Site Map: MAIN / A Reader's Treasury / This Page
A READER'S TREASURY
Foundation and I, Robot
by
Isaac Asimov
Chapter: Reading for Enjoyment
Published by Octoplus Books, Ltd in 1984
A Book Review by Bobby Matherne ©1999
Like Us? Subscribe to Receive a Monthly Email
Reminder of New Reviews & New DIGESTWORLD Issues — CLICK
This is a book by an author I don't respect due to the shabby way he treated Velikovsky when he called him a "psycho-ceramic" — his facetious word for crackpot. I read so much science fiction during my youth that by the age of thirteen, I was burnt out on the genre. Heinlein and all the other greats who published during the decade of the 1940's I read from cover to cover, Green Hills of Earth, Red Planet Mars, etc. I spent more time in space before 1957 than any astronaut since that time.
This book sat on my shelf about ten years before I read it. I had encountered the three laws of robots referenced somewhere, so I thought it best that I read the original book. It was a fast read, and for you I have unearthed his three laws of robots and a few other worthy quotes such as the following, which undoubtedly he took from someone else without a citation, "Violence," came the retort, "is the last refuge of the incompetent." (Page 32) The thought shows up later on page 83 as follows: "I consider violence an uneconomical way of attaining an end. There are always better substitutes, though they may sometimes be a little less direct." This one appears to be original, so far as I can tell: "It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety." (Page 65)
This one is a gem:
[page 72] Wienis' gaze was cold. "May I refer to you as 'your majesty'?"
"Yes."
"Very well! You are a fool, your majesty!"
Ah, the following quotation includes a delightful metaphor, "an old fable" that explains the origin of the coercion by the state. My marginalia says "of spurious origin":
[page 90] "A horse having a wolf as a powerful and dangerous enemy lived in constant fear of his life. Being driven to desperation, it occurred to him to seek a strong ally. Whereupon he approached a man, and offered an alliance, pointing out that the wolf was likewise an enemy of the man. The man accepted the partnership at once and offered to kill the wolf immediately, if his new partner would only co-operate by placing his greater speed at the man's disposal. The horse was willing and allowed the man to place bridle and saddle upon him. The man mounted, hunted down the wolf, and killed him.
~^~
Any questions about this review, Contact: Bobby Matherne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
== == == == == == == == == == == == == == == ==
22+ Million Good Readers have Liked Us
22,454,155 as of November 7, 2019
Mo-to-Date Daily Ave 5,528 Readers
For Monthly DIGESTWORLD Email Reminder:
Subscribe! You'll Like Us, Too!
== == == == == == == == == == == == == == == ==
Click Left Photo for List of All ARJ2 Reviews Click Right Bookcover for Next Review in List Did you Enjoy this Webpage?
Subscribe to the Good Mountain Press Digest: Click Here!
CLICK ON FLAGS TO OPEN OUR FIRST-AID KIT.
All the tools you need for a simple Speed Trace IN ONE PLACE.Do you feel like you're swimming against a strong current in your life? Are you fearful? Are you seeing red? Very angry? Anxious? Feel down or upset by everyday occurrences? Plagued by chronic discomforts like migraine headaches? Have seasickness on cruises? Have butterflies when you get up to speak? Learn to use this simple 21st Century memory technique. Remove these unwanted physical body states, and even more, without surgery, drugs, or psychotherapy, and best of all: without charge to you.
Simply CLICK AND OPEN the FIRST-AID KIT.
Counselor? Visit the Counselor's Corner for Suggestions on Incorporating Doyletics in Your Work.
All material on this webpage Copyright 2019 by Bobby Matherne
