# The best Asimov? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311 "2003-01-27T19:38:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carnal\_knowledge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@Carnal\_knowledge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnal_knowledge)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/1 "2003-01-27T19:38:47Z")
Which book or series, IYO, was his best? ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/2 "2003-01-27T19:40:06Z")
The **Norby the Robot** series. Its what got me hooked on Asimov as a child. ---
**Author:** ![bayonet1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bayonet1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bayonet1976)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/3 "2003-01-27T19:43:03Z")
I really loved The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun. Next I would place the original Foundation Triology. Slight OT comment, I only just found out that Asimov died of AIDS, acquired from blood products during heart surgery. I was floored! But now I REALLY understand his last editorial in Asimov’s. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/4 "2003-01-27T22:19:11Z")
Another vote here for _The Caves of Steel_. ---
**Author:** ![Ara-Alon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@Ara-Alon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ara-Alon)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/5 "2003-01-27T22:30:20Z")
bayonet1976, Where did you hear that Asimov died of AIDS? I read that his body had been damaged somehow by the heart-lung machine used during his surgery, but nothing about AIDS. I vote for Caves of Steel too. Also his autobiography (3 books!) is fun to read. ---
**Author:** ![Ara-Alon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@Ara-Alon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ara-Alon)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/6 "2003-01-27T22:44:07Z")
I just searched and found the book his wife published (It’s Been a Good Life), that revealed he died of AIDS. Have to get that one. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/7 "2003-01-28T00:59:18Z")
For me, _I, Robot_ is his best, followed very closely by The _Foundation_ Trilogy. Fun, intriguing and worth reading. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/8 "2003-01-28T01:29:13Z")
I actually liked **The Gods Themselves** mostly for the sex scenes. 🙂 However a better choice would be **The Caves of Steel** or **Foundation** and, of course, “Nightfall” and “The Last Question.” Finally, his story “The Feeling of Power” was his most lasting contribution – giving the world the term “pocket calculator.” And, yes, it was revealed last year that he had died of AIDS from a transfusion. The doctors insisted he not tell anyone (covering their asses more than anything else) and, despite the urging of his wife and others, he did as the doctors asked. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/9 "2003-01-28T03:24:44Z")
The Foundation Trilogy for his longer stuff, and “NightFall” and “The Last Question” for his shorter stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/10 "2003-01-28T04:08:22Z")
I haven’t read all that much of his material, but my favorite would have to be _Nightfall_, followed by _Foundation and Empire_ and _Second Foundation._ In general, I find that his books have lots of creativity and good plotting, but rather poor writing. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/11 "2003-01-28T04:38:54Z")
While I am agreeing on all counts with **ITR** , I found “The Gods Themselves” to be his best written novel. It won the Nebula award in 1972, which is no small achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/12 "2003-01-28T07:13:47Z")
OK, they’re not as important as any of the above, but I’ve always had a fondness for his “Wendell Urth” series of SF mysteries. It’s a tricky genre to write, and he handled it well. Besides, Urth manages to be another homage to Nero Wolfe in his reclusiveness and a reminder of Asimov’s reluctance to fly. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/13 "2003-01-28T13:20:47Z")
I have to say the **Foundation** trilogy. Thart’s the _trilogy_ – in Asimov’s memory we should just ignore the awful sequels, starting with Foundation’s Edge. ---
**Author:** ![Mearl\_Dox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Mearl\_Dox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mearl_Dox)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/14 "2003-01-28T14:59:34Z")
Another vote for Caves of Steel, and I just got through rereading The Naked Sun. Great book. From what I’ve heard, R. Daneel is a very popular character, but I always liked Lije the best. ---
**Author:** ![beajerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@beajerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beajerry)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/15 "2003-01-30T02:57:22Z")
I, Robot was spectacular, and still is. As to the AIDS question, in the new biography, It’s Been A Good Life, his wife writes that he got HIV from a transfusion from his bypass surgery in 1983 when not a lot was known. He died of AIDS complications including kidney failure. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/16 "2003-01-30T03:39:48Z")
I was always more stuck on his non-fiction work. The man could write about anything! ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/17 "2003-01-30T04:40:48Z")
He had some very entertaining short stories. I love the ones where he 'll write a 20 page story all to justify a one sentence pun. Also, _The Sensuous Dirty Old Man_ is the best title for anything, ever. Too bad the book itself isn’t very good. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/18 "2003-01-30T04:41:45Z")
Ah, the best story he wrote was “Breeds There A Man?”. It has a great plot, it’s well written and it ends in a shocking way. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/19 "2003-01-30T05:50:32Z")
My personal favorite of his novels is _Pebble in the Sky_. He classes it as a “Galactic Empire novel”, along with _The Currents of Space_ and _The Stars like Dust_ (both also pretty good), but there’s no strong connection between them. **sleestak** , refresh my memory: Which one was “Breeds There a Man”? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311/20 "2003-01-30T07:28:41Z")
Well, as a lifelong mystery fan, I’ve always been partial to the Black Widower and Union Club stories. Not that I could always solve 'em, but I never could solve 'em all. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-asimov/151311.md?page=2)