Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction

James Gunn

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, Jan 31, 2005 - Literary Criticism - 288 pages

Harvard's George C. Simpson called the late Isaac Asimov "one of our natural wonders and national resources," for his hundreds of nonfiction works on science, mathematics, history, and literature. Asimov, however, is best known as a science fiction writer. This second edition, Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction, updates and expands science fiction scholar James Gunn's definitive, Hugo Award-winning critical volume about Asimov and his contributions to the science fiction genre. A concluding chapter analyzes Asimov's best-sellers. Those interested in Asimov and science fiction will want Gunn's study, with its insider's look at the most prolific author of the twentieth century, its chronology, selected list of critical works, and bibliography.



Paperback version available 2005.

Contents

• I Asimov: 1
• The Foundations of Science Fiction: 21
• Variations upon a Robot: 41
• The Short Stories: 67
• The Robot Novels: 91
• The Other Novels: 121
• The Stuff Itself: 161
• The BestSelling Author: 189
• Chronology: 227
• Checklist of Works: 231
• Select List of Works: 247
• An Interview: 249
• Index: 269

About the author

James Gunn, emeritus professor of English at the University of Kansas, has published 36 books and nearly 100 short stories. His novels include "The Immortals", "The Joy Makers", "The Listeners", and "The Dreamers". He has published seven collections of short stories, including "Future Imperfect" and "Breaking Point". As a professor, he taught fiction writing and science fiction, including a long-running intensive Writers Workshop in Science Fiction. His books about science fiction include "Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction"," Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction", "Inside Science Fiction", and the six-volume "The Road to Science Fiction". He has now pulled together his experience in writing science fiction and helping others write fiction into "The Science of Science-Fiction Writing". He lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction
• Author: James Gunn
• Edition: revised
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2005
• ISBN: 0810854201, 9780810854208
• Length: 288 pages
• Subjects: Literary Criticism / Science Fiction & Fantasy