This work covers the history of the Byzantine Empire, from the foundation of Byzantium, in the Fifth Century AD, until its fall to the Ottoman Empire, in the Fifteenth Century. The relevance of the book is this: at school, we are taught history from a Eurocentric perspective. That's fine, since that is our main heritage. But there is a millenium-wide gap. They teach us the history of Greece and Rome, and then, after Rome's conquest by the Barbarians, we skim through the Middle Ages, briefly and superficially. Then we arrive at the Renaissance and proceed to modernity. The problem with this sequence is that we are never explained how the legacy of Greece and Rome resurfaces after a thousand years of Medieval times. And what we miss is precisely what Asimov fills in with his book. It happens that, for a thousand years, the Classical culture remained alive and kicking, even nurtured, in the Eastern Mediterranean. The axis of this world was Constantinople -or Byzantium-. There, the Classical culture met the Oriental luxury and liveliness, and the history of this empire is just fascinating. Jews, Moslems, Orthodox Christianity and Greeks, preserved and developed philosophy, theology, art and literature, amidst constant political turbulence. The stories show the most brutal and ruthless, as well as the most enlightened and wise rulers, courtiers and intellectuals. It was a world full of color, sensuality, passion and dynamism, half familiar and half exotic for our Western mind. Asimov's storytelling is fast and entertaining, but accurate. If you read it, chances are you won't remember most of the names and places, but you will get a general sense of what went on in this crucial corner of the world for a thousand years, and, best of all, you'll remain with a pleasant aftertaste. Strongly recommended both for entertaining and enlightening reasons, it is a real pity that this book is out of print and, more generally, that we are not taught the deeds of this great world.

I have owned this book since it first came out about 30 years ago. Reading it started my interest in the Byzantine Empire; an interest that continues to this day. I have read and enjoyed many scholarly books on Byzantium since I first read this book, but even today I will reread Asimov if I am in the mood for a quick, exciting narrative of Byzantine history. If for some reason I no longer had the book in my library, I would be willing to spend the asking prices for the used copies to obtain it.

When one opens the cover to The Early Asimov - Book One there will be found a half a page story on how Asimov's writing career began. When on June 21, 1938 a very young and scared Isaac Asimov took a manuscript to the editor of Astounding Science Fiction. This is where the legendary career began. And this book contains 13 of the stories from the grand master's earliest days as a writer. Some of the stories are good, some are average, but they are all worth reading. It's interesting to read these early stories and follow the growing talent of Asimov. Even in these early stories one can see the promise of what is to come. Following each story is a literary history containing the dates and details. These histories may be the best part of the book. While the stories are enjoyable, the stories behind the story are intriguing. Reading about what was going on in Asimov's life, what was going on in the world, and how and why the story was written and published is incredibly interesting. This is a good book to read if you want to see the early works of one of the best science fiction writers of all time.

For you Asimov fans, it is very interesting to learn about his beginnings in writing science fiction. In fact, one learns that for years he did not consider writing a possible means of sole income! He writes introductions to each of the short stories in this collection (which were originally published in various SciFi magazines) & gives one insight into the man behind the pen. A must for anyone who has any curiosity about just how he got started.

Este libro es indispensable para aquellos que son fanticos de Asimov y obligatrio para aquellos que les gusta la serie de Fundacion. Paero si no se es ni una ni otra este libro pierde mucha fuerza. Quiza si se tiene un par de dias libres y se quiere leer CF ligera pueda servir, no es nesesario conocer los libros anteriores o posteriores para disfrutarlo auqneu esta escrito para ser un eslabón mas.

Este libro nos llena el espacio que hay antes de la Fundación. Isaac Asimov nos muestra como empieza la muerte el Imperio Galáctico, y también nos enseña como fue creada la segunda fundación. Utiliza una técnica muy fácil de asimilar. Una vez que lo empiezas a leer no puedes parar. Excelente libro.

This is the fourth book in Asimov's Lucky Starr series for juveniles, originally published under the pseudonym Paul French. In this volume, David Starr and his partner travel to Mercury to investigate a series of accidents and setbacks of a research project (using light [in hyperspace] to supply energy). A Senator in the Earth government is pressuring the Council of Science with claims of waste on science projects (a story very familiar to real researchers today). There also is some subtle similarities in this book to McCartyism. The enemy planetary system of Sirius is obviously based on the Soviet "threat" to the West in the 1950s. Once again, in an introduction written in 1978, Asimov apologizes for the scientific inaccuracies that crop up due to recent discoveries of the planet Mercury (of facts not known in 1956). The most obvious of these is the rotation of Mercury about its axis. Until the mid-1970s, it was believed that Mercury's rotation was such that it always presented the same face towards the Sun. Thus, one side of Mercury is extremely hot while the other side is very cold. It was thought at that time that there would be a small region between the two "hemispheres" that would have acceptible temperatures for a colony in the distant future. But space studies, particularly the Mariner 10 probe of 1974/1975, showed that this first planet from the Sun does indeed rotate (at a sidereal period of 58.6462 days). Since Mercury revolves around the sun in about 88 days, all of the planet's surface will get exposed to direct sunlight. However, the days and nights will be long. Probes show that the surface temperatures will reach to 600-700 Kelvin (or, 327-427 degrees Celcius). Thus, in daylight lead would melt. But, at nighttime the surface temperature is about 95 Kelvin (or, -178 degrees Celcius), which is just above the boiling point (at one atmosphere pressure) of molecular oxygen. Of course the surface pressure of Mercury isn't 1.0 atm (it is estimated to be above 10-13 bars).

The Lucky Starr series, while very short books, are a very enjoyable read. This series need to be read in order (at least read book one first). One of my old favorites, classic Sci-Fi.

