Issac Asimov: Recommendations?

[Mike Lowe]

Haven't read any of his work but am intrigued...He's written quite a bit and was looking for a good place to start or pickup if his best work came later in his career.

Also interested possibly in reading Ray Bradbury but again, just recommendations from people at work.

[sabotai]

To get the obvious one out of the way: The Foundation Trilogy

[Groundhog]

Yeah, 'the Foundation Trilogy' is the obvious pick, and so is 'I, Robot'.

I'm yet to read anything by him that I haven't liked to be honest, and I've read quite a bit.

[st.cronin]

There are a couple of collections of mystery short stories by Asimov that I really enjoyed. They're not science fiction, they're more like straightforward Sherlock Holmes tales.

[MJ4H]

Nightfall

[ISiddiqui]

Of course the Foundation Triology and I, Robot being the first things. Then after that The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn, Robot and Empire (merging his two big series) - aka, the Robot series, The Gods Themselves, Foundation's Edge.

[Chief Rum]

Nightfall

Ditto. My favorite short story, and considered perhaps the best scifi short story ever written. The concepts discussed were a little less well known when it was written, but I think it holds up well. Actually, just find an Asimov short story anthology. There are at least three or four. He has a lot of good short stories.

[Malificent]

If you like the short "single idea" mystery story, I highly recommend any of his Black Widowers short story collections. Quite entertaining.

[QuikSand]

If you like the short "single idea" mystery story, I highly recommend any of his Black Widowers short story collections. Quite entertaining.

Agreed, loved them and read them all. The other series he wrote (name is escaping me) was very similar, and generally not as good.

[chesapeake]

Lucky you! Asimov is one of the great 20th Century American thinkers and a heckuva great writer.

"Written quite a bit" is, perhaps, the the biggest understatement I've ever seen on this board. The guy wrote books and stories like the rest of us go to the bathroom.

I'm assuming you're looking to start with just his science fiction work?

The Foundation Trilogy is outstanding, but it reads a little differently than most of his other works because it is currently printed as 3 novels but was written originally as a serial for Astounding Magazine.

If you want to get your brain wet first, I'd recommend starting with Nightfall and Other Stories or I, Robot. Asimov investigates in a little more depth some underlying principles in these short story compendiums, like the Three Laws of Robotics, that he weaves into most of his other science fiction works. You'll also get a good feel for the mid-20th century SF writing style in bite-sized pieces.

[Axxon]

All these are going to be better recommendations for first time readers but I will throw out my favorites of his non fiction works which I really like better than his fiction but they're not everyone's cup of tea.

Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare
Asimov's Guide to the Bible
Yours, Isaac Asimov, a Lifetime of Letters
Limericks

"Yours" is a collection of letters he had written over the years. Some to family, some to friends, some to fans ( he handwrote replies to EVERY fan letter he got though he admits to eventually having to rely on postcards for this ). It shows a side of the writer that he showed people in real life and is a great companion to his biography.

[Axxon]

I had to spend time googling this till I was sure this was the book but it is. It's not by Asimov it's a collection he edited but by far this is the best collection of sci fi short stories I've ever seen in a single volume. Could be of interest if you like sci fi.

50 Short Science Fiction Tales

http://www.amazon.com/50-Short-Science-Fiction-Tales/dp/0684842963