Essays by Isaac Asimov about science fiction

Copyright © 1995 by Edward Seiler and Richard Hatcher. All rights reserved.

The Dean of Science Fiction

Subject: four deans of science fiction
First Published In: Nov-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Controversy

Subject: a defense of criticism of John W. Campbell's pseuodoscientific beliefs
First Published In: May-84, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Dear Judy-Lynn

Subject: a farewell to Judy-Lynn del Rey
First Published In: May-86, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Intimations of Mortality

Subject: the aged and departed authors of SF
First Published In: Mar-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Survivors

Subject: nine SF writers who are still writing after more than forty years
First Published In: Nov-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Contemporaries

Subject: the deaths of the Grand Masters Bester, Simak, and Heinlein
First Published In: Dec-88, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Second Nova

Subject: the brief but brilliant career of Stanley G. Weinbaum
First Published In: 1974, The Best of Stanley G. Weinbaum
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The Real Cyrano

Original Title: Cyrano de Bergerac
Subject: Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac was one of the earliest science fiction writers
First Published In: 2-Feb-74, TV Guide
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Arthur C. Clarke

Subject: a brief biography of Arthur C. Clarke
First Published In: 1977, American Law: the Third Century by B. Schwartz
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The First Science Fiction Writer

Subject: Jules Verne was the first writer to specialize in science fiction
First Published In: 1978, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Material accompanying recording)
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The Science Fiction Breakthrough

Subject: modern SF began with H. G. Wells, who placed the story first
First Published In: 1979, Three Novels of the Future by H. G. Wells
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Reminiscences of Peg

Subject: Memories of John W. Campbell's second wife Peg
First Published In: Sep-79, Locus
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The Campbell Touch

Subject: John W. Campbell had a genius for recognizing and nurturing talented writers
First Published In: 1980, New Voices II: The Campbell Award
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Ray Bradbury

Subject: Bradbury was the only non-Campbell author to become a big star
First Published In: 12-Jan-80, TV Guide
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Big, Big, Big

Subject: John W. Campbell's big ideas illustrated the grandeur of the universe
First Published In: 1981, The Tyrannasaurus Prescription (collection #37)
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Horace

Subject: Horace Gold, editor of Galaxy, was also a fine science fiction author
First Published In: 1981, Change! (collection #26)
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The Dark Vision

Subject: H. G. Wells' books carry his social message but are still good
First Published In: 1981, Three More Novels of the Future by H. G. Wells
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The Five Greats of Science Fiction

Subject: Verne, Wells, E. E. Smith, Weinbaum, and Campbell
First Published In: 1985, Newsday
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The Vocabulary of Science Fiction

Original Title: The Vocabulary of SF
Subject: origins and meanings of some words used in SF
First Published In: Sep-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The First Science Fiction Novel

Subject: "Frankenstein", which used a new finding of science, was the first SF novel
First Published In: 1977, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Extraordinary Voyages

Subject: definitions of science fiction
First Published In: Mar-Apr-78, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Name of Our Field

Subject: brief history of the term "science fiction"
First Published In: May-Jun-78, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Anniversaries

Subject: anniversaries of Amazing, F&SF, Galaxy, and Astounding/Analog
First Published In: Jan-80, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Influence of Science Fiction

Subject: SF can give helpful ideas about the future
First Published In: 3-Aug-81, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Magazine Covers

Subject: evolution of science fiction magazine covers
First Published In: 28-Sep-81, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Science Fiction Series

Subject: reasons for and history of SF series
First Published In: 15-Dec-86, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Unknown

Subject: the story of "Unknown" fantasy magazine
First Published In: Oct-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Prediction

Subject: three SF predictions that have come to pass
First Published In: Jul-89, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Escape Into Reality

Subject: what science fiction is
First Published In: Nov-Dec-57, The Humanist
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Science Fiction from the Soviet Union

Subject: the separate evolution of Soviet and American science fiction
First Published In: 1962, Soviet Science Fiction
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The Sword of Achilles

Subject: interest in SF has value
First Published In: Nov-63, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
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SF: Clue to Creativity

