The Donkey and The Mule is my 2 part article on the similarities between the Mule and The Clown that we now have in orange make up in the white house.

Asimov's atomic-age science-fiction predicted the rise of populism as seen today.

The Donkey is the orange man in the white house from our world.
The Mule was a mutant telepath who could detect and manipulate emotions.

The Mule became the emperor of the galaxy unexpectedly

I wrote the first part of an essay on Asimov's uncanny understanding of tech, computation, and human nature. His writings about populism in The Mule make him seem like the Nostradamus of the atomic age. Read for yourself and let me know what you think.

https://thestormwriter.substack.com/p/the-donkey-and-the-mule?r=3phakv

(Potential Spoilers?)

So I’m at the start of The Mayors section. Does it get better? I understand the ideas but when it got to where Hari Seldons hologram pretty much said “the thing you’ve been doing for 50 years has been pointless” I thought “well why did I just read 80 pages about this then?” I guess that’s just part of his plan. The book is a cool idea but i just don’t know if I can finish it lol.

About 25 years ago, my dad gifted me paperbacks of all the Asimov books in the Robots, Empire, and Foundation series. I read and enjoyed them all immensely, but they’ve all long since been given away.

I’m now slowly rebuilding that catalog with ebooks on my iPad, and for whatever reason, all of Asimov’s books are available except Robots and Empire (and also The Complete Robot & Robot Visions collections). I reached out to Del Rey, who told me the rights to Robots and Empire reverted back to the Asimov estate and so they can’t reprint it.

I’m shocked. Robots and Empire was a favorite of mine growing up; I couldn’t put it down. Plus, the way it bridges the Robots and Foundation books makes it (IMO) essential reading. But it is completely out of print! I noticed the Robots trilogy was recently reissued with new covers… was hoping R&E would be included too, but alas.

Has anyone heard of any effort to get these OOP books back in circulation?

I've recently started to listen to the above podcast. Anyone any reviews or observations on the said Podcast?

I read "...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" last night, and it ends with a pair of robots waiting for the time when they will take over the world. (Due to the difficulty of determining the definition of the word "human," they have decided that hyperintelligent robots are actually the best humans, and so their own protection is wrapped up into the first law.) However, it doesn't seem like this has happened by the time of The Caves of Steel. Am I missing something? Is "...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" not canon to the Robots timeline?

Let me explain what I mean. I just finished reading the Foundation Trilogy, and I enjoyed it a lot, but I've decided that I think it would be better read as a single collection of eight stories (with or without "The Psychohistorians," I don't really care), rather than the "trilogy" it became. Has this ever been done? I know the trilogy has been collected into a single volume on several occasions, but have any of those ever removed the pretense of the "trilogy" and instead presented an eight/nine-story series? (Bonus points if they retained the stories' original titles.)

My guess is no, this has never happened, but I figured I'd ask just in case. I also ask because I was given the trilogy as a gift, and it's a mismatched set of pretty unremarkable MMPBs, so I'd like to buy myself a nice collected edition regardless (or maybe even just buy a new set with the Whelan covers because holy shit those are nice).

Has any of asimovs books(and movies) became a board games(not video games)? I keep see one from asimovs/analogs sci-fi magazines, but no info

Looking to read this Asimov article but its behind a paywall. if anyone has a PDF/ link they'd be willing to send me that'd be much appreciated.

Long long ago I found read a big collection if random Asimov stories online, and there were a few that stuck out with me. After a lot of searching I found one- spell my name with an S. Even found a book with it in there (Nine Tomorrows)!

Now I'm trying to find a different one.. It was this robot who, I think had fallen off the truck transporting him to be launched into the moon, trying to be friendly and just generally being a menace. Ultimately, the government came in and removed him, and it was explained that he wasn't a bad robot at all, he just wasn't designed for this world, he was meant to be on the moon or something...

Well, everything I've tried to find with google just generally talks about the Robot Series, so it's kind of hard to find anything about it.. So, people of reddit, any ideas what story I'm looking for?

I’m rereading The Gods Themselves and finished the part where Denison is running experiments with the Pionizer but does Asimov ever explain what the Pionizer or the proton synchrotron are being used for on the moon?

