol
- **thesis url**: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/609476547
- **thesis year**: 1948


## Infobox (writer)

- **name**: Isaac Asimov
- **image**: Isaac.Asimov01.jpg
- **children**: 2
- **death place**: Brooklyn, New York City, United States, U.S.
- **citizenship**: Russian (early years), American
- **occupation**: Writer, professor of biochemistry
- **years active**: 1939–1992
- **genre**: Science fiction (hard SF, social SF), mystery fiction, mystery
- **subject**: Popular science, science textbooks, essays, literary criticism
- **alma mater**: Columbia University
- **movement**: Golden Age of Science Fiction
- **signature**: Isaac Asimov signature.svg