THE FOUNDATION TRILOGY

ISAAC ASIMOV
Contents
Introduction
Foundation
Foundation and Emire
Second Foundation
A!out t"e aut"or
THE STORY #EHIND THE $FOUNDATION$
#% ISAAC ASIMOV
T"e date &as Au'ust () (*+(, -or.d -ar II "ad !een ra'in' /or t&o
%ears, France "ad /a..en) t"e #att.e o/ #ritain "ad !een /ou'"t) and
t"e So0iet Union "ad 1ust !een in0aded !% Na2i German%, T"e !om!in' o/
3ear. Har!or &as /our mont"s in t"e /uture,
#ut on t"at da%) &it" Euroe in /.ames) and t"e e0i. s"ado& o/ Ado./
Hit.er aarent.% /a..in' o0er a.. t"e &or.d) &"at &as c"ie/.% on m%
mind &as a meetin' to&ard &"ic" I &as "astenin',
I &as 4( %ears o.d) a 'raduate student in c"emistr% at Co.um!ia
Uni0ersit%) and I "ad !een &ritin' science /iction ro/essiona..% /or
t"ree %ears, In t"at time) I "ad so.d /i0e stories to 5o"n Cam!e..)
editor o/ Astoundin') and t"e /i/t" stor%) $Ni'"t/a..)$ &as a!out to
aear in t"e Setem!er (*+( issue o/ t"e ma'a2ine, I "ad an
aointment to see Mr, Cam!e.. to te.. "im t"e .ot o/ a ne& stor% I
&as .annin' to &rite) and t"e catc" &as t"at I "ad no .ot in mind)
not t"e trace o/ one,
I t"ere/ore tried a de0ice I sometimes use, I oened a !oo6 at random
and set u /ree association) !e'innin' &it" &"ate0er I /irst sa&, T"e
!oo6 I "ad &it" me &as a co..ection o/ t"e Gi.!ert and Su..i0an .a%s,
I "aened to oen it to t"e icture o/ t"e Fair% 7ueen o/ .o.ant"e
t"ro&in' "erse./ at t"e /eet o/ 3ri0ate -i..is, I t"ou'"t o/ so.diers)
o/ mi.itar% emires) o/ t"e Roman Emire 8 o/ a Ga.actic Emire 8 a"a9
-"% s"ou.dn:t I &rite o/ t"e /a.. o/ t"e Ga.actic Emire and o/ t"e
return o/ /euda.ism) &ritten /rom t"e 0ie&oint o/ someone in t"e
secure da%s o/ t"e Second Ga.actic Emire; A/ter a..) I "ad read
Gi!!on:s Dec.ine and Fa.. o/ t"e Roman Emire not once) !ut t&ice,
I &as !u!!.in' o0er !% t"e time I 'ot to Cam!e..:s) and m% ent"usiasm
must "a0e !een catc"in' /or Cam!e.. !.a2ed u as I "ad ne0er seen "im
do, In t"e course o/ an "our &e !ui.t u t"e notion o/ a 0ast series o/
connected stories t"at &ere to dea. in intricate detai. &it" t"e
t"ousand<%ear eriod !et&een t"e First and Second Ga.actic Emires,
T"is &as to !e i..uminated !% t"e science o/ s%c"o"istor%) &"ic"
Cam!e.. and I t"ras"ed out !et&een us,
On Au'ust (() (*+() t"ere/ore) I !e'an t"e stor% o/ t"at interre'num
and ca..ed it $Foundation,$ In it) I descri!ed "o& t"e s%c"o"istorian)
Hari Se.don) esta!.is"ed a air o/ Foundations at oosite ends o/ t"e
Uni0erse under suc" circumstances as to ma6e sure t"at t"e /orces o/
"istor% &ou.d !rin' a!out t"e second Emire a/ter one t"ousand %ears
instead o/ t"e t"irt% t"ousand t"at &ou.d !e re=uired ot"er&ise,
T"e stor% &as su!mitted on Setem!er > and) to ma6e sure t"at Cam!e..
