Sighting of Asimov

[John Thiel III]

Just about the first science fiction book I ever saw, stuck on a library shelf with about twenty-five books of the same nature, was Asimov's THE CAVES OF STEEL. I was but a child; I read the first page of it and couldn't figure out what the book might be about at all from that opening page. I didn't take it out--couldn't on a child's library card, but I didn't try to get anyone else to fetch it out for me either--and paid it no further mind until I went up there again with a couple of friends and while we were up there I showed them what I had discovered. "This is science fiction", said one of them, who was six years older than me and the other fellow (who was his younger brother). "You've seen Captain Video, haven't you? It's writing like that. I didn't know this was up here; I'm glad you showed this to me." And he started taking them out and telling us about science fiction. He didn't find the Asimov volume very decipherable either. He tired to interpret it and it led to his writing a short science fiction story himself, with an energy-eater in outer space in it. So seeing Asimov later on brings back memories.

 

[Bick]

So where did you see him, and what were the circumstances?
And did you ever read The Caves of Steel? What did you think?

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I loved Caves of Steel. I think I got it second hand as teenager at school or maybe at College. One of my favourites along with "Pebble in the Sky" "Currents of Space" the original Foundation Trilogy. I didn't much like his later books from the 1980s onward.

I guess US libraries are different from UK in 1960s and 1970s? There was a children's section but certainly you could borrow any of the non-children books. I read lots of SF from age 11 or so in Library. Adults could withdraw up to 5, children 3. Now I borrow "Young Adult" (Publisher Euphemism for kids and teens?) more than Adult, I've found kneeling makes it easier to peruse the "Children's section".

 

[John Thiel III]

I did not read THE CAVES OF STEEL, only heard it described and speculated about it. THE STARS, LIKE DUST is the Asimov novel I have read; plenty of bad action in it. I think his point and purpose in the novel was to show how bad everything was. He is, I think, one of those authors who see the human race as somewhat lagging behind what they should be, and too much prone to warfare. I've read some novelettes and short stories by him, including "Nightfall", which was similarly showing very hard times. Since hard times has become a major theme in science fiction nowadays, I'd call Asimov a precursor of it, and I think others do as well, as his significance as a writer is elevated today over what it was in the 50s.

When I've heard "Young Adult" it was referencing college students.

 

[John Thiel III]

Oh, and I've never met or seen Asimov, I meant "sighting" in the sense of catching a glimpse of him where I do my reading. That is, seeing his name going by.