Isaac Asimov Biography: His Complete Life and Works

  • Isaac Asimov, born in the former Soviet Union, emigrated to the United States at the age of three.
  • A prominent science fiction writer, he published more than 500 works throughout his life.
  • He introduced the famous Three Laws of Robotics into his literary work.
  • His legacy includes numerous novels, short stories, and essays on science, history, and mythology.
The science fiction writer invites us to discover the details of his life and work. do you know the Isaac Asimov biography? Well, don't worry, in this article you will learn in detail the life and complete work of the famous literary writer.

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Issac Asimov Biography

The biography of Isaac Asimov, one of the greatest science fiction writers, was characterized by a fictional life. He is recognized as one of the three best writers in this genre, along with Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein.

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Childhood

Isaac Asimov was born in the town of Petrovichi, a rural village in the former Soviet Union bordering Belarus. His exact date of birth is unclear, which is why it is often said that his life is also fictional. Some believe he was born on October 4, 1919, while others claim it was January 2, 1920. His own family cannot confirm the exact date of this great writer's birth.

He comes from a Jewish family who worked as millers. His father, Judah Asimov, and his mother, Anna Tache Berman Asimov, were his parents. He was baptized Isaac in honor of his maternal grandfather and was the firstborn of three children.

In this region, a pneumonia epidemic affected sixteen children, including Isaac, the only survivor. In the face of this tragedy, his parents decided to emigrate to the United States, specifically to Brooklyn, New York. Together with his family, the infant left for the American continent at the age of three, leaving the Soviet Union behind for good.

While living in North America, his father bought a confectionery store. Among the products they sold were sweets, newspapers, and science fiction magazines. Even as a young boy, he discovered in this magazine what would become his passion, as this genre sparked a great interest in reading and writing.

Isaac Asimov biography

Studies

He stood out for his intelligence. His prodigious mind allowed him to learn to read on his own. In the first week of his studies he had already devoured all the books in his course. He tells us the The same author who managed to read the Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club twenty-six times. Already at the age of 18, he managed to sell his first story for sixty-four dollars. He devoted all his time to reading.

At the age of 14, he managed to publish his first story in the school magazine, entitled Hermanitos, which deals with the life of his little brother.

La Isaac Asimov biography reveals that he was a prominent student. He began studying in 1925 at a New York City public school. He later enrolled at East New York Junior High School, where he graduated in June 1930.

Already at the age of 10, he entered Nota High School, graduating in 1935. As we can see, at his young age he had already managed to enroll in Columbia University, where he obtained his degree in Chemistry in 1939.

It's worth noting that his interest was in studying medicine; however, he was rejected by the school, so he ended up specializing in chemistry. Upon graduation, he served in the Army as a Naval Chemist.

Isaac Asimov biography

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As early as the 1940s, Isaac Asimov's biography reveals that his literary career was based primarily on short stories, until he wrote his first fiction novel, "A Pebble in the Sky," in 1950. However, there are some interesting facts worth knowing, as in the following audiovisual material.

Science fiction

Isaac Asimov's biography reveals that his chosen genre for his literary works was science fiction, in addition to incorporating writings on history, Shakespeare, mythology, and the Bible.

However, it was in 1937 that he published his first short story: "Cosmic Corkscrew." His second short story was "Stowaway," which was published in 1939 under a different title, "The Menace of Calixto." Over a period of three years, he managed to write 3 stories, of which "Reason" is where he begins to introduce the theme of positronic robots with his characters Mike Donovan and George Powell.

In 1940, she published her work "Liar," in which she introduced the character of Dr. Susan Calvin. In 1942, she published her work titled "The Foundation." She finally reached the top of her game when, in 1950, she published her first novel, titled "A Pebble in the Sky."

Isaac Asimov biography

Literary works

Likewise, Isaac Asimov's biography tells us that the writer produced between seven and eight books a year. His themes were science fiction novels, as well as books on history, mythology, chemistry, and other topics. He was recognized with the Hugo Award in 1966, winning this recognition for the best series in this genre for the series "Foundation." In 1973, he also won the Nebula Award.

