Isaac Asimov

Novelist

Birthday January 2, 1920

Birth Sign Capricorn

Birthplace Petrovichi, Russia

DEATH DATE Apr 6, 1992 (72)

#36,226 Most Popular

About

Prolific Russian-American author of science fiction works, including The Foundation series, The Robot series, The Bicentennial Man, and I, Robot. He is considered part of The Golden Age of Science Fiction.

Before Fame

He became enthused with science fiction novels as a boy, although his father considered them trash. He studied zoology and chemistry through Columbia University's extension program and eventually received his Ph.D. in biochemistry. His degree allowed him to secure a position on the medical faculty at Boston University.

Trivia

He won the 1957 Thomas Alva Edison Foundation Award for his work, Building Blocks of the Universe. He coined the term "robotics" in 1941.

Family Life

He was born in Russia to a Jewish family; he and his parents immigrated to the United States when he was a young boy. He married Gertrude Blugerman in 1942 and wed Janet Jeppson two weeks after his 1973 divorce from Blugerman.

Associated With

Will Smith starred in the film adaptation of Asimov's science fiction novel, I, Robot.