rea..% meant &"at "e said a!out a series) I ended $Foundation$ on a
c.i//<"an'er, T"us) it seemed to me) "e &ou.d !e /orced to !u% a second
stor%,
Ho&e0er) &"en I started t"e second stor% ?on Octo!er 4+@) I /ound t"at
I "ad outsmarted m%se./, I =uic6.% &rote m%se./ into an imasse) and
t"e Foundation series &ou.d "a0e died an i'nominious deat" "ad I not
"ad a con0ersation &it" Fred 3o". on No0em!er 4 ?on t"e #roo6.%n
#rid'e) as it "aened@, I don:t remem!er &"at Fred actua..% said) !ut)
&"ate0er it &as) it u..ed me out o/ t"e "o.e,
$Foundation$ aeared in t"e Ma% (*+4 issue o/ Astoundin' and t"e
succeedin' stor%) $#rid.e and Sadd.e)$ in t"e 5une (*+4 issue,
A/ter t"at t"ere &as on.% t"e routine trou!.e o/ &ritin' t"e stories,
T"rou'" t"e remainder o/ t"e decade) 5o"n Cam!e.. 6et m% nose to t"e
'rindstone and made sure "e 'ot additiona. Foundation stories,
$T"e #i' and t"e Litt.e$ &as in t"e Au'ust (*++ Astoundin') $T"e -ed'e$
in t"e Octo!er (*++ issue) and $Dead Hand$ in t"e Ari. (*+A issue,
?T"ese stories &ere &ritten &"i.e I &as &or6in' at t"e Na0% Yard in
3"i.ade."ia,@
On 5anuar% 4B) (*+A) I !e'an $T"e Mu.e)$ m% ersona. /a0orite amon' t"e
Foundation stories) and t"e .on'est %et) /or it &as AC)CCC &ords, It
&as rinted as a t&o<art seria. ?t"e 0er% /irst seria. I &as e0er
resonsi!.e /or@ in t"e No0em!er and Decem!er (*+A issues, #% t"e time
t"e second art aeared I &as in t"e arm%,
A/ter I 'ot out o/ t"e arm%) I &rote $No& You See It8$ &"ic" aeared
in t"e 5anuar% (*+> issue, #% t"is time) t"ou'") I "ad 'ro&n tired o/
t"e Foundation stories so I tried to end t"em !% settin' u) and
so.0in') t"e m%ster% o/ t"e .ocation o/ t"e Second Foundation, Cam!e..
&ou.d "a0e none o/ t"at) "o&e0er, He /orced me to c"an'e t"e endin')
and made me romise I &ou.d do one more Foundation stor%,
-e..) Cam!e.. &as t"e 6ind o/ editor &"o cou.d not !e denied) so I
&rote one more Foundation stor%) 0o&in' to m%se./ t"at it &ou.d !e t"e
.ast, I ca..ed it $8And No& You Don:t)$ and it aeared as a t"ree<art
seria. in t"e No0em!er (*+*) Decem!er (*+*) and 5anuar% (*AC issues o/
Astoundin',
#% t"en) I &as on t"e !ioc"emistr% /acu.t% o/ #oston Uni0ersit% Sc"oo.
