Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Ediciones B, S.A. (1998), 477 pages
Description
This classic collection includes the title story, acclaimed as Asimov's single finest Robot tale, and now made into a Hollywood movie starring Robin Williams. Each of the eleven stories here sparkle with characteristic Asimov inventiveness and imagination.
User reviews
LibraryThing member StormRaven
The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories is a collection of eleven Asimov stories. Two of these stories are top notch: The Bicentennial Man (later made into a very mediocre movie that loosely followed the story), and The Life and Times of Multivac, which is probably Asimov's most widely read story
Most of the other stories are not nearly as good as those two, and the bulk of them were written to order for various outlets. The most interesting thing about many of the stories in this collection is the commentary provided by Asimov concerning the commissioning of several of the works. Placed in conjunction with the stories, I found it fascinating to see how he took odd requests for stories about a specific subject, and transformed them into a finished product.
While this collection is not up the standards set by Asimov's best compilations, it is still better than average. Several of the stories develop the underpinnings of the Three Laws of Robotics in interesting ways, and the others are all decent tales as well.
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due to the fact that it was originally published in New York Times Magazine.Most of the other stories are not nearly as good as those two, and the bulk of them were written to order for various outlets. The most interesting thing about many of the stories in this collection is the commentary provided by Asimov concerning the commissioning of several of the works. Placed in conjunction with the stories, I found it fascinating to see how he took odd requests for stories about a specific subject, and transformed them into a finished product.
While this collection is not up the standards set by Asimov's best compilations, it is still better than average. Several of the stories develop the underpinnings of the Three Laws of Robotics in interesting ways, and the others are all decent tales as well.
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LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
I had the strangest feeling as I was reading this book, back in (when was it?) 2001. "They should make this into a film!" I thought. And then they did, less than a year later. What an incredible coincidence - but then think of all the other times when my unspoken advice went unheard; consider all
The story itself is true Asimov, bringing robots to life, but it never strays too far into sentimentality, and never into schmalz. Thank goodness!
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the other books I think should be movies that aren't.The story itself is true Asimov, bringing robots to life, but it never strays too far into sentimentality, and never into schmalz. Thank goodness!
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
Arthur C. Clarke said that science fiction done well at the least can give the pleasure of a "good puzzle" and entertain. Asimov is always science fiction done well, and this collection is no exception. I don't think Asimov has a strong prose style, and his characters are rarely memorable. But in
I don't think any of the stories here are of that order--with the possible exception of "The Bicentennial Man." Asimov rarely pulls at my heartstrings--the short stories "The Dead Past" and "The Ugly Little Boy" are exceptions. This is another one--I had a lump in my throat by the end. And it's so well done--the whole passing of different generations in the lifetime of this robot. Oh, yeah, it's a robot story--an Asimov specialty. As are two of my other favorites outings in the book, "Feminine Intuition" and "That Thou Art Mindful of Him." I do love the point Asimov made in the first story mentioned, and how... subversive the other one is of his own robot lore. Both "The Lives and Times of Multivac" and "The Winnowing" have wicked good twists. And I liked the undersea setting of "Waterclap."
There wasn't any of the 12 stories I didn't like. Those were just the ones I found standouts. I can't imagine a science fiction fan not enjoying these.
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the best stories by him I've read, such as "The Dead Past" or "Nightfall" he can stun me by making me see the world in a whole new way. I don't think any of the stories here are of that order--with the possible exception of "The Bicentennial Man." Asimov rarely pulls at my heartstrings--the short stories "The Dead Past" and "The Ugly Little Boy" are exceptions. This is another one--I had a lump in my throat by the end. And it's so well done--the whole passing of different generations in the lifetime of this robot. Oh, yeah, it's a robot story--an Asimov specialty. As are two of my other favorites outings in the book, "Feminine Intuition" and "That Thou Art Mindful of Him." I do love the point Asimov made in the first story mentioned, and how... subversive the other one is of his own robot lore. Both "The Lives and Times of Multivac" and "The Winnowing" have wicked good twists. And I liked the undersea setting of "Waterclap."
There wasn't any of the 12 stories I didn't like. Those were just the ones I found standouts. I can't imagine a science fiction fan not enjoying these.
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LibraryThing member Chris.Graham
A strangely moving story, the movie, starring Robbie Williams as the Robot, captured it extremely well and is one of the few times I actually warmed to Williams as an actor.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1976 (Collection)
1966 (The Prime of Life)
1976 (The Bicentennial Man)
1976 (Birth of a Notion)
1969 (Feminine Intuition)
1975 (The Life and Times of Multivac)
1976 (Marching In)
1976 (Old-Fashioned)
1974 (Stranger in Paradise)
1976 (The Tercentenary Incident)
1974 (That Thou Art Mindful of Him)
1970 (Waterclap)
1976 (The Winnowing)
Physical description
477 p.
ISBN
9567510113 / 9789567510115
Other editions
El hombre del bicentenario by Isaac Asimov (Paper Book)