When humanity meets technology, Asimov is there
Sci-fi grandmaster Isaac Asimov is at the top of his game in this collection of nine short stories. The first is "Profession", which speculates on the nature of education in a future where the Earth is the technological center of a civilization of hundreds of populated planets. The story revolves around young George Platen, and the very special profession for which he has been selected. Asimov goes beyond describing the technology for imparting information and makes points about the everyman's preference for physical over social science, the nature of the creative mind, and how society finds
ways to placate the uncreative, including an event at the future Olympics. More menacing is the "Feeling of Power" in which an unassuming computer programmer discovers the lost art of arithmetic in a future society where only computers know how to do mathematics. Asimov shows how this discovery moves up the bureaucratic chain until it reaches the ears of those who know
how to make use of it, but also makes a statement about scientific responsibility. "The Gentle Vultures" shows a non-competitive race that goes from planet to planet helping the survivors of nuclear catastrophe - until they encounter their first Cold War. And two of the very best tales deal with the burgeoning concept of artificial intelligence. "All the
Troubles of the World" shows a society that relies too heavily on its guiding computer, while "The Last Question" is a totally unique story dealing with a theosophical question and featuring a conclusion that is perhaps the greatest in all science fiction.Although most of the stories were written in the 1950's, there's very little that's been dated by subsequent scientific discoveries, largely because this collection isn't about hard science so much as the relationships between far-reaching technologies and human society. The protagonists aren't
swashbuckling hero types, and they usually aren't even dedicated scientists single-mindedly pursuing knowledge; they're more likely to be "little guys", ordinary working people with jobs to do, who when faced with something they should be helpless to combat, still summon up the courage to act during that one brief moment when they can make a crucial difference. Probably the most dated feature of this collection is its attitude toward women, who are frequently absent entirely, or serve only in the most stereotypical of roles. Only the touchingly sentimental "The Ugly Little Boy" treats a woman as anything like a real human being. Even so, the power of Asimov's ideas
and the scope of his vision of the future have delighted readers for over half a century. If you haven't read these stories in other collections, you'll certainly want to catch them here.
Some books just stick with you...
I read this book God knows how many years ago, and I've never been able to get it out of my head since. I read it again and again until the pages fell out; it's that kind of book. Thoughtful, provocative, and absolutely terrifying; Asimov at his best.
Powerful
I first ran across the book when my highschool chemistry teacher read The Last Question to the class. When he finished there was complete silence. It is by far my favorite short story. The other stories are also excellent and display Asimov's genius.
Good Book!
This was the first book that I read by Isaac Asimov and his writing stunned me. Every one of these stories is captivating and his ideas boggle the mind. My favorite short story of his is The Last Question. It is sooo good!!!!! I recommend this book to everyone! Also try to get your hands on his original short stories. They're great. A lot of his collections are out of print, but Amazon.com's pretty good at finding stuff for you.
NO MORE HOMEWORK
"EDUCATION DAY" one of the nine stories is unforgettable! If man can go to the moon, andhe can, maybe instant education is in the future. Want it? Great book, great author.