o/ Medicine) m% /irst !oo6 "ad 1ust !een u!.is"ed) and I &as
determined to mo0e on to ne& t"in's, I "ad sent ei'"t %ears on t"e
Foundation) &ritten nine stories &it" a tota. o/ a!out 44C)CCC &ords,
M% tota. earnin's /or t"e series came to DE)B+( and t"at seemed enou'",
T"e Foundation &as o0er and done &it") as /ar as I &as concerned,
In (*AC) "o&e0er) "ardco0er science /iction &as 1ust comin' into
eFistence, I "ad no o!1ection to earnin' a .itt.e more mone% !% "a0in'
t"e Foundation series rerinted in !oo6 /orm, I o//ered t"e series to
Dou!.eda% ?&"ic" "ad a.read% u!.is"ed a science</iction no0e. !% me)
and &"ic" "ad contracted /or anot"er@ and to Litt.e<#ro&n) !ut !ot"
re1ected it, In t"at %ear) t"ou'") a sma.. u!.is"in' /irm) Gnome
3ress) &as !e'innin' to !e acti0e) and it &as reared to do t"e
Foundation series as t"ree !oo6s,
T"e u!.is"er o/ Gnome /e.t) "o&e0er) t"at t"e series !e'an too
a!rut.%, He ersuaded me to &rite a sma.. Foundation stor%) one t"at
&ou.d ser0e as an introductor% section to t"e /irst !oo6 ?so t"at t"e
/irst art o/ t"e Foundation series &as t"e .ast &ritten@,
In (*A() t"e Gnome 3ress edition o/ Foundation &as u!.is"ed)
containin' t"e introduction and t"e /irst /our stories o/ t"e series,
In (*A4) Foundation and Emire aeared) &it" t"e /i/t" and siFt"
storiesG and in (*AE) Second Foundation aeared) &it" t"e se0ent" and
ei'"t" stories, T"e t"ree !oo6s to'et"er came to !e ca..ed T"e
Foundation Tri.o'%,
T"e mere /act o/ t"e eFistence o/ t"e Tri.o'% .eased me) !ut Gnome
3ress did not "a0e t"e /inancia. c.out or t"e u!.is"in' 6no&"o& to 'et
t"e !oo6s distri!uted roer.%) so t"at /e& coies &ere so.d and /e&er
sti.. aid me ro%a.ties, ?No&ada%s) coies o/ /irst editions o/ t"ose
Gnome 3ress !oo6s se.. at DAC a co% and u8!ut I sti.. 'et no
ro%a.ties /rom t"em,@
Ace #oo6s did ut out aer!ac6 editions o/ Foundation and o/
Foundation and Emire) !ut t"e% c"an'ed t"e tit.es) and used cut
0ersions, An% mone% t"at &as in0o.0ed &as aid to Gnome 3ress and I
didn:t see muc" o/ t"at, In t"e /irst decade o/ t"e eFistence o/ T"e
Foundation Tri.o'% it ma% "a0e earned somet"in' .i6e D(ACC tota.,
And %et t"ere &as some /orei'n interest, In ear.% (*B() Timot"% Se.des)
&"o &as t"en m% editor at Dou!.eda%) to.d me t"at Dou!.eda% "ad
recei0ed a re=uest /or t"e 3ortu'uese ri'"ts /or t"e Foundation series
and) since t"e% &eren:t Dou!.eda% !oo6s) "e &as assin' t"em on to me,
I si'"ed and said) $T"e "ec6 &it" it) Tim, I don:t 'et ro%a.ties on
t"ose !oo6s,$
Se.des &as "orri/ied) and instant.% set a!out 'ettin' t"e !oo6s a&a%
/rom Gnome 3ress so t"at Dou!.eda% cou.d u!.is" t"em instead, He aid
no attention to m% .oud.% eFressed /ears t"at Dou!.eda% $&ou.d .ose
its s"irt on t"em,$ In Au'ust (*B( an a'reement &as reac"ed and t"e
Foundation !oo6s !ecame Dou!.eda% roert%, -"at:s more) A0on #oo6s)
&"ic" "ad u!.is"ed a aer!ac6 0ersion o/ Second Foundation) set a!out
o!tainin' t"e ri'"ts to a.. t"ree /rom Dou!.eda%) and ut out nice
editions,
From t"at moment on) t"e Foundation !oo6s too6 o// and !e'an to earn
increasin' ro%a.ties, T"e% "a0e so.d &e.. and steadi.%) !ot" in
"ardco0er and so/tco0er) /or t&o decades so /ar, Increasin'.%) t"e