There are many works by Isaac Asimov, however, according to critics and his avid readers, the following stand out: "Bicentennial Man" and "Nightfall."

Among his works outside the science fiction genre, "The Formation of England" and "The Greeks" stand out. In the children's genre, he is notable for his literary works titled "Lucky Starr" and "Norby the Robot." We can also mention his works titled "Alpha Centauri," "Advances in Science," "The Kingdom of Numbers," and "The Nearest Star," among others.

Isaac Asimov's biography records that he was married twice. The first time, to Gertrude Blugerman, on July 26, 1942. From this marriage, Isaac Asimov had two sons, David and Robin. The marriage lasted 28 years, until they separated in 1970. He then married Janet Opal Jeppson.

The award-winning writer Isaac Asimov died on April 6, 1992, in the city that welcomed him upon his arrival in the United States. The cause of his death was heart and kidney failure. During his seventy-two years of life, he captivated the public with more than 500 works.

As we noted at the beginning of this article, Isaac Asimov's life was the stuff of science fiction. Although we, the writer's fans, are officially informed that he died of heart failure accompanied by kidney failure, his widow reveals that the great writer died as a result of the AIDS he contracted after receiving a contaminated blood transfusion during heart surgery.

There are many works left to us by the legacy of this great writer specializing in the science fiction genre. Something similar to what once fascinated The best of Edgar Allan PoeBelow, we'll give you some synopses of his best works.

a pebble in the sky

The literary work titled "A Pebble in the Sky" tells the story of a man who lived an ordinary life. The novel's protagonist is transported 10,000 years in the future.

During this time, the galaxy is ruled by the Galactic Empire. Planet Earth, on the other hand, is an insignificant place surrounded by millions of inhabited worlds. It can only boast of having been the cradle of humanity. However, the plot centers on the revenge of planet Earth.

Goodbye to earth

The masterwork "Farewell to Earth" is the famous writer's latest unpublished science fiction anthology. This literary work represents the greatest achievement of this writer's professional life. It is a compilation of stories that had never been published in book form.

Lucky Star

This literary work addresses the three great adventures of David Starr, a resourceful and intrepid representative of interstellar justice.

David Starr Space Patrolman

This work addresses the issue of food poisoning from a Martian community to Earth, putting the planet at risk. For this reason, the Science Council decided to commission David Starr to travel to the lands of Mars, where the food was grown, to uncover the truth behind the crimes.

Lucky Starr and the Asteroids Pirates

The killers of David Starr's parents, pirates from the asteroid belt, become a real threat to the security and trade of the Great Earth Empire. David Starr—Lucky to his best friends—filled with a fierce sense of vengeance, devises a plan to infiltrate the secret lair of his parents' killers and put an end to the abuses committed by these sinister figures.

Lucky Starr and the oceans of Venus

David Starr Lucky must leave for Venus after being informed that his friend and roommate at the Academy has been charged with high treason.

Upon arriving on Venus, he finds himself embroiled in a Machiavellian plot aimed at enslaving humanity. A mystery lurks in the oceans of Venus that only Lucky Starr can solve.

The complete robot

"The Complete Robot" tells the story of a series of robots. In this work, the great writer establishes the laws of robotics that are still in force in this science.

The three laws of robotics

  1. The first law states that: A robot must not harm any human being, nor by inaction allow a human being to come to harm.
  2. Regarding the second law: A robot must obey the orders given to it by a human being, except when said orders contravene the first law.
  3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as said protection does not contravene neither the first nor the second law.

The work titled "The Complete Robot" compiles a collection of stories about positronic robots, one of the components that stand out from the masterful imagination of this great writer.

It encompasses characters ranging from early non-humanoid models to the introduction of robots that aspire to be human, who clash with the three laws established by Isaac Asimov.

heaven and earth guide

The work titled "Guide to Heaven and Earth" is composed of 111 questions that the author brilliantly attempts to answer. Among the questions introduced in this literary work are those about the age of the universe, life beyond the galaxy, the solar system, the components of planets, sunlight, asteroids, nebulae, the center of the Universe, the Big Bang, black holes, and other topics of great interest.

Related article:
Types of robots: Characteristics and Classification

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