Many people feel that you can get to know an author by reading their fiction, and this is most certainly true, but reading memoirs or letters that the author wrote is also a great way to get to know the author…maybe an even better way, as you’re seeing them for themselves, rather than the fiction that they’re creating. Contrary to popular belief, not every character in a story is some part of the author’s psyche, and not every story is the author trying to get their point across about something that they believe in. Sometimes we write stories or create characters because those are the stories or characters that come to us.
Anyone that has read my work has to know that Isaac Asimov was a huge influence on me…probably the biggest influence, especially in my earlier work. One reviewer once made a comment that my work was reminiscent of the classics without the scientific clunkiness that their work now seems to have. So, when I had a chance to pick up this book and read letters that were actually written by Asimov himself, I had to jump at the chance, and I was not disappointed.
These letters will give you insight into the man as an author, teacher, family man, and so much more. Edited by his brother, the collection really gives you a look at the man behind the stories. If you’re any kind of Asimov fan, you have to pick this book up.
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SF Author J Alan Erwine's Blog 