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To stave off his publisher's calls for an autobiography Isaac Asimov started adding biographical information to his story introductions. He then put together three short story collections which, taken together, covered his life from birth to his second marriage on November 30, 1973. These were, in order of chronology, not publishing, "Before the Golden Age," "The Early Asimov," and subject of this review, "Buy Jupiter and other stories." (all reviews available on this site BTW)Actually, "Buy Jupiter" did not start off as an entry into Asimov's literary autobiography. In 1974 Isaac was asked to be Guest of Honor at a science fiction convention known as Boskone XI. The organizers of the convention wanted to publish a small collection of his works on the outside chance someone at the convention had never heard of him (really!). The result was a little book of seldom read stories entitled, "Have You Seen These." Larry P. Ashmead, then a chief editor at Doubleday, saw the book, liked the stories, and asked Asimov to add a few more. The result was "Buy Jupiter," a collection of two dozen short stories, that have not appeared in any other of his earlier collections. They are arranged in chronological order of appearance and, most important to an Asimov fan, they are bracketed with biographical commentary.
Most of the stories are written in a conversational style that Asimov preferred. While most authors use a narrative to tell their story, Isaac liked to invite the reader into the party. In fact, one of the last stories, "Thiotimoline to the Stars," is almost entirely a lecture given by a general to a graduating class. This style of storytelling gives the reader the impression that the author is talking TO them, not AT them. As the story protagonists are sitting by the fire unraveling a mystery, you are sitting with them, enjoying the company.
The stories are a healthy mix on minor mysteries, space-age problem solving, and latter 20th-century pessimism. Asimov was always worried about overpopulation and atomic war, and a number of his stories dealt with these fears in one form or another. Most are very enjoyable and raise awareness, but others tend to be a little heavy-handed for this author's taste. All seem to be written with sincerity and not just to jump on the popular bandwagon. The collection even includes his famous "Everest," the oft commented on, but seldom read, reason Asimov never wanted to be called a "futurist."
While this is a biographical continuation, it nicely stands alone. The stories are enjoyable, and the additional information gives you a look into the life and writing style of the author. It also gives budding writers a look at how story ideas originate, and how writing jobs are found. For those who wish to follow in Asimov's footsteps, this is a valuable education.
Isaac Asimov eventually did write his autobiography and as a research tool, it is invaluable. However, it is not one of his more interesting reads. The biographical information Isaac included in "Buy Jupiter" is much more accessible to the general fan. The stories are fun, and with twenty-four of them, there is something for everyone.