Original Title: The Sword of Achilles
Subject: reprint of "The Sword of Achilles", Nov-63
First Published In: 15-Feb-64, Library Journal
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Science Fiction, 1938

Subject: the much smaller world of science fiction in 1938
First Published In: 1980, Nebula Winners Fourteen
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The First Century of Science Fiction

Subject: nineteenth century science fiction
First Published In: 1981, Isaac Asimov Presents the Best SF of the 19th Century
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Excerpts

Subject: before the age of SF novels, long stories were serialized
First Published In: Sep-Oct-82, Science Fiction Digest
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Science Fiction Finds its Voice

Subject: dating SF from its rise in the magazines of the thirties
First Published In: 1988, Nightfall
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The Success of Science Fiction

Subject: tracing SF from Odysseus to Flash Gordon to Star Wars
First Published In: 1988, Nightfall
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Our Conventions

Original Title: (untitled)
Subject: description of the First World Science Fiction Convention
First Published In: Winter-77, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Brotherhood of Science Fiction

Original Title: (untitled)
Subject: Asimov thanks the SF brotherhood after his heart attack
First Published In: Jan-Feb-78, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Masquerade

Subject: recollections of Noreascon Two
First Published In: 19-Jan-81, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Nostalgia

Subject: First Fandom; the Big Three of SF
First Published In: Apr-83, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Faces of Science Fiction

Subject: Asimov's reluctance to be photographed; dissatisfaction with SF awards
First Published In: Aug-84, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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So Why Aren't We Rich?

Subject: why SF has such devoted fans, and what those fans are like
First Published In: 1973, Nebula Award Stories Eight
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Outsiders, Insiders

Subject: SF "outsiders" should be welcomed, not scorned
First Published In: Feb-86, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Kiss of Death?

Subject: does the SF label hurt book and magazine sales?
First Published In: Oct-86, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Good Old Days

Subject: the "science fiction ghetto", like "the good old days", does not exist
First Published In: Apr-89, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Universe of Science Fiction

Subject: SF is broader than mainstream fiction; writing SF mysteries isn't impossible
First Published In: 1979, The Thirteen Crimes of Science Fiction
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By No Means Vulgar

Subject: science fiction should not misteach science
First Published In: Sep-Oct-78, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Wish Fulfillment

Original Title: Wish-Fulfillment
Subject: science sets limits to what is possible, such as freezing time
First Published In: Jun-86, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Intellectual Cliches

Subject: SF story ideas that violate basic laws of science
First Published In: Feb-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Plausibility

Subject: scientific plausibility, not accuracy, is required in science fiction
First Published In: Sep-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Imagination

Subject: SF must be plausible, and use science for that purpose
First Published In: Dec-90, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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What Makes Good Science Fiction?

Original Title: If It's Good Science Fiction the Writers Know Some Science
Subject: good science fiction requires that the writer knows science
First Published In: 24-Dec-77, TV Guide
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The Scientist as Villain

Subject: scientists as villains in SF
First Published In: Oct-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Serious Side of Science Fiction

Original Title: Science Fiction, an Aid to Science, Foresees the Future
Subject: SF's influence on scientists
First Published In: May-70, Smithsonian
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The Scribbling Scientists

Original Title: Introduction
Subject: it is hard for scientists to find time to write science fiction
First Published In: 1985, Great Science Fiction Stories by the World's Great Scientists
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Try to Write!

Original Title: (untitled)
Subject: an invitation to write SF
First Published In: Summer-77, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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It's a Funny Thing

Subject: hints on writing punny science fiction
First Published In: Jul-Aug 78, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Hints

Subject: hints on the art of writing science fiction
First Published In: Mar-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Rejection Slips

Subject: answers to questions about rejection slips
First Published In: Dec-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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New Writers

Subject: hints for aspiring SF writers; announcement of "Isaac Asimov Presents"
First Published In: Jan-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Imagination in Orbit

Subject: rules of thumb for writing good SF
First Published In: Mar-61, The Writer
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The Little Tin God of Characterization

Subject: ideas are more important than characterization in SF
First Published In: May-85, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Science Fiction Today

Subject: it is harder to get published now than when Asimov started
First Published In: 1988, Nightfall
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(untitled)