.etters I recei0ed /rom t"e readers so6e o/ t"em in "i'" raise, T"e%
recei0ed more attention t"an a.. m% ot"er !oo6s ut to'et"er, Dou!.eda%
a.so u!.is"ed an omni!us 0o.ume) T"e Foundation Tri.o'%) /or its
Science Fiction #oo6 C.u!, T"at omni!us 0o.ume "as !een continuous.%
/eatured !% t"e #oo6 C.u! /or o0er t&ent% %ears,
Matters reac"ed a c.imaF in (*BB, T"e /ans or'ani2in' t"e -or.d Science
Fiction Con0ention /or t"at %ear ?to !e "e.d in C.e0e.and@ decided to
a&ard a Hu'o /or t"e !est a..<time series) &"ere t"e series) to
=ua.i/%) "ad to consist o/ at .east t"ree connected no0e.s, It &as t"e
/irst time suc" a cate'or% "ad !een set u) nor "as it !een reeated
since, T"e Foundation series &as nominated) and I /e.t t"at &as 'oin'
to "a0e to !e '.or% enou'" /or me) since I &as sure t"at To.6ien:s
$Lord o/ t"e Rin's$ &ou.d &in,
It didn:t, T"e Foundation series &on) and t"e Hu'o I recei0ed /or it
"as !een sittin' on m% !oo6case in t"e .i0in'room e0er since, In amon'
a.. t"is .itan% o/ success) !ot" in mone% and in /ame) t"ere &as one
anno%in' side<e//ect, Readers cou.dn:t "e. !ut notice t"at t"e !oo6s
o/ t"e Foundation series co0ered on.% t"ree "undred<.us %ears o/ t"e
t"ousand<%ear "iatus !et&een Emires, T"at meant t"e Foundation series
$&asn:t /inis"ed,$ I 'ot innumera!.e .etters /rom readers &"o as6ed me
to /inis" it) /rom ot"ers &"o demanded I /inis" it) and sti.. ot"ers
&"o t"reatened dire 0en'eance i/ I didn:t /inis" it, -orse %et) 0arious
editors at Dou!.eda% o0er t"e %ears "a0e ointed out t"at it mi'"t !e
&ise to /inis" it,It &as /.atterin') o/ course) !ut irritatin' as &e..,
Years "ad assed) t"en decades, #ac6 in t"e (*+Cs) I "ad !een in a
Foundation<&ritin' mood, No& I &asn:t, Startin' in t"e .ate (*ACs) I
"ad !een in a more and more non/iction<&ritin' mood,
T"at didn:t mean I &as &ritin' no /iction at a.., In t"e (*BCs and
(*HCs) in /act) I &rote t&o science</iction no0e.s and a m%ster% no0e.)
to sa% not"in' o/ &e.. o0er a "undred s"ort stories 8 !ut a!out ei'"t%
ercent o/ &"at I &rote &as non/iction,
One o/ t"e most inde/ati'a!.e na's in t"e matter o/ /inis"in' t"e
Foundation series &as m% 'ood /riend) t"e 'reat science</iction &riter)
Lester de. Re%, He &as constant.% te..in' me I ou'"t to /inis" t"e
series and &as 1ust as constant.% su''estin' .ot de0ices, He e0en to.d
Larr% As"mead) t"en m% editor at Dou!.eda%) t"at i/ I re/used to &rite
more Foundation stories) "e) Lester) &ou.d !e &i..in' to ta6e on t"e
tas6, -"en As"mead mentioned t"is to me in (*HE) I !e'an anot"er
Foundation no0e. out o/ s"eer deseration, I ca..ed it $Li'"tnin' Rod$
and mana'ed to &rite /ourteen a'es !e/ore ot"er tas6s ca..ed me a&a%,
T"e /ourteen a'es &ere ut a&a% and additiona. %ears assed,
In 5anuar% (*HH) Cat".een 5ordan) t"en m% editor at Dou!.eda%)
su''ested I do $an imortant !oo6 8 a Foundation no0e.) er"as,$ I
said) $I:d rat"er do an auto!io'ra"%)$ and I did 8 B+C)CCC &ords o/ it,
In 5anuar% (*>() Dou!.eda% aarent.% .ost its temer, At .east) Hu'"
O:Nei..) t"en m% editor t"ere) said) $#ett% 3ras"6er &ants to see %ou)$
and marc"ed me into "er o//ice, S"e &as t"en one o/ t"e senior editors)
and a s&eet and 'ent.e erson,
S"e &asted no time, $Isaac)$ s"e said) $%ou are 'oin' to &rite a no0e.