In this third novel in the Lucky Starr series (originally published under the pseudonym Paul French), the hero and his partner, John Bigman Jones, travel to Venus to discover why another Council member has been declared a traitor and to investigate a number of unusual occurances. In so doing, they discover a telepathic species that can control the actions of others as well as a plot to gain power. Asimov, in an introduction written in 1978, apologizes for the scientific inaccuracies that had come to light since 1954. In the book, Venus is a water world with a carbon dioxide atmosphere (as was believed in 1954). Later studies and probes have shown that this second planet in our solar system does indeed exhibit a "greenhouse effect" with a carbon dioxide atmosphere (approximately 96% CO2 and 3% nitrogen with a small fraction of other gases). But, the atmospheric pressure at the surface of Venus is about 94.5 times that of Earth's. Interestingly, there are at least four distinct cloud or haze regions in the atmosphere. In some of these regions, it appears that there are aerosol particles consisting of sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide! The surface of the planet appears to have been dominated by volcanic conditions and is definitely not a water world. But, Asimov was accurate for 1954 and it is a good adventure story for teenagers.

When I lived in Los Alamos, NM, in 1956/7 I read all the Asimov SF books for children published under the pseudonym "Paul French" (mas o menos). Even though the Space Age quickly dated these books by providing information which, for example, rendered the vision of oceans on Venus as impossible... it was fun to read at age six and undoubtably contributed to my career selection. Eventually, I expect to find another copy of this book and the others, just to time travel back to a simpler time, when 'high tech' meant fluoride in the toothpaste.

This is the second volume in the Lucky Starr series, the sequel to "David Starr, Space Ranger" (1952). Asimov originally published it under the pseudonym Paul French. In this story, David Starr must locate and bring to justice pirates working out of the asteroid belt. In addition, he has to thwart a possible invasion. Asimov uses the book to help teach interesting facts about asteroids.

I grew up reading the Lucky Starr series and though it's been twenty-five years or more since I've even seen one, I can remember practically every word. For me, Asimov never got better than this!

This is the tenth book in the humorous science fiction series about an unusual robot named Norby and his human friend Jeff. Norby, Jeff, and General Yobo travel to the planet Izz to attend a festival and they discover a plot to overthrow the government. In addition, the Princess and her father are quarantined, Norby's robot friend has disappeared, and the entire popu;ation of the planet is mesmerized by a new computer game. Jeff and Norby have to solve the mystery.

Norby, Jeff and Admiral Yobo are off to attend the Izzian Toy and Game Fair. Before they even leave, Norby gets a telepathic call for help from his friend Pera, a small robot with emotive circuits and Norby's friend who lives on the planet Izz. Someone on Izz is doing little pranks, such as making the stock quotes incorrect and making the Holographic Television transmissions on the royal family twitch and sneer. This is destroying the economy on Izz.

Who is making this mischief? Could it be Ing, now the Court Jester of Izz?

Read the book to find out.

This is the fifth volume in the humorous Norby science fiction series for children about a space cadet and his unusual robot Norby. In this tale, Jeff and his friends are accidentally transported back in time to pre-revolutionary France in 1789. Jeff discovers that somehow the timeline has been altered and he has to fix it with the help of his robot Norby. Benjamin Franklin also makes an appearance in this novel. This novel is a nice way to introduce some history to young students.

Jeff and Fargo are in a skit publicizing the Metropolitan Museum's newest acquisition, the replica of Marie Antoinette's necklace. This necklace is really a time/space travel device that sends whoever is touching it into an almost random place and time. Albany, Fargo's girlfriend, Fargo and Jeff are all touching each other, so they get sent into 18th Century France, into the workshop where the real necklace was made. Albany is still wearing the time travel device when she picks up the real necklace and then disappears. Jeff and Fargo are sent to the Bastille.

History is changed when Albany disappears with the real necklace. Jeff, Fargo and Albany might not even exist if they manage to get back to their own time. They are marooned in a false time!

Will they ever get back to their own time?

Read the book to find out.

i am continually amazed and astounded

Asimov is at his best explaining intricate scientific ideas in plain words, and this is a good example. In this short work, he explores phenomenally large numbers by relating them to common experiences. He uses examples from numerous fields to illustrate unexpected encounters with these large numbers. This is one of Asimov's best "light" scientific pieces.

The late Dr. Asimov's clear wit and wisdom is taken to bear here on fools and the future. He begins by excoriating "Religious Radicals," in harsh liberal prose that seems rather outdated today. (For instance, there is a chapter called "The Reagan Doctrine" that pokes fun at tactics Ronald Reagan used in battling the Soviet empire.) Other chapters are also dated, including several chapters on environmental predictions that are informed by distinctly Malthusian notions of supply shortages. (To wit, "And in the mad scramble for food on your part and on the part of billions of others, the people of eath will further damage the world they live in and will begin to fight each other over scraps.") Still, Asimov writes lucidly on science in a number of historical and opinion pieces, which are carefully reasoned. Five essays at the book's end give perspective to the late thinker's personal life, and a number of inserted memorials (new to this edition) from other prominent scientists and science fiction authors really round out a book that shows Asimov's incomparable breadth of interest. The "Roving Mind" of the title is Asimov's own intellect; any thoughtful reader will find his own mind broadened for having read it.

Isaac Asimov was probably the best person ever to write science fiction. He was also one of the best people to ever write science fact. His death in 1992 was a great loss to the world.

This book provides a good look into how Isaac Asimov thought about various issues. With all the problems in the world, the views of Asimov might help to make the world a bit more logical place if we pay attention to him.