Isaac Asimov: fantastic worlds in his books. The works of Isaac Asimov and their adaptation

Isaac Asimov - one of the most important and authoritative writers of America. He, along with Robert Heinlein and Arthur Clark, is part of the so-called "Big Three" of science fiction writers. This fact speaks of the recognition of colleagues in the shop and of the enormous contribution that he made to the literature. In addition, this three of the great masters of fiction can also be called enlighteners of our time. Azimov and Clarke did a lot to popularize science.

Biography of Isaac Asimov. Childhood in Soviet Russia

Petrovichi (now Shumyachsky district) of the Smolensk region is the place that the boy Isaak glorified with his birth on January 2, 1920, who later became the best science fiction writer of the 20th century Isaac Asimov. Later he said that he was born on the same land as Yuri Gagarin, and therefore still feels as if he belongs directly to two countries.

The writer's father, Yuda Azimov, was at that time an educated man. At first he was engaged in family business, and after the revolution he became an accountant. The writer's mother, Hana-Rahil, was from a large family and worked in a shop.

Emigration

After the birth of his daughter in 1923, Isaac's parents received an invitation from his mother's brother, who had long since left for the US and settled there. The family decides to emigrate to America.

Isaac Azimov claimed that before his arrival in the US his parents wore the name of the Ozimovs, but the officials of the immigration service wrote them as Azimovs and changed the name of the writer to the American mood. So he became Isaac.

Parents were not able to master the English language well, so it was not possible to get a job at a high-paying job . Then Yuda bought a small grocery store and opened a trade. But for his son he did not want the fate of a petty trader and decided to give him a good education. Isaac himself studied with pleasure, and from the age of 5 he could visit the library.

With the admission to the medical faculty, nothing happened - as it turned out, Azimov could not bear the sight of blood. Then it was decided to enter the chemistry department of Columbia University.

Next was a successful career. Isaac Azimov became a professor of biochemistry and began teaching at the Boston Medical School. In 1958, he suddenly stopped his scientific activity. But his famous lectures continued to read for several years.

How does he become a science fiction writer?

Asimov started writing as a child. One day his friend, after reading the beginning of the story, demanded a continuation. And then the future science fiction writer became clear that he really does something.

The first stories of Isaac Asimov were published in 1939 by John Campbell, the legendary editor and discoverer of young talents. Already the second published work - "The arrival of the night" - is, according to the American Association of Science Fiction writers, the best fantasy creation ever written in the world.

The best books of the writer

The best books by Isaac Asimov in the genre of fiction are such works as "Themselves", "Foundation" and the cycle "I, Robot". But this is not all his significant creations. No one could look into the future better for millennia than Isaac Asimov. "The End of Eternity" is the writer's best novel devoted to the problem of time travel.

Incredible Asimov

Write 500 books - it seems incredible. Many in my whole life do not even read so much. Isaac Asimov not only wrote, he managed to do many other things. He was chairman of the American Association of Humanists, was engaged in the popularization of science, edited a science fiction magazine bearing his name. He did not trust literary agents and preferred to do business himself, which took a lot of time. Azimov managed with his busyness to be the chairman of the men's club. He did everything on conscience. Even a small speech in his club, he carefully prepared. There was no case that he had to blush for the result of his work.

The sphere of the writer's interests is also striking. In the past, a professor of biochemistry, Azimov never limited himself to studying only this field of science. He was interested all around. Cosmology, futurology, linguistics, history, linguistics, medicine, psychology, anthropology - this is just a small list of hobbies of the science fiction writer. He was not only interested in these sciences, but also seriously studied. And Isaac Asimov's books, written by him in these fields of knowledge, are always accurate and impeccable in the reliability of the material submitted.

Work to popularize science

In the mid-1950s, Azimov began writing publicism, engaging in the popularization of science. His book for teenagers "Chemistry of Life" was a great success for readers, and he realized that writing his documentary works is easier and more interesting than artistic ones. He writes for a large number of scientific journals articles on mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy. Most of his work was focused on children and adolescents. In an accessible form for them, Azimov told young readers about serious things.

Popular scientific literature of Azimov

The writer is more known in the world for his works in the genre of fantasy and mysticism. Few know that Isaac Azimov is the author of numerous works in the form of popular science literature. The variety of his interests is striking.

The famous science fiction writer wrote books on the history of the Middle East, the flowering and fall of the Roman Empire, the races and genes, the evolution of the universe and the mystery of supernovae. He created a "Brief History of Biology", in which he told in fascinating form about the development of this science, beginning with ancient times. Another work, The Human Brain, describes with humor the structure and operation of the central nervous system. Also, the book contains many fascinating stories about the development of the science of psychobiochemistry.