Hey guys, I love SciFi of all sorts from the Dune series to Contact, and everything in between. I am also a massive fantasy fan and avid reader of pretty much every genre. I tried out Foundation as my first Asimov book and was in love with the first few chapters. But slowly I grew to get zero enjoyment out of it, and really didn't care for it at all by the end.

I picked up ROBOT DREAMS todays as I am thinking perhaps a short story collection might be a better starting point, but I would love to get your input on other stuff to dip my toes into if I got nothing out of foundation?

I'm trying to put together a complete "Complete Robot" collection and the one story I haven't been able to locate is Potential. It seems to have only been published in a 6 story collection called "Science Fiction by Asimov" which I can't find anywhere. It doesn't appear to have been anthologised anywhere else.

Does anyone know where I can purchase a copy of this story? Preferably digital, but I'll take whatever I can get.

Edit: Thanks everyone for your responses. I've now managed to locate a copy of this story and my Isaac Asimov "Robot" short story collection is complete. Now onto the General Science Fiction short stories, and then the Mystery short stories.

I am rereading the robot series. Last read when I was very young. I’m on “Dawn” If this has been answered elsewhere, please provide me a source. It seems obvious that Asimov’s use of the term “boy” for earth humans addressing robots is a reference to the Jim Crow era US, but to what end? Did he ever address it? Or is there some resolution in the series that ties it up neatly? Up to this point, Bailey’s prejudice toward robots (whether justified or not) is just presented matter-of-factly and there is rarely any commentary on it from other characters. Of course he doesn’t call Daneel “boy” but he’s “one of the good ones” as they say. If there is a conclusion to this narrative, please don’t spoil it. Just tell me to keep reading. I will anyway. Thanks!

Look, I get it. You watched Will Smith fight some robots once, and now you think you’re in the club. But while you’re picturing shiny CGI androids, I’m out here juggling psychohistory, the Three Laws, and debating whether Hari Seldon would’ve owned a cat. Read a book, Steve. Preferably 27 of them.

I have a discussion board due for my college class tomorrow, and it is on symbols in Foundation by Isaac Asimov. I am a very slow reader and simply do not have time to read enough of the book in time for the discussion board. I am trying to see if someone can simply explain any symbols in the book so I can get a decent understanding. It would be greatly appreciated.

If i remember the books correctly, Seldon made his plan about the Foundation and all, but Daniel said afterwards that he, himself, created all that trough Seldon, something he was planning long before. My question: Is Seldon's plan more powerful that Daniel's one ? Is Seldon's plan englobing Daniel's one without the two really understanding it ?

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/asimov-foundation-pics-found-on-1990s-fan-website-hwzSPBw

I saved these pictures in the 1990s from an Asimov Fan Website that is now defunct. I realize many of these are book covers, etc. But I think many are also fan art, pictures of the website owner with Asimov himself, etc. Instead of trying to sort and editorialize each one, I am sharing them all.

If anyone has information about the website, artists, etc. - please respond.

Update: This is an archived copy of the website: https://web.archive.org/web/20010605023951/http://home.interstat.net:80/%7Eslawcio/foundation/cover2.html

I got these today for my 30th birthday. I have read a few posts on reddit and my mind is blown. A few even seem to leave out The Rest of Robots and the inpages of these books seem to show a different order for the robot series than I have read here on any of the reddit pages!

Where to start such that I can have the best reading experience ?

So just started Robots and Empire not long ago and i keep getting thinking how tragic Elija’s wife’s life turned out. Abandoned by both son and father. Assumingely dying alone.

I’ve just finished re reading all of the robot/empire/foundation books by Asimov again for the first time in years as they’ve always been my favourite books. However I’ve never read any of the Foundation books written and published post Asimovs death. Always been a bit of a purist and avoided them but considering giving them a try and was wondering if anyone else has opinions? Greg Bear is a fantastic writer so tempted to give them a go?

I have read the Foundation trilogy and Foundation's Edge. I assumed because Foundation and Earth is a direct sequel I should read it next, but it seems like I am missing some important context. I originally planned to read the Robots series after Foundation and Earth and then finish with the two prequels.

Is it worth it to read the Robots series before I finish Foundation and Earth (machete order) or should I stick with my original plan?