In memory yet green : the autobiography of Isaac Asimov, 1920-1954

by Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992

  To be sure, it was not really poetry, but only comic verse; but then, comic verse is the limit of my poetic muse. Fortunate is the man who knows his own limitations.

  37

  At the moment, in fact, I was but too aware of my own limitations and was quite convinced I had risen to the highest level made possible by them.

  The year was 1954.1 was thirty-four years old. And . . .

  As far as my chemical career was concerned, I had gone as far as I could. I had my doctorate, I had my professorial status. I might achieve another trivial promotion or two, but I could not honestly expect that I would ever be a great biochemistry teacher outside my own immediate classroom. The absolute failure of the textbook had made that plain.

  As to my other career, science fiction, there, too, I had gone as far as I could. I might do things that were better than "Nightfall," The Foundation Trilogy, I, Robot, or The Caves of Steel, but surely not much better. These were already recognized as classics, and I had been writing for fifteen years and I had yet to make more than ten or eleven thousand dollars a year as a writer.

  I didn't see how I could ever do better than that, especially since there was bound to come a time soon when a new and younger group of writers would take over and sweep myself and my contemporaries from the field—as we had done to the writers of the 1930s.

  This volume of my autobiography, then, is the tale of my moving in, deeper and deeper, into the specialized world of biochemistry and science fiction, until I reached the dead-end wall that marked my limit. Taking into account my starting point at ground level, I had every right to count myself a success; but I was a very modest success indeed, and I was left ruefully unsatisfied.

  Yet where could I find a way of moving out as I had moved in, but to a much higher level? What on earth could I do besides my biochemistry and my science fiction?

  I had been writing straight science, of course, but some of it had been for the science-fiction magazines and was bound up entirely with my science fiction. Some of it had been for chemical journals and went nowhere. A good deal of it had gone into the textbook and had failed ignominiously.

  That left my little book The Chemicals of Life, which was just being published. It actually represented my first move out, though I surely didn't recognize this at the time.

  How, beginning with that book, I overleaped the blank wall I faced—not without trouble and controversy—and how I succeeded in reaching heights I was utterly unable to foresee in 1954, and how I reached the point, in fact, where Doubleday could actually make itself believe that the world might be interested in two fat volumes of autobiography by me, will be the tale of that second volume.

  Catalog of Books Isaac Asimov

  Note: The numbers preceding the titles of books refer to the order in which they were published.

  Part I — Fiction

  A Science-fiction Novels

  1. Pebble in the Sky Doubleday, 1950

  3. The Stars, like Dust— Doubleday, 1951

  4. Foundation Gnome (Doubleday), 1951

  5. David Starr: Space Ranger Doubleday, 1952

  6. Foundation and Empire Gnome (Doubleday), 1952

  7. The Currents of Space Doubleday, 1952

  9. Second Foundation Gnome (Doubleday), 1951

  10. Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids Doubleday,

  x 953

  11. The Caves of Steel Doubleday, 1954

  12. Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus Doubleday, 1954 15. The End of Eternity Doubleday, 1955

  17. Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury Doubleday, 1956

  20. The Naked Sun Doubleday, 1957

  21. Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter Doubleday, 1957 26. Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn Doubleday, 1958 67. Fantastic Voyage Houghton-Mifflin, 1966

  121. The Gods Themselves Doubleday, 1972

  B Mystery Novels

  28. The Death Dealers Avon, 1958 172. Murder at the ABA Doubleday, 1976

  C Science-fiction Short Stories and Short-story Collections

  2. I, Robot Gnome (Doubleday), 1950

  yio Catalog of Books

  23. Earth Is Room Enough Doubleday, 1957

  29. Nine Tomorrows Doubleday, 1959

  60. The Rest of the Robots Doubleday, 1964

  82. Through a Glass, Clearly New English Library, 1967

  87. AsimoVs Mysteries Doubleday, 1968

  98. Nightfall and Other Stories Doubleday, 1969

  113. The Best New Thing* World Publishing, 1971

  125. The Early Asimov Doubleday, 1972

  146. The Best of Isaac Asimov Sphere, 1973

  150. Have You Seen These? NESRAA, 1974

  164. Buy Jupiter and Other Stories Doubleday, 1975

  167. The Heavenly Host Walker, 1975

  170. The Dream, Benjamin's Dream, Benjamin's Bicentennial

  Blast Private print., 1976 174. Good Taste Apocalypse, 1976 176. The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories Doubleday, 1976

