Yours, Isaac Asimov : A Life in Letters

Rating:
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise (so far)
Review: I am only 1/4 of the way through this, and I am really enjoying it (to my surprise). Stanley Asimov did a great job pulling thousands of Isaac's letters together (from over many years), and editing them for presentation. This is a great book for any fan of Isaac's writing. You may not agree with every view he wrote in his many letters, but you will have a new found respect for his incredible work (in quality & quantity).

Rating:
Summary: A tantalizing glimpse through the editor's keyhole.
Review: I was truly excited when I saw this book. Isaac Asimov was one of the first SF authors I discovered, and one who left a lasting impression on me; so to get a glimpse behind the fiction (and nonfiction) into the mind of the man who wrote so much stimulating, intelligent prose was a rare treat indeed.

Unfortunately, a glimpse is all that is offered. These are not the complete letters of Isaac Asimov, revealing his thoughts in the full context of his correspondence; rather, they are selected paragraphs excerpted from his letters. The book contains not the mind of Isaac Asimov as he wished to reveal it to his correspondents, but only a few sparkling facets carefully chosen by the editor (Asimov's brother).

Ironically, in one of the paragraphs selected, Asimov reveals that he elected not to write for television or movies because he dreaded the inevitable rewrites and editing of his creations, a decimation of his ideas perpetrated outside of his control. I cannot help but wonder if those words even registered upon his brother's consciousness as he dropped that paragraph, ripped from its surrounding context, into that book full of similar contextual decimations of Asimov's ideas.

To get even those brief glimpses into the mind of Asimov was undeniably enjoyable. However, I cannot but hope that, some day, someone will release a book that DOES contain the letters of Isaac Asimov, rather than mere brief excerpts therefrom.

Rating:
Summary: A Window into the mind of Asimov
Review: This was a wonderful book. I have read this compilation three times now and I enjoy it more each time I am lost in it. What a wonderful glimpse into one of the Great Grand Masters of Science Fiction. Isaac's brother Stanley finished compiling and editing the letters to and from Isaac, which make up this book, shortly before his own death in 1995. Stanley Asimov was a Vice President at Newsday before his retirement in I believe 1992 and you can sure tell the way his professionalism comes through. Stanley had done his brother proud and given the rest of us true treasure.

I loved and still love Isaac's science fiction work and some of his non-fiction work. Reading this book I came to the realization that I abhorred the good Doctors political views. You know what. It doesn't matter. I like Asimov more after reading this book then before. Asimov's candor, honesty and optimism surpass ideology.

This is a very similar book to Grumbles from the Grave by Heinlein. The Heinlein book was a failure for reasons outlined in a review at Amazon about the book by me. The Asimov book is great. The letters are categorized by type rather then year making it easy to read and follow. The commentary is light so as not to be distracting but very helpful and insightful when it was put there.

Thank you Stanley for a great piece of editing work.