Subject: SF writers can predict and can invert accepted notions
First Published In: Fall 77, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Missing the Boat

Subject: easy-to-make predictions missed in SF stories
First Published In: Aug-82, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Specialization

Subject: SF authors must be adept at social futurism
First Published In: Nov-86, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Missed Opportunities

Subject: it's hard to anticipate future knowledge in science fiction
First Published In: Nov-81, SciQuest
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Fact Catches Up with Fiction

Subject: there is no limit to the number of possible SF plots that deal with the future
First Published In: 19-Nov-61, New York Times
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Prediction as a Side Effect

Subject: science fiction predictions
First Published In: Jul-72, Boston Review of Arts
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How Easy to See the Future!

Subject: SF often sees the inevitable future, which could help prevent catastrophe
First Published In: Apr-75, Natural History
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My Own View

Subject: SF is important because it predicts change through technology
First Published In: 1978, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
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1984

Subject: a critique of George Orwell's "1984", which was a poor forecast
First Published In: 1980, Field Newspaper Syndicate
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The Dreams of Science Fiction

Subject: 28 dreams for the future, both practical and improbable
First Published In: 1981, The Tyrannasaurus Prescription (collection #37)
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Science and Science Fiction

Original Title: Truth Isn't Stranger than Science Fiction, Just Slower
Subject: SF mostly anticipated science but missed microcircuits
First Published In: 12-Feb-84, New York Times
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Time Travel

Original Title: Time-Travel
Subject: the nature of and difficulty with time-travel stories
First Published In: Apr-84, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Golden Age Ahead

Subject: the quality of science fiction will continue to improve
First Published In: Jun-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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We're Doing Well

Subject: SF authors are now regarded with respect
First Published In: 15-Mar-82, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Shrugging It Off

Subject: response to a denunciation of SF in Harper's magazine
First Published In: Aug-83, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Schools and Science Fiction

Subject: SF has become respectable, with good and bad consequences
First Published In: Nov-83, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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How Science Fiction Came to Be Big Business

Original Title: Call It Science Fiction, or Sci-Fi, It's Big!
Subject: the rise in respectability of science fiction
First Published In: 1980, World Book Year Book
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The Fascination of Science

Original Title: What's Fueling the Popular Science Explosion?
Subject: science and science fiction writing are becoming more popular
First Published In: Aug-80, Saturday Review
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The Feminization of Science Fiction

Original Title: The Feminization of Sci-Fi
Subject: Star Trek was a factor in swinging more women to SF
First Published In: Oct-82, Vogue
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Science Fiction Today

Subject: modern SF is of higher quality than the past
First Published In: Feb-87, Writer's Digest
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The All-Human Galaxy

Subject: reasons why the Foundation galaxy was all-human
First Published In: Mar-83, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Opinion

Subject: sex between humans and non-humans in SF stories
First Published In: Sep-84, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Beyond Our Brain (with Ben Bova)

Subject: the treatment of human and alien intelligence in science fiction
First Published In: 1977, Mind and Supermind
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Aliens

Subject: aliens in SF; the poor quality of SF in the visual media
First Published In: Mid-Dec-91, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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(untitled)

Subject: the introduction of the fourth law of robotics
First Published In: Oct-85, Omni
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Introduction

Subject: human-robot detective teams in science fiction
First Published In: 1-Jul-86, Tin Stars
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The Robot Chronicles

Subject: the evolution of the robot concept in history, literature, and Asimov's SF
First Published In: Apr-90, Robot Visions
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Nowhere!

