Foundation Outline 1, The Psychohistorians

Recently I drew up an outline of the original Foundation series for my
personal amusement. I will post this in eleven instalments over the
next month or so, as I get around to it. The figures in parentheses are
the number of words in the scene or section.

The Psychohistorians
written 1951
published 1951
10 000 words
Date: 1 F.E.

1
Gaal Dornich, a young mathematician, aboard ship for Trantor, in order
to join the Seldon Project (1000)

2
His disembarkation and journey to the Hotel Luxor (900)

3
Dornick at the hotel: On the observation tower; First brief encounter
with Hari Seldon (1600)

4
Gaal Dornick's interview with Hari selfon; Psychohistory and Seldon's
demonstration of the Empire's imminent decline and fall (1000)

5
Gaal Dornick's arrest and meeting with his lawyer Lors Avakim (1300)

6
Seldon's trial: Seldon reveals publicly the approaching decline and
fall of the Empire (2300)

7
Seldon and Dornick's interview with the real ruler of the galaxy Linge
Chen; Seldon is offered and accepts exile (1000)

8
Dornick's final interview with seldon; The Seldon Plan (900)

Comments: One of Asimov's finest efforts, written at the height of his
powers. The style is extremely terse and nervous, and has little if any
pulpish or sci-fi-popular quality.

I reread the entire work, in English, for the purpose of making the
outline. I am in my thirties. I first read the work when I was 11 or
so. A friend of the family gave me a copy of _Foundation and Empire_
and I was hooked, the more so as I was weaned on Latin grammar and the
majesty of the Empire. She was a typical Southern girl by the way -
openly flirted with her brother and covered his face in kisses.
Admittedly he was handsome as the devil. A very colorful personality
she had. Yes, very colorful.

Lord Dorwin is a matter of taste, I suppose, and it is possible that
had I lived during the 30s and 40s I would react to the character
differently.

Even Asimov on rereading the series in the 80s was a little perturbed
at so many scenes with people 'just talking', but of course some of the
greatest literature of all is no different. Asimov was sometimes a
master at this, sometimes not.Less and less so as he got older and
fiction ceased to be his forte.