/or us and %ou are 'oin' to si'n a contract to t"at e//ect,$
$#ett%)$ I said) $I am a.read% &or6in' on a !i' science !oo6 /or
Dou!.eda% and I "a0e to re0ise t"e #io'ra"ica. Enc%c.oedia /or
Dou!.eda% and 8$It can a.. &ait)$ s"e said, $You are 'oin' to si'n a
contract to do a no0e.,
-"at:s more) &e:re 'oin' to 'i0e %ou a DAC)CCC ad0ance,$
T"at &as a stunner, I don:t .i6e .ar'e ad0ances, T"e% ut me under too
'reat an o!.i'ation, M% a0era'e ad0ance is somet"in' .i6e DE)CCC, -"%
not; It:s a.. out o/ ro%a.ties,
I said) $T"at:s &a% too muc" mone%) #ett%,$
$No) it isn:t)$ s"e said,
$Dou!.eda% &i.. .ose its s"irt)$ I said,
$You 6ee te..in' us t"at a.. t"e time, It &on:t,$
I said) deserate.%) $A.. ri'"t, Ha0e t"e contract read t"at I don:t
'et an% mone% unti. I noti/% %ou in &ritin' t"at I "a0e !e'un t"e
no0e.,$
$Are %ou cra2%;$ s"e said, $You:.. ne0er start i/ t"at c.ause is in t"e
contract, You 'et D4A)CCC on si'nin' t"e contract) and D4A)CCC on
de.i0erin' a com.eted manuscrit,$
$#ut suose t"e no0e. is no 'ood,$
$No& %ou:re !ein' si..%)$ s"e said) and s"e ended t"e con0ersation,
T"at ni'"t) 3at Lo#rutto) t"e science</iction editor at Dou!.eda%
ca..ed to eFress "is .easure, $And remem!er)$ "e said) $t"at &"en &e
sa% :no0e.: &e mean :science</iction no0e.): not an%t"in' e.se, And
&"en &e sa% :science</iction no0e.): &e mean :Foundation no0e.: and not
an%t"in' e.se,$
On Fe!ruar% A) (*>() I si'ned t"e contract) and &it"in t"e &ee6) t"e
Dou!.eda% accountin' s%stem cran6ed out t"e c"ec6 /or D4A)CCC,
I moaned t"at I &as not m% o&n master an%more and Hu'" O:Nei.. said)
c"eer/u..%) $T"at:s ri'"t) and /rom no& on) &e:re 'oin' to ca.. e0er%
ot"er &ee6 and sa%) :-"ere:s t"e manuscrit;I$ ?#ut t"e% didn:t, T"e%
.e/t me strict.% a.one) and ne0er e0en as6ed /or a ro'ress reort,@
Near.% /our mont"s assed &"i.e I too6 care o/ a 0ast num!er o/ t"in's
I "ad to do) !ut a!out t"e end o/ Ma%) I ic6ed u m% o&n co% o/ T"e
Foundation Tri.o'% and !e'an readin',
I "ad to, For one t"in') I "adn:t read t"e Tri.o'% in t"irt% %ears and
&"i.e I remem!ered t"e 'enera. .ot) I did not remem!er t"e detai.s,
#esides) !e/ore !e'innin' a ne& Foundation no0e. I "ad to immerse
m%se./ in t"e st%.e and atmos"ere o/ t"e series,
I read it &it" mountin' uneasiness, I 6et &aitin' /or somet"in' to
"aen) and not"in' e0er did, A.. t"ree 0o.umes) a.. t"e near.% =uarter
o/ a mi..ion &ords) consisted o/ t"ou'"ts and o/ con0ersations, No