  D Mystery Short-story Collections

  155. Tales of the Black Widowers Doubleday, 1974

  178. More Tales of the Black Widowers Doubleday, 1976

  190. The Key Word and Other Mysteries* Walker, 1977

  E Science-fiction Anthologies (edited by Isaac Asimov)

  47. The Hugo Winners Doubleday, 1962

  52. Fifty Short Science-fiction Tales (with GrofI Conklin) Collier, 1963

  76. Tomorrow's Children Doubleday, 1966 110. Where Do We Go from Here? Doubleday, 1971 115. The Hugo Winners, Volume II Doubleday, 1971

  147. Nebula Award Stories Eight Harper, 1973

  151. Before the Golden Age Doubleday, 1974

  186. The Hugo Winners, Volume III Doubleday, 1977 192. One Hundred Great Science-fiction Short-short Stories (with Martin Harry Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander) Doubleday, 1978

  Part II — Nonfiction

  A General Science

  31. Words of Science Houghton-Mifflin, 1959

  39. The Intelligent Man's Guide to Science Basic Books, i960 61. Asimov's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Doubleday, 1964

  65. The New Intelligent Man's Guide to Science Basic Books,

  1965 97. Twentieth-century Discoveries Doubleday, 1969 102. Great Ideas of Science* Houghton-Mifflin, 1969 118. Asimov's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (Revised Edition) Doubleday, 1972 120. Asimov's Guide to Science Basic Books, 1972 122. More Words of Science Houghton-Mifflin, 1972

  128. Ginn Science Program—Intermediate Level A* Ginn and

  Co., 1972

  129. Ginn Science Program—Intermediate Level C* Ginn and

  Co., 1972 132. Ginn Science Program—Intermediate Level B* Ginn and Co., 1972

  140. Ginn Science Program—Advanced Level A Ginn and Co.,

  1Q 73

  141. Ginn Science Program—Advanced Level B Ginn and Co.,

  *973 143. Please Explain Houghton-Mifflin, 1973

  B Mathematics

  32. Realm of Numbers Houghton-Mifflin, 1959 35. Realm of Measure Houghton-Mifflin, i960 42. Realm of Algebra Houghton-Mifflin, 1961 57. Quick and Easy Math Houghton-Mifflin, 1964

  66. An Easy Introduction to the Slide Rule Houghton-Mifflin,

  1965

  142. How Did We Find Out About Numbers?* Walker, 1973

  C Astronomy

  30. The Clock We Live On Abelard-Schuman, 1959 34. The Kingdom of the Sun Abelard-Schuman, i960 37. Satellites in Outer Space* Random House, i960 40. The Double Planet Abelard-Schuman, i960 59. Planets for Man Random House, 1964 77. The Universe Walker, 1966

