Golden Age Sci Fi and how it changed your life

[Steven P Bastien]

Asimov and Sagan had a profound influence on me in both science and science fiction. That is amazing how young you were to read and be influenced by them. I didn't get into them until I was 14 and it lead to me getting a PhD in Electrical Engineering. Asimov was really my first and best teacher, I would say. He taught me how to think critically. (I know some here would not agree I'm capable of that )

 

[Timewalker]

I've been a avid reader since I was two. I have a condition called Hyperlexia, which is basically means I have a mind structured towards reading and writing. It's pretty much the opposite of Dyslexia, which is a inability to read or write.

Okay, if people with dyslexia can't read or write, who's been ghostwriting for Stephen King all these decades?

According to this list, Octavia Butler and Samuel R. Delaney have also had to deal with dyslexia. I'm sure you recognize all three of those names, right?

So yeah, I've been reading books since I was two. Not picture books mind you. I was reading Lord of the Rings when I was three, and I watched Carl Sagan's Cosmos before I was even into stuff like Bob the Builder (or whatever kids are watching today- I'm in my twenties...so, yeah).

So you won't have seen the original version of Cosmos. What a shame, as I prefer it to the updated version (of course it's reasonable to update the information, but they had to change out some of the music). Which episode is your favorite?

But one of my favourite authors has always been Isaac Asimov. I started reading classic, Golden-Age Sci Fi when I was four, and got hooked instantly. I didn't get that much into Star Trek, Star Wars and other stuff till I was about six, though I had watched episodes before then and liked them. But Asimov remains one of my guilty pleasures.

Why should Asimov be considered a "guilty pleasure"?

What did you think of his essays and autobiography?

...As did those by Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury and all those authors who layed the foundations of sci fi. I mean, look at what concepts we wouldn't have without them, or rather which ones are attributed to them:

I guess Jules Verne and H.G. Wells had nothing at all to do with any foundations of science fiction, then?

The Golden Age of Science Fiction is an interesting article. It's obvious that there are differing ideas of exactly when this age is thought to be.

Tldr, has anyone here had their lives changed by Golden Age Sci fi, or been inspired by it in any way?

Well, I'm not quite the reading prodigy you claim to be (I wasn't taught to read until I was 4, and didn't read any science fiction until a few years later).

I got into it seriously though, at age 12, and Asimov had quite an influence. I spent a lot of hours enjoying his essay collections, which confused the hell out of my classmates when I'd read them during our free reading time in school. They couldn't fathom why anyone would read a science book for fun.

Anyway, that was nearly 43 years ago, and it's impossible to condense it down into one or two forum posts as to how influential some of these authors and their works have been on my life.

 

[DrCorby]

Why should Asimov be considered a "guilty pleasure"?

What did you think of his essays and autobiography?

<snip>

I got into it seriously though, at age 12, and Asimov had quite an influence. I spent a lot of hours enjoying his essay collections, which confused the hell out of my classmates when I'd read them during our free reading time in school. They couldn't fathom why anyone would read a science book for fun.

I loved Asimov's collections of the science articles he wrote for F&SF magazine. Great introductory info on a wide variety of subjects from a spectrum of scientific disciplines. Sadly, it was very hit-or-miss to find them in the small town where I grew up.

I read and enjoyed his 2-part autobiography, In Memory Yet Green / In Joy Still Felt. I guess a third, single-volume memoir was published after he died, but I haven't read that one. It was interesting learning about his immigrant upbringing, and his perceptions of many of the personalities in the early SF writing community, especially John W Campbell. He was surprisingly candid about this infidelity leading to his divorce. The books were large, but still an interesting read.

 

[Timewalker]

I loved Asimov's collections of the science articles he wrote for F&SF magazine. Great introductory info on a wide variety of subjects from a spectrum of scientific disciplines. Sadly, it was very hit-or-miss to find them in the small town where I grew up.

I was lucky to find some in the school library. And since the local booksellers all had this idea that anything with the name "Asimov" on it was science fiction, they were easy to find in bookstores. I have most of them; might be missing one or two. Some are badly out of date by now, of course, but a lot are still as relevant and interesting as they were 40+ years ago.

I read and enjoyed his 2-part autobiography, In Memory Yet Green / In Joy Still Felt. I guess a third, single-volume memoir was published after he died, but I haven't read that one. It was interesting learning about his immigrant upbringing, and his perceptions of many of the personalities in the early SF writing community, especially John W Campbell. He was surprisingly candid about this infidelity leading to his divorce. The books were large, but still an interesting read.