Many books of the writer just need to read to children. One of them is "Popular Anatomy". Isaac Azimov in it in detail tells about surprising structure of a human body. In his characteristic manner, it is easy and at ease to talk about complex things, the author tries to awaken the reader's interest in anatomy.

The popular books of Isaac Asimov are always written in a lively, understandable language. He knows how to tell about very complicated things, fascinatingly and interestingly.

Forecast of the future. What came true from the writer's predicted

At one time, the topic of predicting the future of mankind by famous science fiction writers was very popular. Especially many different options for the development of events were suggested by Azimov and Arthur Clark. This idea is not new. Another Jules Verne in his works described many discoveries that were made by a man much later.

At the request of the newspaper "The New York Times" in 1964, Isaac Azimov made a forecast about how the world will look in 50 years, in 2014. This seems surprising, but most of the fantasist assumptions either came true, or predicted very accurately. Of course, these are not predictions in its pure form, the writer did his own conclusions about the future of mankind on the basis of the technology already available. But still the accuracy of his statements is amazing.

What happened:

1. Television in 3D.
2. Food preparation will be largely automated. In the kitchen there will be devices with the function of "automatic preparation".
3. The population of the globe will reach 6 billion mark.
4. During a conversation with an interlocutor located at a distance, it can be seen. The phones will be portable and will be equipped with a screen. With it, it will be possible to work with images and read books. Satellites will help to connect with a person anywhere in the world.
5. Robots will not be widely used.
6. The equipment will work without an electric cord, on batteries or accumulators.
7. A man will not land on Mars, but programs will be created for his colonization.
8. Solar power plants will be used.
9. The schools will introduce the study of computer disciplines.
10. The Arctic and the deserts, as well as the underwater shelf, will be actively developed.

Films on the works of Isaac Asimov. The most famous screen versions

Few authors can boast that their books inspired filmmakers to create films based on their motives. The works of Isaac Asimov have been screened many times.

In 1999, the screens were released "Bicentennial Man," based on the joint novel "Positron Man" by Silverberg and Azimov. And the basis was a small novel by the writer with the same title as the shot. The problems associated with the advent of robots in the future, always excited the science fiction writer. The possible evolution of artificial intelligence, the likelihood of its confrontation with humanity, the safety of robots, the fear of them, humanity - the range of issues that Azimov raises in his work is very wide.

In this film, a very interesting problem is considered: can a robot become a human being. The main character of the tape is the android Andrew, brilliantly played by Robin Williams.

In 2004, there was another great film - "I, Robot". Isaac Asimov is considered the author of the novel of the same name, on the basis of which he was removed. In fact, the plot of the picture is taken from a whole cycle of books about robots writer. This is one of the most successful adaptations of Azimov's works, in which the problems that he constantly raised in his work were very accurately conveyed.

This time in the film, the problem of the evolution of artificial intelligence is considered. The laws of robotics Isaac Asimov, invented by him in 1942, will play a role in the plot. According to them, the robot is obliged to protect people and can not cause them harm. He must obey his master in everything, if this does not violate the most important law of robotics - the inviolability of man.

In the movie, the artificial intelligence of VIKI, the brain of the largest robot manufacturing company, is gradually evolving and comes to the conclusion that humanity needs to be shielded from itself, otherwise people will ruin everything around them. With the help of robots of the new improved series, he captures the whole city. At the same time civilians are killed. The main character detective Dal Spooner with assistants in the person of the company employee and robot Sunny destroys the VIKI. In the film, the problem of rejection of these cars by people, distrust to them is also sharply raised.

Another famous adaptation of Isaac Asimov 's book "Twilight" - the film "The Black Hole" with Vin Diesel in the title role. This is a very free retelling of the writer's work, which has almost nothing in common with the original version.

In addition to these three famous adaptations, the works of the writer also created the films "Twilight", "The End of Eternity" and "Love of android."

Prizes and awards

Azimov was very proud of his awards, especially in the field of fantasy. They have a huge number of it, and this is not surprising, given the incredible work capacity of the writer and his bibliography of 500 written works. He was awarded several awards "Hugo" and "Nebula", was a laureate of the Thomas Alva Edison Foundation Prize . For his work in the field of chemistry, Azimov received the award of the American Chemical Society.

In 1987, the award "Nebula" Azimov was presented with a stunning formulation - "The Great Master."

Personal life of the writer

Isaac Asimov was successful as an author, but the writer's personal life was not always cloudless. In 1973, after 30 years of marriage, he divorced his wife. From this marriage there are two children. In the same year, he marries his old acquaintance, Janet Jeppson.

The last years of the writer's life

He lived not so much by the standards of the Western world - 72 years. In 1983, Azimov underwent surgery - bypass surgery on the heart. During her time, the writer was infected with HIV through donor blood. No one suspected anything before the reoperation, when he was diagnosed with AIDS. A fatal illness led to kidney failure, and on April 6, 1992, the great writer was gone.