OUR MILKY WAY AND OTHER GALAXIES

Isaac Asimov's New Library of the Universe

by Isaac Asimov

Explores the nature of the Milky Way and other galaxies, and explains what happens when galaxies explode or collide, galactic composition, and more

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Works of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles, The Foundation Trilogy (1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.

Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.

Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).

People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.

Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.

Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this and two others from this series in a box of books I had packed away from childhood. I totally forgot I had them, but the moment I spotted the covers all the memories of sitting on my floor gazing longingly at the pictures of galaxies came back.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous nonfiction book about our world. You are able to understand a lot while not getting into too much detail that makes it confusing or too much information at one time for someone at a young age.

[James Hecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, along with others in the series were a useful adjunct to the astronomy guest "lectures" I used to do at my kid's school. I started when my daughter was in the fourth grade and continued for fourth and fifth grade classes for several years. I also used them to introduce my kids to astronomy at home. I will be digging them out again shortly as my grandkids will soon be old enough for them.

[Astridina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father gave me this book. Along Metric measures by the same author, I must have been 6 or so when he did.