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Foundation by Isaac Asimov - 4* - My Review

Published as a novel in 1951, this book contains five related short stories. Each story follows a different character, and together they provide a history of the Foundation over the course of hundreds of years. It is based on the premise that a mathematician versed in “psychohistory” has predicted the demise of civilization. He develops a plan to save a segment of the population relocating to another planet. He records holographic messages to be played at particular times that will help them adjust and advance through the ages.

I very much enjoyed the premise and the many ideas put forth in this book. The main drawback is that the female characters are basically stereotypes of how women were seen in the 1940s (when these stories were written). Asimov later incorporated women in key roles, but the Foundation stories were early efforts. It is also interesting that people who lived in the forties found it difficult to believe that smoking would not have been as ubiquitous as it was back then. At any rate, I enjoyed this book. It kept my attention. I liked the creative ideas on which it is based. It certainly deserves its place as a science fiction classic, and I am glad I finally got a chance to read it.

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