Asimov Short Stories

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Oct 10, 2021 9:24 pm

Isn't there a simple compilation somewhere of every short story Asimov ever wrote? I am trying to read the published volumes, I Robot, The Complete Robot(not actually complete I discovered), Robot Dreams, Robot not Visions etc, and I am dismayed by the fact that the collections are overlapping, as many stories including 'Little Robot Lost' and 'Liar' appear to be in every collection.

I was able to find a one volume collection of all the short stories of Arthur C Clarke, I know Asimov wrote an absurd number of stories, so 'The Complete Asimov' would no doubt fill several volumes, but it would be nice to have one source to go to.....30 years after his death hasn't there been any effort in this direction?
Must I be continually frustrated finding one collection after another which are 30-40% identical?

And I'm still reading Wheel of Time, I own the first 7 volumes which I should finish by the end of the year.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 20018

Doom wrote:

Isn't there a simple compilation somewhere of every short story Asimov ever wrote? I am trying to read the published volumes, I Robot, The Complete Robot(not actually complete I discovered), Robot Dreams, Really not Visions etc, and I am dismayed by the fact that the collections are overlapping, as many stories including 'Little Robot Lost' and 'Liar' appear to be in every collection.

I was able to find a one volume collection of all the short stories of Arthur C Clarke, I know Asimov wrote an absurd number of stories, so 'The Complete Asimov' would no doubt fill several volumes, but it would be nice to have one source to go to.....30 years after his death hasn't there been any effort in this direction?
Must I be continually frustrated finding one collection after another which are 30-40% identical?

And I'm still reading Wheel of Time, I own the first 7 volumes which I should finish by the end of the year.

Around 30-40 years back, before you learned to read, I'll bet, there were 2 volumes of THE COMPLETE STORIES (it said), vol 1 and vol 2.

For what that's worth. I probably have them, somewhere.

Doom · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2021 1:19 pm

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

Isn't there a simple compilation somewhere of every short story Asimov ever wrote? I am trying to read the published volumes, I Robot, The Complete Robot(not actually complete I discovered), Robot Dreams, Really not Visions etc, and I am dismayed by the fact that the collections are overlapping, as many stories including 'Little Robot Lost' and 'Liar' appear to be in every collection.

I was able to find a one volume collection of all the short stories of Arthur C Clarke, I know Asimov wrote an absurd number of stories, so 'The Complete Asimov' would no doubt fill several volumes, but it would be nice to have one source to go to.....30 years after his death hasn't there been any effort in this direction?
Must I be continually frustrated finding one collection after another which are 30-40% identical?

And I'm still reading Wheel of Time, I own the first 7 volumes which I should finish by the end of the year.

Around 30-40 years back, before you learned to read, I'll bet, there were 2 volumes of THE COMPLETE STORIES (it said), vol 1 and vol 2.

For what that's worth. I probably have them, somewhere.

But that would be 'complete' as of that date,he continued to write until just before his death. As far as I can find, he wrote a whopping 380 short stories, including several that were published after his death. How many does that 2 volume collection have?? I learned that the reason 'The Complete Robot' is not complete is that it was complete when it was first published, but then he wrote more.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 20018

Doom wrote:

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

Isn't there a simple compilation somewhere of every short story Asimov ever wrote? I am trying to read the published volumes, I Robot, The Complete Robot(not actually complete I discovered), Robot Dreams, Really not Visions etc, and I am dismayed by the fact that the collections are overlapping, as many stories including 'Little Robot Lost' and 'Liar' appear to be in every collection.

I was able to find a one volume collection of all the short stories of Arthur C Clarke, I know Asimov wrote an absurd number of stories, so 'The Complete Asimov' would no doubt fill several volumes, but it would be nice to have one source to go to.....30 years after his death hasn't there been any effort in this direction?
Must I be continually frustrated finding one collection after another which are 30-40% identical?

And I'm still reading Wheel of Time, I own the first 7 volumes which I should finish by the end of the year.

Around 30-40 years back, before you learned to read, I'll bet, there were 2 volumes of THE COMPLETE STORIES (it said), vol 1 and vol 2.

For what that's worth. I probably have them, somewhere.