  79. The Moon* Follett, 1967

  80. Environments out There Scholastic/Abelard-Schuman, 1967

  84. To the Ends of the Universe Walker, 1967

  85. Mars* Follett, 1967

  89. Stars* Follett, 1968

  90. Galaxies* Follett, 1968

  101. ABC's of Space* Walker, 1969

  111. What Makes the Sun Shine?* Little, Brown, 1971

  134. Comets and Meteors* F
ollett, 1973

  135. The Sun* Follett, 1973

  139. fupiter, the Largest Planet Lothrop, Lee & Co., 1973

  152. Our World in Space NY Graphic, 1974

  160. The Solar System* Follett, 1975

  162. How Did We Find Out About Comets?* Walker, 1975

  165. Eyes on the Universe Houghton-Mifflin, 1975

  179. Alpha Centauri, the Nearest Star Lothrop, 1976

  182. The Collapsing Universe Walker, 1977

  184. How Did We Find Out About Outer Space?* Walker, 1977

  188. Mars 7 the Red Planet Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1977

  196. How Did We Find Out About Black Holes? Walker, 1978

  199. Saturn and Beyond Lothrop, 1979

  D Earth Sciences

  46. Words on the Map Houghton-Mifflin, 1962 107. ABC's of the Ocean* Walker, 1970 117. ABC's of the Earth* Walker, 1971

  133. How Did We Find Out the Earth Is Round?* Walker, 1973 168. The Ends of the Earth Weybright & Talley, 1975 194. How Did We Find Out About Earthquakes? Walker, 1978

  E Chemistry and Biochemistry

  8. Biochemistry and Human Metabolism Williams & Wilkins,

  1952 13. The Chemicals of Life Abelard-Schuman, 1954 18. Chemistry and Human Health McGraw-Hill, 1956 22. Building Blocks of the Universe Abelard-Schuman, 1957 25. The World of Carbon Abelard-Schuman, 1958 27. The World of Nitrogen Abelard-Schuman, 1958 43. Life and Energy Doubleday, 1962 48. The Search for the Elements Basic Books, 1962 50. The Genetic Code Orion Press, 1963 62. A Short History of Chemistry Doubleday, 1965

  68. The Noble Gases Basic Books, 1966 75. The Genetic Effects of Radiation A.E.C., 1966 95. Photosynthesis Basic Books, 1969 158. How Did We Find Out About Vitamins?* Walker, 1974

  F Physics

  19. Inside the Atom Abelard-Schuman, 1956

  69. Inside the Atom (Revised Edition) Abelard-Schuman, 1966

  70. The Neutrino Doubleday, 1966

  72. Understanding Physics, Volume I Walker, 1966

  73. Understanding Physics, Volume II Walker, 1966

  74. Understanding Physics, Volume III Walker, 1966 108. Light* Follett, 1970

  123. Electricity and Man A.E.C., 1972 131. Worlds Within Worlds A.E.C., 1972

  136. How Did We Find Out About Electricity?* Walker, 1973 169. How Did We Find Out About Energy?* Walker, 1975 173. How Did We Find Out About Atoms?* Walker, 1976 180. How Did We Find Out About Nuclear Power?* Walker, 1976

  G Biology

  16. Races and People Abelard-Schuman, 1955

  33. The Living River Abelard-Schuman, i960

  38. The Wellsprings of Life Abelard-Schuman, i960

  51. The Human Body Houghton-Mifflin, 1963

  55. The Human Brain Houghton-Mifflin, 1964

  56. A Short History of Biology Doubleday, 1964

  124. ABC's of Ecology* Walker, 1972

  145. How Did We Find Out About Dinosaurs?* Walker, 1973 153. How Did We Find Out About Germs?* Walker, 1974

  H Science Essay Collections

  24. Only a Trillion Abelard-Schuman, 1957

  45. Fact and Fancy Doubleday, 1962

  53. View From a Height Doubleday, 1963

  58. Adding a Dimension Doubleday, 1964

  64. Of Time and Space and Other Things Doubleday, 1965

  78. From Earth to Heaven Doubleday, 1966

  nA Catalog of Books

  83. Is Anyone There? Doubleday, 1967

  88. Science, Numbers, and I Doubleday, 1968 103. The Solar System and Back Doubleday, 1970 109. The Stars in Their Courses Doubleday, 1971 119. The Left Hand of the Electron Doubleday, 1972 138. Today and Tomorrow and— Doubleday, 1973 144. The Tragedy of the Moon Doubleday, 1973 148. Asimov on Astronomy Doubleday, 1974 157. Asimov on Chemistry Doubleday, 1974 159. Of Matters Great and Small Doubleday, 1975 163. Science Past—Science Future Doubleday, 1975 171. Asimov on Physics Doubleday, 1976 175. The Planet That Wasn't Doubleday, 1976 183. Asimov on Numbers Doubleday, 1977 187. The Beginning and the End Doubleday, 1977 193. Quasar, Quasar, Burning Bright Doubleday, 1978 198. Life and Time Doubleday, 1978

