The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

I read the Foundation Trilogy when I was a kid, probably in late grade school or early high school. I loved it then. I was a hard science fiction fan, and this book was a classic when I bought it. At some point, I lost or gave away my beloved copy. About five years ago, I decided I wanted to read the book again. I didn’t want a digital version and I didn’t want to go to the library. I wanted to own a physical copy. I also wanted the edition, or as close to it as I could find, that I originally read. I searched used book stores on both coasts and finally found a copy at Curmudgeon Books at Savage Mill in Maryland just after Thanksgiving 2010. I bought it instantly and placed it reverently on my shelf. It sat there until last week when I finally found some time to read it.

The book flowed like it did when I was a kid. I couldn’t wait to get to the next chapter, page or sentence! Asimov knew how to draw the reader in and then keep him strapped in for the entire ride. Some have said that Asimov didn’t write action in these books. On one level, that might be true. Most of the action happens between chapters or sections. But he gives enough sense of what happened that the reader can fill in the details. The reader can create a more vivid image in their own head than any author can, so I think Asimov hit it just right. He shows us enough to keep us on the story arc, but lets us fill in the blanks and create the epic in our minds.

The book is pretty dated. On a technical level, you can’t really fault Asimov for stories that were conceived starting in 1941 and published as short stories between 1942 and 1950. One interesting example involves a student writing a paper for a class. She had a voice recognition device that transcribed speech into text. However, it printed it out in cursive on what sounds like a regular typewriter. She also had to manually add a new sheet for each successive page. So, we see word processing that is both late 20th century and late 19th century.

On a more poignant point, the book is full of out of date sexism. Almost all the characters are male. In nearly every case, women are portrayed as scared, clueless or fawning wall decorations. They assume all domestic duties, cannot follow a scientific or logical train of thought, keep to the sidelines and otherwise only show up to support their man. There are two strong female characters, one a newly married woman and the other a teenager. However, it is revealed over time that the source of their strength came from men and that they didn’t even realize they were manipulated, mentally, into the actions for which they are praised. Their agency is removed and they are again merely tools used by the male characters.

I never realized this huge bias in science fiction when I was growing up, but as I’ve reread books, especially from the 1940s through the 1970s, it’s pretty obvious now. I’m very thankful that we now have authors such as Madeline Ashby who elevate female characters to full personhood and incorporate them into the story.

I’d rate this book among one of the best science fiction books ever, in its scope and execution. It reminded me of Dune in its breadth and epic plot.