action, No "%sica. susense,
-"at &as a.. t"e /uss a!out) t"en; -"% did e0er%one &ant more o/ t"at
stu//; 8 To !e sure) I cou.dn:t "e. !ut notice t"at I &as turnin' t"e
a'es ea'er.%) and t"at I &as uset &"en I /inis"ed t"e !oo6) and t"at
I &anted more) !ut I &as t"e aut"or) /or 'oodness: sa6e, You cou.dn:t
'o !% me,
I &as on t"e ed'e o/ decidin' it &as a.. a terri!.e mista6e and o/
insistin' on 'i0in' !ac6 t"e mone%) &"en ?=uite !% accident) I s&ear@ I
came across some sentences !% science</iction &riter and critic) 5ames
Gunn) &"o) in connection &it" t"e Foundation series) said) $Action and
romance "a0e .itt.e to do &it" t"e success o/ t"e Tri.o'% 8 0irtua..%
a.. t"e action ta6es .ace o//sta'e) and t"e romance is a.most
in0isi!.e 8 !ut t"e stories ro0ide a detecti0e<stor% /ascination &it"
t"e ermutations and re0ersa.s o/ ideas,$
O") &e..) i/ &"at &as needed &ere $ermutations and re0ersa.s o/
ideas)$ t"en t"at I cou.d su.%, 3anic receded) and on 5une (C) (*>()
I du' out t"e /ourteen a'es I "ad &ritten more t"an ei'"t %ears !e/ore
and reread t"em, T"e% sounded 'ood to me, I didn:t remem!er &"ere I "ad
!een "eaded !ac6 t"en) !ut I "ad &or6ed out &"at seemed to me to !e a
'ood endin' no&) and) startin' a'e (A on t"at da%) I roceeded to &or6
to&ard t"e ne& endin',
I /ound) to m% in/inite re.ie/) t"at I "ad no trou!.e 'ettin' !ac6 into
a $Foundation<mood)$ and) /res" /rom m% rereadin') I "ad Foundation
"istor% at m% /in'er<tis,
T"ere &ere di//erences) to !e sureJ
(@ T"e ori'ina. stories &ere &ritten /or a science</iction ma'a2ine and
&ere /rom H)CCC to AC)CCC &ords .on') and no more, Conse=uent.%) eac"
!oo6 in t"e tri.o'% "ad at .east t&o stories and .ac6ed unit%, I
intended to ma6e t"e ne& !oo6 a sin'.e stor%,
4@ I "ad a articu.ar.% 'ood c"ance /or de0e.oment since Hu'" said)
$Let t"e !oo6 /ind its o&n .en't") Isaac, -e don:t mind a .on' !oo6,$
So I .anned on (+C)CCC &ords) &"ic" &as near.% t"ree times t"e .en't"
o/ $T"e Mu.e)$ and t"is 'a0e me .ent% o/ e.!o&<room) and I cou.d add
a.. sorts o/ .itt.e touc"es,
E@ T"e Foundation series "ad !een &ritten at a time &"en our 6no&.ed'e
o/ astronom% &as rimiti0e comared &it" &"at it is toda%, I cou.d ta6e
ad0anta'e o/ t"at and at .east mention !.ac6 "o.es) /or instance, I
cou.d a.so ta6e ad0anta'e o/ e.ectronic comuters) &"ic" "ad not !een
in0ented unti. I &as "a./ t"rou'" &it" t"e series,
T"e no0e. ro'ressed steadi.%) and on 5anuar% (H) (*>4) I !e'an /ina.