  J History

  54. The Kite That Won the Revolution Houghton-Mifflin, 1963

  63. The Greeks Houghton-Mifflin, 1965

  71. The Roman Republic Houghton-Mifflin, 1966

  81. The Roman Empire Houghton-Mifflin, 1967

  86. The Egyptians Houghton-Mifflin, 1967

  91. The Near East Houghton-Mifflin, 1968

  92. The Dark Ages Houghton-Mifflin, 1968

  94. Words from History Houghton-Mifflin, 1968 96. The Shaping of England Houghton-Mifflin, 1969 106. Constantinople Houghton-Mifflin, 1970 116. The Land of Canaan Houghton-Mifflin, 1971 126. The Shaping of France Houghton-Mifflin, 1972 137. The Shaping of North America Houghton-Mifflin, 1973 149. The Birth of the United States Houghton-Mifflin, 1974 156. Earth: Our Crowded Spaceship John Day, 1974 161. Our Federal Union Houghton-Mifflin, 1975 189. The Golden Door Houghton-Mifflin, 1977

  / The Bible

  44. Words in Genesis Houghton-Mifflin, 1962

  93. AsimoVs Guide to the Bible, Volume I Doubleday, 1968 99. Asimov's Guide to the Bible, Volume II Doubleday, 1969

  127. The Story of Ruth Doubleday, 1972

  195. Animals of the Bible* Doubleday, 1978

  K Literature

  41. Words from the Myths Houghton-Mifflin, 1961

  104. Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare, Volume I Doubleday, 1970

  105. AsimoVs Guide to Shakespeare, Volume II Doubleday, 1970 130. AsimoVs Annotated Don Juan Doubleday, 1972

  154. AsimoVs Annotated Paradise Lost Doubleday, 1974

  181. Familiar Poems Annotated Doubleday, 1977

  191. AsimoVs Sherlockian Limericks Mysterious Press, 1977

  L Humor and Satire

  112. The Sensuous Dirty Old Man Walker, 1971

  114. Isaac AsimoVs Treasury of Humor Houghton-Mifflin, 1971

  166. Lecherous Limericks Walker, 1975

  177. More Lecherous Limericks Walker, 1976

  185. Still More Lecherous Limericks Walker, 1977

  197. Limericks: Too Gross (with John Ciardi) Norton, 1978

  M Miscellaneous

  100. Opus 100 Houghton-Mifflin, 1969 200. Opus 200 Houghton-Mifflin, 1979**

  N Autobiography

  200. In Memory Yet Green Doubleday, 1979**

  * for children

  ** tie for 200th place

  Title Index

  Italicized items are published books.

  Ad Astra, 224, 225, 227-32, 237,

  242 Ammonium, 224, 227, 248, 269 —And Now You Don't, 540, 545,

  55°> 554> 55 6 > 57°> 5 8o > 6l8 > 66 5 Asimov's Mysteries, 22 jn Author! Author!, 380, 384, 390

  Before the Golden Age, 13611, 143,

  146,147^ 32m Belief, 669, 692 Bicentennial Man, The, 2g6n Big and the Little, The, 389, 395,

  396, 399,403,618 Big Game, 321, 329, 489 Biochemistry and Human

  Metabolism, 606, 635, 640, 645,

  649, 650, 652, 667, 681, 698 Black Friar of the Flame, 326, 664 Blind Alley, 464 Breeds There a Man?, 607, 624 Brother, The, 248, 255 Bridle and Saddle, 31 £-20, 362,

