ASIMOV, ISAAC

ASIMOV, ISAAC (1920–1992), U.S. biochemist and author of over 500 books. Born in Petrovichi, Russia, Asimov was raised in the U.S. from the age of three. He taught at Boston University's medical school, where he became associate professor of biochemistry in 1955. His work in enzymology was no less impressive than the many scientific books that he published from 1950. These include the textbook Biochemistry and Human Metabolism (1952, 19572), Life and Energy (1962), and Asimov's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (1964). He also wrote The Wellsprings of Life (1960) on evolutionary theory; popular guides to science A Short History of Biology (1964), A Short History of Chemistry (1965), and Asimov's New Guide to Science (1984); and science books for juveniles, including Inside the Atom (1956), Breakthroughs in Science (1959), Of Time and Space and Other Things (1965), and Near East: 10,000 Years of History (1968). His contributions to science notwithstanding, it was for his work as a science fiction writer that Asimov was best known. A member of Mensa and a prolific writer, Asimov was widely considered the father of modern science fiction. He wrote many novels that are considered classics in the field and countless short stories. Under the pseudonym Paul French, he wrote such sci-fi novels as David Starr: Space Ranger (1952) and several Lucky Starr novels, namely Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids (1953); Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus (1954); … the Big Sun of Mercury (1956); …the Moons of Jupiter (1957); …and the Rings of Saturn (1958). Among Asimov's novels under his own name are I, Robot (1950), in which he first formulated the famous "Three Laws of Robotics"; The Caves of Steel (1954); The End of Eternity (1955); A Whiff of Death (1958); Fantastic Voyage (1966); The Gods Themselves (1972); Foundation's Edge (1982); Foundation and Earth (1986); Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain (1987); Prelude to Foundation (1988); Nemesis (1989); Forward the Foundation (1993). His Foundation trilogy (1951–53) was considered one of the most famous series of science fiction novels. In addition, his short story "Nightfall" was voted the most famous ever written in the genre. His short story collections include Nine Tomorrows (1959); Asimov's Mysteries (1968); The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories (1976); Casebook of the Black Widowers (1980); The Complete Robot (1982); The Winds of Change and Other Stories (1983); The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov (1986); Azazel: Fantasy Stories (1988); Gold (1995); and Magic (1996). He also edited collections of Soviet science fiction. Asimov published three autobiographical volumes: In Memory Yet Green; In Joy Felt; and I. Asimov: A Memoir (1994). In 1986 he received the Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master award, presented to a living author for a lifetime's achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy. He received a total of six Hugo awards, science fiction's most prestigious literary prize, for his novels The Mule, The Gods Themselves, and Foundation's Edge, as well as for his novelettes The Bicentennial Man and Gold and for his memoirs I. Asimov: A Memoir. He received Nebula awards for The Gods Themselves and The Bicentennial Man. Although Asimov wrote about "the gods themselves," he regarded himself as an atheist. And although he penned story after story about the far-flung reaches of space and time, he was afraid of air travel and generally disliked travel of any kind. In fact, he had a penchant for confined spaces and liked to work in rooms that had no windows. (Rohan Saxena / Ruth Beloff (2nd ed.)