Subject: pure utopias and dystopias make dull stories
First Published In: Sep-83, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Surprise

Subject: the role of the techno-sociologic surprise in good SF
First Published In: Sep-88, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Cosmopolitan

Subject: SF is more cosmopolitan than other forms of creative work
First Published In: May-89, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Social Science Fiction

Subject: sociology-oriented SF
First Published In: 1953, Modern Science Fiction, Reginald Bretnor, ed.
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More Science Fiction from the Soviet Union

Subject: Soviet SF centered on "If this goes on, an ideal society will be achieved"
First Published In: 1962, More Soviet Science Fiction
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Science Fiction and Society

Original Title: Science Fiction: Real Life Mirror of Social Change
Subject: the outlook of SF has generally followed the outlook of contemporary society
First Published In: Jan-74, Prism (American Medical Association)
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Wars of the World

Subject: true science fiction is not escapist; Asimov's role in 'Light Years'
First Published In: Mar-88, American Film
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The Articles of Science Fiction

Original Title: The Articles of SF
Subject: science columns in SF magazines
First Published In: Apr-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Learning Device

Subject: science fiction as a learning device
First Published In: Aug-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Science Fiction Poetry

Subject: thoughts on poetry
First Published In: 16-Mar-81, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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But We're the Good Guys!

Subject: a pro-fusion group purports SF writers are part of a conspiracy
First Published In: Jun-82, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Not an Expert

Subject: there's too much SF in existence for anyone to read it all
First Published In: Sep-82, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Collecting

Subject: science fiction collections; Asimov's books are the most often stolen
First Published In: Nov-82, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Susan Calvin

Subject: a real Susan Calvin was born the same year as the fictional one
First Published In: Dec-82, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Women and Science Fiction

Subject: growth in the number of women participants in SF
First Published In: Jan-83, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Editors

Subject: what it takes to be a good editor
First Published In: Nov-85, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Romance

Subject: romance occurs in much of fiction, including Asimov's SF
First Published In: Jul-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Academe

Subject: academics who act as narrow-minded literary critics
First Published In: Mid-Dec-87, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Psychohistory

Subject: the invention of psychohistory, and current scientific evidence for it
First Published In: Jul-88, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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Sharing Universes

Subject: sharing literary universes is not new; the sharing of Asimov's universe
First Published In: Aug-90, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
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The Future of Futurism

Subject: if psychohistory became possible, its goal would be to produce a desirable future
First Published In: Apr-77, American Way (American Airlines)
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Other Worlds To Conquer

Subject:
First Published In: May-51, The Writer
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Imagination In Orbit

Subject:
First Published In: 1966, Writer's Digest
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SF as a Stepping Stone

Subject:
First Published In: Aug-67, Galaxy
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The Art of the Tomorrow Seekers

Subject:
First Published In: 1968, Yearbook of Science and the Future (Enc Brit)
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John W. Campbell

Subject:
First Published In: 12-Jul-71, Locus
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A Literature of Ideas

Original Title: When Aristotle Fails, Try Science Fiction
Subject: SF as a good source of ideas
First Published In: Dec-71, Intellectual Digest
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The Hole in the Middle

Subject: hollow earth ideas used by Verne in "Journey to the Center of the Earth"
First Published In: 1978, Journey to the Center of the Earth (Material accompanying recording)
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Adventure!

Subject: adventure tales have endured because they fascinate
First Published In: Fall-78, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Adventure Magazine
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The Prescientific Universe

Original Title: The Pre-Scientific Universe
Subject: ancient myths and legends played a role similar to modern SF
First Published In: Summer-79, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Adventure Magazine
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A Quick Dip

Subject: reading good science fiction is like scuba-diving of the mind
First Published In: 1980, Microcosmic Tales
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The Ring of Evil

Original Title: The One Ring is What We Make It
Subject: the One Ring of Tolkien's tale represents technology
First Published In: May-80, Panorama
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The Science Fiction Blowgun

Subject: the point of a short short story is made like a needle fired from a blowgun
First Published In: Aug-80, 100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories
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Foreword

Subject: disasters in science fiction
First Published In: Jul-81, Catastrophes
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Why This World Loves Sci-Fi

Subject:
First Published In: Sep-81, Home Video
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Science Fiction Mysteries

Subject: SF and mysteries are recent forms which can be combined
First Published In: 1987, Station Gehenna by Andrew Weiner
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Concerning Tolkien

Subject: the One Ring of Tolkien's tale represents technology
First Published In: Jul-91, Isaac's Universe, volume two: Phases in Chaos
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Guide to Essays
Authors:
Edward Seiler
ejseiler@earthlink.net

Richard Hatcher (hatch888@airmail.net)