It most certainly wasn’t fun for the women, temporal relativity notwithstanding.
I didn’t want to make a totally new thread on Asimov but I noticed this, so hopefully I can be forgiven for asking this question in this thread:
I love Asimov, especially his non-fiction. One of my favourite of his books is a children’s biography of Benjamin Franklin called “The Kite That Won the Revolution”. I love it so much because it goes into the history of science relating to electricity, as well as Ben Franklin’s part in it. But it also goes into his career as a politician and diplomat, and how his fame as a scientist helped him find favour in France and helped America to gain independence. It is quite wide-ranging for a kid’s book!
Does anyone have any other recommendations like that from Asimov? I guess what I am looking for is something where he has a very specific subject he is ostensibly writing about, but he goes into every possible way of looking at it and ends up making it more about than just what it says. Maybe that’s too abstract, but does anyone have any suggestions?
I enjoyed his essay collections, like “Asimov on Math” and “Asimov on Physics” which had the feature of looking at a subject from a wide variety of angles.
For many, yes, I agree it wasnt fun. But for some, getting pinched by a great author and celebrity? That would make their whole year. My Ex got kissed by one of the Coasters once in Vegas and he gave her his scarf and she treasured both the moment and the scarf. One girl I was with at a Con had a SF great kiss her hand- then work his way up to her shoulder, and she LOVED it. So, dont think you speak for* all* women. Maybe most, i dunno. I cant speak for any women.
But you see, this (he mostly stopped around the middle of the 1970s when his second wife finally told him is was inappropriate) was four decades before “me too” and even before Sexual Harassment training was mandatory everywhere. How would he KNOW? Well, he obviously didnt know until Janet told him. Everyone used to laugh about it and even encourage it.
So, once he knew it was bad, he mostly stopped doing it. He just joked about it.
Now, you know where we get this? (wiki)"Allegations of sexual harassment
Alec Nevala-Lee, a specialist in the history of science fiction, asserts that Asimov had a reputation amongst the science fiction community as a groper, who would fondle and kiss women at conventions without their consent. " But she never met him, nor did she interview any of his "victims. "
Mr. Nevala-Lee has an article, including quotes from Asimov such as:
“The question then is not whether or not a girl should be touched. The question is merely where, when, and how she should be touched.”
“It’s like the old saying. You get slapped a lot, but you get laid a lot, too.”
The gentleman who wrote the article (not a she, if that matters) has a number of quotes from not only Asimov but his contemporaries.