Yeah, they're literally "heavy reading." I have the hard cover editions, so they're sitting on one of my stronger bookshelves, along with some other writers' (auto)biographies - Frederik Pohl, Judith Merrill, Robert Silverberg, etc.

I was privileged to meet Frederik Pohl at a convention, and he signed my copy of his autobiography (The Way the Future Was). When you read all three books, it's fascinating to see how each of them had some kind of professional influence on the other two (Pohl and Merrill were married for awhile).

 

[Steven P Bastien]

... And since the local booksellers all had this idea that anything with the name "Asimov" on it was science fiction, they were easy to find in bookstores.

you just reminded me of something that I haven't thought of in decades. My choice of career and my discovery that I loved math and science was triggered by this type of accident. Long before the internet days and "Amazon", my local "Walden Books" accidentally put Asimov science essay books in the sci-fi section. I accidentally bought one expecting to read a good story. I was disappointed at first, but since $1.95 was a lot of money to me then, I read the first essay, said "wow" and then kept reading ... the rest is history. ... albeit a not very exciting history. ... but, still important to me.

 

[CrazyMinh]

Okay, if people with dyslexia can't read or write, who's been ghostwriting for Stephen King all these decades?

According to this list, Octavia Butler and Samuel R. Delaney have also had to deal with dyslexia. I'm sure you recognize all three of those names, right?


So you won't have seen the original version of Cosmos. What a shame, as I prefer it to the updated version (of course it's reasonable to update the information, but they had to change out some of the music). Which episode is your favorite?


Why should Asimov be considered a "guilty pleasure"?

What did you think of his essays and autobiography?


I guess Jules Verne and H.G. Wells had nothing at all to do with any foundations of science fiction, then?

The Golden Age of Science Fiction is an interesting article. It's obvious that there are differing ideas of exactly when this age is thought to be.


Well, I'm not quite the reading prodigy you claim to be (I wasn't taught to read until I was 4, and didn't read any science fiction until a few years later).

I got into it seriously though, at age 12, and Asimov had quite an influence. I spent a lot of hours enjoying his essay collections, which confused the hell out of my classmates when I'd read them during our free reading time in school. They couldn't fathom why anyone would read a science book for fun.

Anyway, that was nearly 43 years ago, and it's impossible to condense it down into one or two forum posts as to how influential some of these authors and their works have been on my life.

Dude, for one: I am hyperlexic. Two, I know there has been some confusion over my desription of dyslexia. I'm perfectly aware that people with dylexia are capable of reading and writing, I have dyslexic friends who do quite well for themselves. My wording was slightly off there.

Three, don't ask me to give you specific episodes of Cosmos, and yes: it was the original. I haven't watched the show in years, not since High School. Thanks for reminding me though, might dig out the ratty boxset my parents have had since I was a small child and watch some of the episodes again. Not sure if the box is VHS or some other archaic form, might have to check that...

EDIT: forgot to add some of the things, pressed submit too early

Four: saying Asimov is a guilty pleasure??? One of the things I was bullied in high school for was my love of sci fi. Too many kids who thought sci fi was stupid or babyish. Shows what they know.

Five: If you're going to mention Verne or Wells, then I have nothing to say. I love those guys, read everything I could get my hands on. War of the Worlds (Wells), 20,000 leagues under the sea (Verne), The Time Machine (Wells), Journey to the Centre of the earth (Verne)...etcetera. They are cornerstones, but Asimov remains my favourite, as his writings influenced my life the most.

Six: Hyperlexia is...well, hyperlexia. Do you have hyperlexia??? My first books were ones I pulled off the bookshelf. I taught myself to read. So, I'm not claiming to be a prodigy. Just very, very good at reading and writing. But there are better people at that than me, and there are people who started reading earlier.

Seven: I haven't read his essays yet, been meaning to get onto them, but I've been kinda lazy and haven't bothered to find out where to access them. Would they be on Project Guttenburg?? I'd say not.

 

[Timewalker]

Dude, for one: I am hyperlexic. Two, I know there has been some confusion over my desription of dyslexia. I'm perfectly aware that people with dylexia are capable of reading and writing, I have dyslexic friends who do quite well for themselves. My wording was slightly off there.

Don't call me "Dude." I'm female. I have a username. If you want to address me, call me Timewalker. That's who I am on this forum.

Three, don't ask me to give you specific episodes of Cosmos, and yes: it was the original.

Why shouldn't I ask you to give specific episodes? There were only 13 of them, and they all followed particular themes, and all had at least one or two very memorable segments. I'm curious to know what you liked most about them.

