The Early Asimov

by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted by the author (c)2003

Before Asimov finally sat down and wrote his autobiographies, "In Memories Yet Green", and, "In Joy Still Felt", he skirted the job by producing three volumes of his stories bracketed with biographical information. These were, "Before the Golden Age," "Buy Jupiter and Other Stories," and subject of this review, "The Early Asimov." 

"The Early Asimov" is a collection of the first stories that Isaac sold to pulp magazines of the nineteen thirties and early forties. These are stories that have not been published in any of Asimov's other collections. They are not his best work, nor his worst. They are a response to the numerous letters Asimov received asking for complete lists of his published work and the stories behind them. 

The book opens with an explanation of its origin and as brief a biography as needed to bring the reader up to speed as to how the first story was sold. It refers to Asimov's first written effort for publication, "Cosmic Corkscrew," and his first meeting with John Campbell, the man most responsible for Asimov becoming more than the most popular teacher at the Boston University School of Medicine. It does not contain "Cosmic Corkscrew," unfortunately, for that effort is lost to the dustbins of history. It does start with the second story Asimov ever wrote and the first to see professional publication, "The Callistan Menace." 

The stories are arranged not in order of publication, but in the order they were written. The reason given, and I have no reason to doubt it, is that this is a more accurate view of Asimov's literary development. Also, many stories were written and accepted by different magazines of the time, and they had different publishing schedules. Some stories were sold and published in a few months, others were delayed in publication for a year or more, while some were sold to magazines that folded, and had to be resold to other magazines. 

These are Asimov's early efforts and the quality is not up to the standards we expect from the master. It is interesting to see the early development of ideas that became Asimov standards. In the "Black Friar of the Flame," we see earth, subjugate by ooff-worlders rising in revolt, as would later happen in Asimov's first book-length novel, "Pebble in the Sky." We also see a galactic civilization that would later fill out the "Foundation" series. There are also a few stories involving alien life forms in close contact with humans. Something Asimov abandoned for a "human only" universe. 

Of the three books in this biographical series I found "The Early Asimov" to be the least appealing. I don't think Asimov had yet formulated the idea of literary biography so the additional information is dry and to the point. There are few personal details that flesh out the stories in his other two books and if he had re-released this volume, after "Buy Jupiter," I am sure he would have changed the biographical information. 


The stories are good, even for early efforts. The peek into the life of a young author are worth the cost of the book and should be mandatory for any budding writer to study. We all want to be successful authors, the real world often has other ideas. Asimov politely shows how hard the publishing world can be. This is an education you do not always get in Composition 101.