Here is a list of what I read this week. All articles from the Wall Street Journal will require a subscription (sorry); most blog posts are from writers that have piqued my interest for one reason or another.

Books

I, Asimov: A Memoir by Isaac Asimov. Reading. 50% completed. I've not written a book review before, well, at least not one for the general public to read. I've attempted to write short summaries for journal entries; however, these serve as my reference material. It isn't very likely that Mr. Shirley even remotely considered anything I wrote by summarizing other authors as accomplishing an appropriate overview of a book in high school; however, I'm going to write (hopefully) a short review on the first half of I, Asimov.

I haven't read any memoirs that I'm aware of, having enjoyed historical books immensely; however, these books (Titan, Napoleon, and others) were written by authors in a historical context. Mr. Asimov has also written two volumes that follow a strict chronological outline of his life; however, prodded by his wife, the memoir was to be "thoughts, my reactions, my philosophy of life, and so on" [1]

The book then takes on life topics, i.e., Father, Mother, Sister, and Religion. It was interesting reading about his parents immigrating from Russia and their Jewish background. Even those few lines make it easy to recognize the memoir as an American dream story unfolding.

The family owned a candy store and required long hours to make it work; Mr. Asimov spends quite a few chapters reminiscing about reading and his beginnings in writing. Until this point, the story could represent any number of individuals at almost any point; however, the critical juncture for Mr. Asimov amounted to being present and of age when science fiction as a genre began to gain a foothold in the minds and imagination of everyday people. By the mid-1930s, Mr. Asimov started to "participate in the machinery." [2]

Upon completion of chapter 18, "The Futurians," unfortunately, Mr. Asimov dedicates the following ten chapters to people he associated with during the early years. While this is interesting to provide background, for me, it grew tedious, and he continues even later in the book introducing chapters here and there dedicated to specific individuals. It certainly is the nature of our lives to intertwine with those around us, and it lends credence to the "birds of a feather" cliche.

I found it interesting that Mr. Asimov readily admits to being a prodigy in his youth, above average in high school; however, by college, some had surpassed him in many categories due to their diligence and determination. Mr. Asimov adds more stories about people, more schools, and eventually married with children. Finally, he began to dig deeper into his writing, and I enjoyed these chapters immensely, making more than a few highlights for further consideration. Overall, I have enjoyed the book's first half, even though it takes considerable effort to continue reading. I find just enough gold scattered through the sand to make an effort to finish the book.

Written October 12, 2022

References:

[1] I, Asimov . Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. Location 181.

[2] (p.60.)

Articles and Blogs

Miraculously, none injured after boulder smashes into truck in SR-14 rockslide. By Ryan Bittan Oct 10, 2022

Western Democracy Is Revolting Against Itself. By Gerard Baker. Oct 10, 2022 (WSJ)

Why Biden and Obama Are Staying Away from Midterm Races. By James Freeman. Oct 10, 2022 (WSJ)

Alaska’s Senate Race Nail-Biter. By Kimberley A. Strassel. Oct 6, 2022 (WSJ)

You Didn’t Invent That Drug. By The Editorial Board. Oct 6, 2022 (WSJ)

Do Compression Boots Really Boost My Recovery? By Ashley Mateo. Jan 7, 2022

Brittney Griner's Lawyer Shares Heartbreaking News. By Andrew McCarty. Oct 12, 2022