Change!: 71 Glimpses of the Future

by Isaac Asimov

How do you see the future for your children's children's children?

Is mankind doomed to destruction? Or does our insatiable curiosity for knowledge have a more positive purpose?

There is no doubt the world around us is already changing beyond our wildest dreams but, according to the inimitable Isaac Asimov, there is hope for us yet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Essays

201 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

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

[Senthil Kumaran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ismov Glimpses on future, which was written in 80s. The future he talks about then is 20 years down, which is now and almost accurately described :) It seems to me that he predicted the influence of world wide web in our lives pretty well. The idea that Adult Education will become extremely important and Internet will be an enabler was a bulls eye. He also streaches his thoughts well beyond decades and centuries and write's how the world would have change by then. I liked everything in this book.

[Luis Cortez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. I love Asimov's incredible way to explain and to foresee the future.

[Josh T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating glimpse of the future, from the past, by one of the greatest writers to have existed! This was a real treat to read. Each little 3 page essay (and at lease one six pager), was easy to digest and interesting. A few come off as far fetched, but many predicted, in many casely, vaguely reflect our present and past, and Asimovs future. If you predict enough things, or say enough things, eventually some will come to pass! While some of the book is dated with regard to science (we have learned a lot since 1981, 40+ years!), It reads refreshingly well, with a concise simplicity of expression one can always expect Asimov.

[Chessz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Algunas de las ideas aún hoy pueden sonar lejanas, pero algunas otras se ven en proceso (como el estudio de asteroides buscando el origen de la vida, vean Bennu).
Es una buena lectura para los que gustan tanto de la ciencia ficción como de la ciencia en sí. Para buscar ideas para escribir fantasía o para escribir una tesis.
No requiere que uno sepa nada específico en particular, sí lo que seguramente se ve en la educación básica.

Notorio: me dejó pensando mucho tiempo la entropía y el desorden, eso todavía no me cierra del todo.

[Marko]

I have the german edition: Veraenderung

[Roger Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since 1980 some changes have been true some could happen in the near future and other seems impossible.

[DAVIDE CIRO COZZOLINO · Rating 3 out of 5]

Algunas visiones muy acertadas

[Davide Ciro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Algunas visiones muy acertadas

[Matias Cimmino]

http://calabozosyrobots.blogspot.com....

En este libro Asimov especula como sera el futuro acorde a sus conocimientos cientificos incluyendo nun poco de ciencia ficcion. Aunque muchas de sus predicciones se cumplen hay que tener en cuenta que fue escrito en los años 80.
A lo largo del libro Asimov va guiando al lector atraves de su razonamiento lo cual conecta los ensayos de una manera sobrenatural. En mi opinion, el mejor capitulo del libro tiene que ser cuando habla sobre la influencia que tendra la web sobre la vida cotidiana y la manera de aprender, informarse, y pasar el tiempo libre. Tambien hace gran enfasis en la idea de que la educación de adultos se volverá extremadamente importante.
Definitivamente un libro muy variado con temas que hoy en dia son muy polemicos. Pero al haber sido escrito hace tantos años, cambia un poco el punto de vista desde el cual se analiza el tema.
Extremadamente recomendable, especialmente para no tan fanaticos de la ciencia ficcion que buscan un libro sobre ciencia no tan "dura".

[Katherine]

12/15/86. No library.