But that would be 'complete' as of that date,he continued to write until just before his death. As far as I can find, he wrote a whopping 380 short stories, including several that were published after his death. How many does that 2 volume collection have?? I learned that the reason 'The Complete Robot' is not complete is that it was complete when it was first published, but then he wrote more.

I said, "FWTW" for a reason.

Here's wiki on what is offered:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... es_(Asimov)&usg=AOvVaw1vJBeS3OGij_-JzKxHeNxz

This also is pertinent:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asi ... bliography

It appears you have a task before you.

Doom · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2021 3:35 pm

500 books, but not all of them fiction. I can live with not reading the non-fiction ones. Although I have long been curious about his annotated Bible, he often displays an in depth knowledge of the Bible in his fiction, I wonder what his annotations are like.

So what do you think is his best writing? My favorite one si far is Caves of Steel

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 20018

Doom wrote:

500 books, but not all of them fiction. I can live with not reading the non-fiction ones. Although I have long been curious about his annotated Bible, he often displays an in depth knowledge of the Bible in his fiction, I wonder what his annotations are like.

So what do you think is his best writing? My favorite one si far is Caves of Steel

If I could find my copies of his books on the Bible (ASIMOV'S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE, org. 2 vols), I'd comment.

Total s/s seems to be around 330 +/-, but around 9 are lost or never published, very early ones. Lots of them are the mysteries, as in the Black Widows stories.

I like the Robots, FOUNDATION, CAVES, NAKED SUN. The more he wrote, the less I read. Even some I did read I don't remember. Currently I'm listening to a (very) condensed dramatization of the FOUNDATION trilogy (8-9- hours, 8 episodes. Best dramatization I've listened to, along with the BBC LOTR. I think the FOUNDATION one is BBC, too.

Doom · **Posted:** Mon Oct 11, 2021 7:49 pm

Yes, the BBC did a very brief radio adaptation, it isn't bad. There is a live action adaptation currently running on Apple TV, which is a streaming service I don't subscribe to, , and as much as I want to see it,I'm not about to subscribe just to see it.

I know I'll never be able to read all his fiction, but if I can just read all the short stories and robot books, I'll be happy.

I do intend to read everything Arthur C Clarke wrote, I've already read all his short stories, and about half his 20 novels. That is totally feasible.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 20018

Doom wrote:

Yes, the BBC did a very brief radio adaptation, it isn't bad. There is a live action adaptation currently running on Apple TV, which is a streaming service I don't subscribe to, , and as much as I want to see it,I'm not about to subscribe just to see it.

I know I'll never be able to read all his fiction, but if I can just read all the short stories and robot books, I'll be happy.

I do intend to read everything Arthur C Clarke wrote, I've already read all his short stories, and about half his 20 novels. That is totally feasible.

I like the acting, the expression in the dialogue. Considering my hobby of old time radio shows, it stands out. And is available on line.

I subscribe to no streaming service at all. Not how I like spending my time.

Reading all of Clarke is feasible, I'd say. Just not desirable. For all that, I've read 10+ that I can recall.

Doom · **Posted:** Tue Oct 12, 2021 5:20 pm

Yeah, yeah, I know your problems with Clarke, I still like his writing, even though he makes me roll my eyes or irritates me nearly as often as he entertains me. At least I know what I'm getting when I pick up one of his books, I could write a book almost as long listing my complaints.

kage_ar · **Posted:** Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:32 am

His books on the Bible actually pushed me a little bit more on my journey to the Faith, they stoked my interest in the Deuterocanonicals.

I own hardback, former library editions, of Opus 200 and Opus 300 and paperbacks of both Bible volumes. If you want them, I'll mail the Opus books to you. Going to read the Bible books once more before I re-home them.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 10:22 pm **Posts:** 20018

kage_ar wrote:

His books on the Bible actually pushed me a little bit more on my journey to the Faith, they stoked my interest in the Deuterocanonicals.

I own hardback, former library editions, of Opus 200 and Opus 300 and paperbacks of both Bible volumes. If you want them, I'll mail the Opus books to you. Going to read the Bible books once more before I re-home them.

Peregrinator · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2022 6:25 pm

Doom wrote:

So what do you think is his best writing? My favorite one si far is Caves of Steel

Best novel? Pebble in the Sky.

Best group of stories? The 9 stories that make up the original Foundation trilogy.

Asimov Short Stories

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