The renowned science fiction storyteller recalls his own story, from his youth in Depression-era Brooklyn and his early fascination with pulp magazines to his eventual pioneering of the seminal "Foundation" series. As one of the most gifted and prolific writers of the twentieth century, Isaac Asimov became legendary for his talent for explaining complex subjects in clear, concise prose. This book is a condensation of his three-volume autobiography, which spans Asimov's life. Prologue 7(2) Chronology 9(2) Russia 11(2) The United States 13(4) City Child 17(2) Religion 19(8) Prodigy 27(6) Becoming a Writer 33(6) Science-Fiction Fan 39(4) Starting to Write Science Fiction 43(14) Writing Progress 57(8) Famous Fiction 65(6) During the War 71(12) Postwar, and the Army 83(8) Becoming a Ph.D. 91(14) Postdoc 105(6) Teaching, Writing, and Speaking 111(16) Beyond Limitations 127(8) Limitations Came 135(2) Going On 137(6) Major Nonfiction 143(4) Writing and Thinking about Writing 147(4) On Prolificity 151(4) On Writers' Problems 155(4) Miscellaneous Opinions and Quirks 159(8) Sexism and Love 167(4) Life While Famous 171(8) The Bible 179(4) Changes 183(4) Shakespeare 187(2) New Experiments in Writing 189(4) More Working with Words 193(6) Isaac, Himself 199(4) More on Writing 203(8) Heart Attack 211(4) Extending Two Series 215(8) Triple Bypass 223(8) Humanists 231(4) Senior Citizen and Honors 235(6) Working on in Gathering Shadows 241(10) Epilogue 251(6) Appendix A. Essay 400-``A Way of Thinking'' 257(18) Appendix B. Isaac's Personal Favorite: ``The Last Question'' 275(14) Appendix C. A Bibliography of Works by Isaac Asimov 289(18) Index 307