A Complete List of Asimov Essays

brian RemoveThis @isi.edu (Brian Tung) writes:

>Joseph Nebus wrote:
>> Has a complete, or a reasonably complete, list of Asimov Essays
>> ever been successfully assembled? Or have all such attempts collapsed
>> under their own gravitational attraction?

>What's missing from the list at asimovonline.com?

*Huh*. As far as I can tell without obsessive study there isn't
anything missing, except that somehow I'd never noticed it before. I may
have grown too dependent on Dennis Jenkins's guide to the short stories
and novels instead. Thank you.

--
Joseph Nebus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Someone on another list commented that Asimov had written an essay in
which he advocated that used book stores be closed, because writers
did not make any money out of the sale and resale of their books.

This has been met with disbelief, however I, ever curious, did some
checking, and someone way back in 1999 in yet another list commented
that Asimov did indeed have a dislike of used bookstores.

So does anyone here know if such an essay exists - apparently in
Asimov's magazine? And if so, any idea what the title and issue is?

I looked at the list of titles in the website mentioned above, and
came across a couple essays where he might have mentioned it, but
nothing concrete.


Caroline
The Thunder Child science fiction webzine
http://thethunderchild.com
 >> Stay informed about: A Complete List of Asimov Essays 

In article <1175060467.884736.129740.RemoveThis@e65g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>,
"TimeTraveller" <GastropodGraphics.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

> This has been met with disbelief, however I, ever curious, did some
> checking, and someone way back in 1999 in yet another list commented
> that Asimov did indeed have a dislike of used bookstores.
>
> So does anyone here know if such an essay exists - apparently in
> Asimov's magazine? And if so, any idea what the title and issue is?
>

I can't remember any Asimov essay where he expresses negative feelings
about used book stores. (I know that some authors dislike them, and
public libraries, too, but Asimov's earnings were enough that he
wouldn't have the financial motive these other authors have.)

I think this is probably a statement made by another author which became
over time attributed to someone better-known. This sort of thing
happens all the time.

-----
John H. Jenkins
jhjenkins.RemoveThis@mac.com
http://homepage.mac.com/jhjenkins/Asimov/Asimov.html
 >> Stay informed about: A Complete List of Asimov Essays 

John Jenkins wrote:
> I can't remember any Asimov essay where he expresses negative feelings
> about used book stores. (I know that some authors dislike them, and
> public libraries, too, but Asimov's earnings were enough that he
> wouldn't have the financial motive these other authors have.)
>
> I think this is probably a statement made by another author which became
> over time attributed to someone better-known. This sort of thing
> happens all the time.

Now *that* Asimov *did* write an essay about, referring to the False
Geber. Can't remember which essay off-hand, which is kind of
embarrassing--this is usually the sort of thing I know off the top of
my head.

--
Brian Tung <brian RemoveThis @isi.edu>
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
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 >> Stay informed about: A Complete List of Asimov Essays 

Someone on another list commented that Asimov had written an essay in
which he advocated that used book stores be closed, because writers
did not make any money out of the sale and resale of their books.

I doubt if this is true. I have never read anything like this coming from
Asimov. I HAVE read a few essays where he talks of going to old book stores
with his second wife Janet.
Rande....
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In article <1175060467.884736.129740.RemoveThis@e65g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>,
"TimeTraveller" <GastropodGraphics.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> writes:

> Someone on another list commented that Asimov had written an essay in
> which he advocated that used book stores be closed, because writers
> did not make any money out of the sale and resale of their books.

I don't recall this specifically, but in discussing a future
"world-wide-web library" (he didn't use that term, of course), Asimov
pointed out that writers should receive compensation for each time a
work of theirs is accessed.

In principle, used-book stores aren't worse than public libraries, where
a book is bought once and read many times. (Perhaps libraries pay a
larger price for books, apart from the fact that they usually purchase
hardcover versions, but still in principle there isn't a big
difference.)
 >> Stay informed about: A Complete List of Asimov Essays 

Brian Tung wrote:
> Now *that* Asimov *did* write an essay about, referring to the False
> Geber. Can't remember which essay off-hand, which is kind of
> embarrassing--this is usually the sort of thing I know off the top of
> my head.

It is, in the unlikely event anyone wondered about this besides me,
"Alas, All Human," from the June 1979 issue of F&SF, and collected in
the 1981 collection The Sun Shines Bright, as well as the 1989 Asimov on
Science--both of which I have.

--
Brian Tung <brian.DeleteThis@isi.edu>
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
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 >> Stay informed about: A Complete List of Asimov Essays 

In article <etvkg7$k02$1@praesepe.isi.edu>, brian.DeleteThis@isi.edu (Brian Tung)
wrote:

> Joseph Nebus wrote:
> > Has a complete, or a reasonably complete, list of Asimov Essays
> > ever been successfully assembled? Or have all such attempts collapsed
> > under their own gravitational attraction?
>
> What's missing from the list at asimovonline.com?

Actually, quite a bit. I haven't updated the site in quite a while, but
have continued to do research and collect more information. I promise
that the site will be updated, it's just a matter of when, not if.

--
Ed Seiler
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In article <1175060467.884736.129740.DeleteThis@e65g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>,
"TimeTraveller" <GastropodGraphics.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Someone on another list commented that Asimov had written an essay in
> which he advocated that used book stores be closed, because writers
> did not make any money out of the sale and resale of their books.
>
> This has been met with disbelief, however I, ever curious, did some
> checking, and someone way back in 1999 in yet another list commented
> that Asimov did indeed have a dislike of used bookstores.
>
> So does anyone here know if such an essay exists - apparently in
> Asimov's magazine? And if so, any idea what the title and issue is?
>
> I looked at the list of titles in the website mentioned above, and
> came across a couple essays where he might have mentioned it, but
> nothing concrete.
>
>
> Caroline
> The Thunder Child science fiction webzine
> http://thethunderchild.com

I don't remember Asimov expressing such a sentiment. He once wrote a
piece in the Nov. 12, 1989 New York Times describing a most unpleasant
experience where a sales clerk in a book store not only couldn't help
him find what he was looking for, but had never even heard of him,
which, to Asimov, was inconceivable. I can't remember for sure if that
was a used bookstore, but if it was, it certainly left a bad taste in
Asimov's mouth.

--
Ed Seiler
 >> Stay informed about: A Complete List of Asimov Essays 

Edward Seiler wrote:
> I don't remember Asimov expressing such a sentiment. He once wrote a
> piece in the Nov. 12, 1989 New York Times describing a most unpleasant
> experience where a sales clerk in a book store not only couldn't help
> him find what he was looking for, but had never even heard of him,
> which, to Asimov, was inconceivable. I can't remember for sure if that
> was a used bookstore, but if it was, it certainly left a bad taste in
> Asimov's mouth.

Was that the Dutton's experience? I think it shows up in I. Asimov.

--
Brian Tung <brian.RemoveThis@isi.edu>
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.html
 >> Stay informed about: A Complete List of Asimov Essays