co%, I !rou'"t t"e manuscrit to Hu'" O:Nei.. in !atc"es) and t"e oor
/e..o& &ent "a./<cra2% since "e insisted on readin' it in t"is !ro6en
/as"ion, On Marc" 4A) (*>4) I !rou'"t in t"e .ast !it) and t"e 0er%
neFt da% 'ot t"e second "a./ o/ t"e ad0ance,
I "ad 6et $Li'"tnin' Rod$ as m% &or6in' tit.e a.. t"e &a% t"rou'") !ut
Hu'" /ina..% said) $Is t"ere an% &a% o/ uttin' :Foundation: into t"e
tit.e) Isaac;$
I su''ested Foundations at #a%) t"ere/ore) and t"at ma% !e t"e tit.e
t"at &i.. actua..% !e used, K
You &i.. "a0e noticed t"at I "a0e said not"in' a!out t"e .ot o/ t"e
ne& Foundation no0e., -e..) natura..%, I &ou.d rat"er %ou !u% and read
t"e !oo6,
And %et t"ere is one t"in' I "a0e to con/ess to %ou, I 'enera..% mana'e
to tie u a.. t"e .oose ends into one neat .itt.e !o&<6not at t"e end
o/ m% stories) no matter "o& com.icated t"e .ot mi'"t !e, In t"is
case) "o&e0er) I noticed t"at &"en I &as a.. done) one '.arin' .itt.e
item remained unreso.0ed,
I am "oin' no one e.se notices it !ecause it c.ear.% oints t"e &a% to
t"e continuation o/ t"e series,
It is e0en ossi!.e t"at I inad0ertent.% 'a0e t"is a&a% /or at t"e end
o/ t"e no0e.) I &roteJ $T"e End ?/or no&@,$
I 0er% muc" /ear t"at i/ t"e no0e. ro0es success/u.) Dou!.eda% &i.. !e
at m% t"roat a'ain) as Cam!e.. used to !e in t"e o.d da%s, And %et
&"at can I do !ut "oe t"at t"e no0e. is 0er% success/u. indeed, -"at a
=uandar%9
KEditor:s noteJ T"e no0e. &as u!.is"ed in Octo!er (*>4 as Foundation:s
Ed'e,
A#OUT THE AUTHOR
Isaac Asimo0 &as !orn in t"e So0iet Union to "is 'reat surrise, He
mo0ed =uic6.% to correct t"e situation, -"en "is arents emi'rated to
t"e United States) Isaac ?t"ree %ears o.d at t"e time@ sto&ed a&a% in
t"eir !a''a'e, He "as !een an American citi2en since t"e a'e o/ ei'"t,
#rou'"t u in #roo6.%n) and educated in its u!.ic sc"oo.s) "e
e0entua..% /ound "is &a% to Co.um!ia Uni0ersit% and) o0er t"e rotests
o/ t"e sc"oo. administration) mana'ed to anneF a series o/ de'rees in
c"emistr%) u to and inc.udin' a 3",D, He t"en in/i.trated #oston
Uni0ersit% and c.im!ed t"e academic .adder) i'norin' a.. cries o/
outra'e) unti. "e /ound "imse./ 3ro/essor o/ #ioc"emistr%,
Mean&"i.e) at t"e a'e o/ nine) "e /ound t"e .o0e o/ "is .i/e ?in t"e
inanimate sense@ &"en "e disco0ered "is /irst science</iction ma'a2ine,
#% t"e time "e &as e.e0en) "e !e'an to &rite stories) and at ei'"teen)
"e actua..% &or6ed u t"e ner0e to su!mit one, It &as re1ected, A/ter
/our .on' mont"s o/ tri!u.ation and su//erin') "e so.d "is /irst stor%
and) t"erea/ter) "e ne0er .oo6ed !ac6,
In (*+() &"en "e &as t&ent%<one %ears o.d) "e &rote t"e c.assic s"ort
stor% $Ni'"t/a..$ and "is /uture &as assured, S"ort.% !e/ore t"at "e
"ad !e'un &ritin' "is ro!ot stories) and s"ort.% a/ter t"at "e "ad
!e'un "is Foundation series, -"at &as .e/t eFcet =uantit%; At t"e
resent time) "e "as u!.is"ed o0er 4BC !oo6s) distri!uted t"rou'"
e0er% ma1or di0ision o/ t"e De&e% s%stem o/ .i!rar% c.assi/ication) and
s"o&s no si'ns o/ s.o&in' u, He remains as %out"/u.) as .i0e.%) and as
.o0a!.e as e0er) and 'ro&s more "andsome &it" eac" %ear, You can !e
sure t"at t"is is so since "e "as &ritten t"is .itt.e essa% "imse./ and
"is de0otion to a!so.ute o!1ecti0it% is notorious,
He is married to 5anet 5eson) s%c"iatrist and &riter) "as t&o
c"i.dren !% a re0ious marria'e) and .i0es in Ne& Yor6 Cit%,