Last Friday, September 12, was the first day of the Planned Parenthood Book Sale; it will continue through Sunday, September 21. We went to the book sale on both Friday and Saturday. (And we will go back again tomorrow, and Saturday and Sunday.)
Every year I plan to limit my short story book purchases at the sale, since I have so many already, both in print editions and on the Kindle. Yet I was unable to resist the four books I am featuring here.
The Complete Stories, Volume 1
Isaac Asimov
This book consists of the stories previously collected in Earth Is Room Enough (1957), Nine Tomorrows (1959), and Nightfall and Other Stories (1969). There are a total of 48 stories by Asimov in this volume. Asimov wrote short stories in other genres, but my impression is that this volume is primarily science fiction and fantasy tales.
I, Robot
Isaac Asimov
This is a book I have planned to read for years. It consists of nine short stories, which originally appeared in science-fiction magazines in the 1940's. Recently, Kelly at Kelly's Thoughts & Ramblings read and reviewed I, Robot. She enjoyed the book and that motivated me to read it sooner rather than later.
The Truth and Other Stories
Stanisław Lem; Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Translator); Kim Stanley Robinson (Foreword)
Stanisław Lem (1921-2006) was a Polish writer. I don't know much about his writing, except that he was best know for his science fiction novels and short stories. His most well-known novel was Solaris (1961). This book of 12 science fiction short stories was published in 2021 and includes 9 stories that previously had not been published in English.
Lake of Souls: the Collected Short Fiction
Ann Leckie
I took a chance on this book because I am interested in Ancillary Justice, the first book in her Imperial Radch series. This collection has seven stories from the Universe of The Raven Tower, a standalone novel, three stories from the Imperial Radch Universe, and eight unrelated stories.
23 comments:
You've got some fascinating choices here, Tracy! My husband is more of an Asimov reader than I am, and he's got both of those collections. I hope you'll enjoy them. I've read one of Stanislow Lem's books, but not this one. It looks interesting, though, and I hope you'll enjoy it.
You read very widely, Tracy!
I grew up reading Asimov's stories and novels and science essays. Brilliant man!
I too would like to try out something by Isaac Asimov. I have leaned towards Foundation but maybe I Robot would be better.
That first Asimov collection sounds good. I'm glad you got I, Robot and look forward to your thoughts on it. I really enjoyed my re-read of it.
I read the first Foundation book not that long ago and it really felt dated to me. I would recommend I, Robot.
I would suggest that that the first volume of THE COMPLETE STORIES would probably be a better starting point than I, ROBOT...not least because it does give a range of Asimov's interests as expressed in fiction, and some stories that you won't find so readily elsewhere (which NIGHTFALL AND OTHER STORIES was meant to collect in its original appearance). But, then, for example, Asimov and some others felt "The Bicentennial Man" one of his best stories, and others express quite the opposite opinion...I would certainly rate it higher than "Nightfall", which, like Arthur C. Clarke's "The Nine Billion Names of God", strike me as Cute Notion stories which make their points but are given way too much credit beyond that...
Oh--a slight typo--NIGHTFALL AND OTHER STORIES was published in '69, rather than a decade before. Asimov had belatedly realized that his single most famous short story had yet to appear in one of his own collections. The next year, it would top the SF Writers of America poll among membership for their choice (sentimental, perhaps) as best sf short story published before 1964 (and thus the first stories that could win SFWA Nebula Awards) for THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME, Volume 1.
Hope you got many fun books at the sale!
Margot, I am glad to hear that your husband has liked Asimov's short stories; I have read a few in the past, and am looking forward to trying both of those collections.
Thanks, Patti. I do find that I have enjoyed a lot of short fiction in the science fiction genre.
Anonymous, I have read a few of Asimov's novels. Two in the robot detective series, Foundation, and one standalone book.
I agree with Kelly, for a first book to read I, Robot might be better. I read Foundation, and I mostly liked it but there were some elements that bothered me.
Kelly, I was happy to see the copy of I,Robot at the sale. Even though I do have to many books of short stories. But, like I said, I have been meaning to read it for years, so I should do that.
Todd, I will probably sample stories from both books very soon Todd. And thanks for your comments on the contents.
Thanks for finding that typo, Todd. I have now fixed it. Asimov writes good introductions to his books.
Constance, I have gotten too many fun books at the sale. I did get two more books by Nelson DeMille, two that you suggested: Gold Coast and Word of Honor. Word of Honor is 850 pages!!!
I Robot, is one I must get around to, I have a feeling that it's not much like the film.
Cath, I had forgotten that there was a movie associated with I, Robot. I don't know anything about that movie, except that Will Smith was in it, but I also think that the film and the book of short stories are very different. I have a largish queue of short story books I want to read soon, but I hope that I can move this one near to the top.
I've read some of Asimov's I, Robot short stories. I'm not a huge fan of short stories, but I did like several of his.
Lark, I am glad to hear that you liked some of the I, Robot stories. I have always been curious about that book, but I never ran into a copy to read before now.
Love the annual book sale you go to. I think Asimov seems astute and his books seem sci-fi classics. I hope you like it.
Susan, it is a good one. We look forward to it each year and then it is sad when it is over.
Asimov is a good author. I haven't read a lot of his books, but I like the variety within the science fiction genre. He wrote a few mysteries too.
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