  390, 618 Button, Button, 637, 638, 658 Buy Jupiter and Other Stories,

  6o2n, 633n, 665n, 696^ 70m

  Callistan Menace, The, 263, 266,

  280 Camel's Back, The, 366 Catch That Rabbit, 389, 394, 396,

  411 Caves of Steel, The, 648, 663, 665,

  669, 680-82, 684, 686, 692, 699,

  707 C-Chute, 626, 635, 651 Chemicals of Life, The, 688, 691,

  700, 708 Chemistry and Human Health, 698 Chemistry of Life, The, 664, 680 Christmas on Ganymede, 285, 303,

  320, 666

  Cosmic Corkscrew, 170, 171, 192,

  193, 196-98, 200, 203, 204, 239,

  411 Currents of Space, The, 612-13,

  622, 624, 635, 640, 645, 647, 661,

  665, 667, 684-85, 695

  Darwinian Poolroom, 588, 602 David Starr: Space Ranger, 627,

  629, 635, 637, 640, 667 Day of th
e Hunters, The, 589, 602 Dead Hand, 399, 400, 404, 416,

  618, 640 Death Sentence, 384, 388, 390, 395,

  607, 635 Decline and Fall, The, 230, 236 Deep, The, 658, 665 Detective Story for Non-Chemists,

  557

  Early Asimov, The, 177, 204, 2 3on, 236^ 242^ 259^ 202n, 263^ 269^ 275^ 28on, 285^ 294^ 302n, 314^ 32on, 32m, 326n, 366n, 390, 395^ 416n, 51711, 524^ 544n, 558^ 58511, 594n

  Earth Is Room Enough, 62on, 673n, 70on

  Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline, The,

  49 8 > 5*7 End of Eternity, The, 695, 699,

  700-1

  Escape, 411, 414, 423

  Everest, 677, 683, 696

  Evidence, 448, 453, 464, 481-82,

  538

  Evitable Conflict, The, 567, 571, 579> 5 8 4

  First Law, 321

  Flesh and Metal, 589, 617, 620

  Flies, 645, 673

  Foundation, 312, 313, 314, 318,

  355, 390, 503, 618,680 Foundation, 355n, 362^ 403^

  404n, 622, 625, 629, 633, 639 Foundation and Empire, 416n,

  428n, 640, 658, 667 Foundation of S.F. Success, The,

  707 Foundation Trilogy, The, 707 Fun They Had, The, 626, 627^

  692, 699

  Greater Love, 62 5

  Green Patches, 607

  Greenville Chums at College, The,

  108, 148, 194, 198, 537 Grow Old Along with Me, 498, 557,

  559, 561, 571 Grow Old with Me, 498-99, 500,

  502, 506-7, 513, 516, 519, 530,

  533> 545> 549> 553~57> 577> 6 59> 704

  Half-Breed, 242, 255-56, 259,

  260-61, 263 Half-Breeds on Venus, 269-70, 280 Hazing, 293, 303, 366 Heredity, 294 History, 276

  Homo Sol, 260-63, 2 7°> 2 75> 3^ 2 Hostess, 608, 611, 613, 615, 622,

  651

  Hostile Galaxy, 294 Hunted, The, 489, 497-98

  J, Robot, 28on, 294^ 355n, 396^ 424n, 48m, 494n, 591, 607, 611, 613, 618, 634, 682, 705,707

  Imaginary, 362, 366

  Immortal Bard, The, 694, 700

  In a Good Cause—, 615

  In re Sprague, 671

  It's Such a Beautiful Day, 694, 696, 699, 701

  Kid Stuff, 669, 671-72

  Title Index

  Kinetics of the Reaction Inactivation of Tyrosinase During Its Catalysis of the Aerobic Oxidation of Catechol, The, 521 King Lear IV, 1, 36, 638, 640, 644 Knossos in Its Glory, 224, 236

  Last Question, The, 296n

  Last Trump, The, 706

  Legal Rights, 303

  Legal Rites, 303, 379, 586, 594