The “I” followed by a comma and a name reminds me of something but I can’t place it. The only thing that comes to mind is the Robert Graves book, I, Claudius. But I think there’s something else. Maybe something Shakespearean? Biblical?
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Yes, and what inspired the book title?
It’s the standard opening to a will, isn’t it? ("I, Simplicio, being of sound mind and body, do leave my old gym shorts to magellan…etc.)
I haven’t read I, Claudius, but I assumed that thats where the title comes from.
According to Wikipedia, “Asimov wanted to call his collection Mind and Iron, and initially objected when the publisher changed the title.”
ETA (and crossposted with below): This site says, “I Robot was originally a title used for the 1939 Eando Binder short story about a misunderstood robot. Later, Issac Asimov’s publisher borrowed the title, much to Asimov’s dismay, for his first collection of Susan Calvin robot stories, replacing Asimov’s original title Mind and Iron.”
Asimov’s publisher re-used the title of a story by Eando Binder.
I have read the Binder story, but I forget exactly how it begins. I think it’s just an old turn of phrase for beginning memoirs. I do remember that the story is told as though written by the robot, Adam Link. Adam Link - Wikipedia
This thread seems better suited for Cafe Society. Moved from General Questions.
Gfactor
General Questions Moderator
“And I, John, saw these things, and heard them…” Rev 22:8
Isn’t “I, XXX” just a standard declaration of who you are and your…worthiness/authority/what have you to make the statement that follows? I think of it being used in legal documents, like wills, or for official pronouncements where the speaker needs to clarify their right to make the announcement.
So “I, Claudius” is something he would have sense in his capacity as Emperor - stating his leadership before speaking…
“I, WordMan, being of sound mind and body…” establishes a person’s ability to write a will…
So “I, Robot” is a way of getting you to realize “hey, waitaminnit - this thing considers itself a sentient being to the extent that it thinks it can make pronouncements…”
The Eando Binder story is considered something of a classic. Asimov must have known of it. It’s been filmed twice, both during the orighinal run of Outer Limits and during the 1995 season (both times with Leonard Nimoy, and the second time directed by his son)
The I, (whatever) tag has been used a lot, such as in I, Mobster:
And, of course, I, Pagliacci
Yes, Asimov has written in some essay that he knew of the Eando Binder story when his publisher proposed the title I, Robot. Asimov didn’t want to conflict with the Binder title. The publisher said that he didn’t care and went ahead and used the title.
I’m still holding out hope that Candice Bergen publishes a memoir titled I, Candy.
For the record, the proper pronoun to use with author Eando Binder is they: it’s the pen name used by two brothers, Elmo(? --IIRC) and Otto Binder, for their story collaborations – E.-and-O. Binder.
Did they choose Eando? or was it a later mistyping by someone else, like the infamous “Dord”
It was Earl. And Earl and Otto chose “Eando” themselves
Doesn’t it just mean Claudius the First?
No, it identifies that Claudius is speaking.
Wikipedia cites the title of I, Claudius as the inspiration for I, Robot, along with a number of other works with similar titles. I don’t know if that’s true. I do know that “soliloquacious” is the best word I’ve heard in some time.