I haven't watched the show in years, not since High School. Thanks for reminding me though, might dig out the ratty boxset my parents have had since I was a small child and watch some of the episodes again. Not sure if the box is VHS or some other archaic form, might have to check that...

It would have been VHS. Your attitude toward 1980s technology, calling it "archaic" is uncalled-for. The updated version of Cosmos was done to include material pertaining to the Voyager discoveries... technology of the 1970s. That's not the Dark Ages, and it got the job done. Have some respect.

Four: saying Asimov is a guilty pleasure??? One of the things I was bullied in high school for was my love of sci fi. Too many kids who thought sci fi was stupid or babyish. Shows what they know.

You took pleasure in reading it, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. And welcome to the club of being bullied over liking science fiction. Try being a 12-year-old girl, living in a bible belt region of the Canadian prairies in 1975, and your classmates and teachers don't know what to make of this sudden interest in science fiction and renewed interest in astronomy (I've been into astronomy ever since I can remember... age 4 or 5).

I had an argument with my English teacher because I'd capitalized "Earth", in an essay about the planets. I asked her why she'd docked marks for capitalizing Earth, when she hadn't for capitalizing Saturn. She said it was because Saturn is a planet. It didn't please her when I told her that Earth is also a planet. That set the tone for two contentious years, during which I would not be pushed around, and if anyone criticized me for not reading "girls' books", that was just too damn bad.

I garnered a bunch of shocked looks in Grade 8 science in the astronomy unit when I uttered the phrase "stellar evolution." ("Evolution? Evolution?") We'd been assigned to write a term paper on something in the solar system. The rest of the class chose one of the planets or the Moon. I decided I didn't want to compete for library books, so I chose the Sun. It was a decision that left a lasting impression on me to this day, due to what I learned.

So you're hardly alone in what you experienced. People who grew up with the internet and online groups have no idea what it's like to feel isolated like that.

Five: If you're going to mention Verne or Wells, then I have nothing to say. I love those guys, read everything I could get my hands on. War of the Worlds (Wells), 20,000 leagues under the sea (Verne), The Time Machine (Wells), Journey to the Centre of the earth (Verne)...etcetera. They are cornerstones, but Asimov remains my favourite, as his writings influenced my life the most.

You stated that the Golden Age writers laid the foundation for science fiction. I'm just pointing out that they didn't, since they were influenced by earlier writers. Yes, they created wonderful stories that still resonate nearly a century later. But while they had a tremendous influence on future writers, they weren't the very first.

Seven: I haven't read his essays yet, been meaning to get onto them, but I've been kinda lazy and haven't bothered to find out where to access them. Would they be on Project Guttenburg?? I'd say not.

Try your local library. Or if they're not available there, then try interlibrary loan. Or you can try eBay, Amazon, Bonanza, or any number of online second-hand booksellers.

 

[CrazyMinh]

Thanks timewalker. I'm sorry bout the 'dude' thing, I call everyone that in a gender-neutral fashion. It's more of a casual saying that I just say. Also, when I said archaic, I meant compared to now. I grew up on VHS, and later DVD. I'm only in my late 20's, and I have experienced the end of the VHS era, the entire DVD era, and the beginning of the digital streaming era (still think DVD's are better. You actually own the stuff, instead of renting it from someone else (unless you rent a DVD, but who does that anymore!). My favourite moments include when sagan explains time dialation at the speed of light using a two brothers (one sitting on a bench, and the other travelling at the speed of light on a vespa, before returning to find his younger brother is now a old man, while he has stayed the same age), the beautiful vistas he showed in the 'ship of the imagination' scenes, his explanation of time travel while perched upon the prop from the Time Traveller movie, the explanation of constellations, and how when travelling between the stars the constellations would change, the ever-famous quote 'The Cosmos is rich beyond measure: all the stars in the universe is greater than all the grains of sand on the beaches of Earth'. I'm paraphrasing there, but when I saw that scene when I was just a small child, I felt very eager to get out there and go to those stars.

As a side note, Star Trek allowed me to go to the stars and see them, albiet in a fictitious universe. It made me want to go out there some day for real, and built on that vision that Sagan gave my young mind when I was about two. Although I'm medically incapable of being a astronaut (I've got short sight that means my focal distance is 30cm in front of my face, mainly from reading so many books when I was little), I still want to be one of the lucky few to see the universe. Who knows??? Maybe some day I will. For now, I'm content with getting my masters.

So, yeah. I remeber a few great moments. Sagan was the man who bought science into the homes of the common people. He did more to promote logical thinking and scientific education than any other scientiest to this date. it's a shame that he died before his time.