Isaac Asimov

ASIMOV, ISAAC, 1920 to 1992

Isaac Asimov books in order

Isaac Asimov (c. 1920-1992) was a Russian-born American writer and biochemist, author of I, Robot and the Foundation series.

Also wrote as Paul French

Books
126
Editions tracked
234
First editions
93
Nationality
United States, Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
Born
Petrovichi, 1920
Died
Manhattan, 1992

Official websiteWikidataOpen LibrarySearch within Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov wrote 126 books we track between 1936 and 2010; in publication order they begin with The Genetic Code (1936).

Life

About Isaac Asimov

Writer

Known as
biochemist, novelist, prose writer, autobiographer
Genres
science fiction
Citizenship
Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, United States
Also wrote as
Paul French

Background

Educated at
Columbia University, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University School of General Studies, Boys and Girls High School

Awards and honours

  • Hugo Award (1963)
  • James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry (1965)
  • Hugo Award for Best All-Time Series (1966)
  • Humanist of the Year (1984)
  • Edward E. Smith Memorial Award (1967)
  • Nebula Award for Best Novel (1973)
  • Locus Award for Best Novel (1973)
  • Hugo Award for Best Novel (1973)

Notable works

From Wikidata (CC0); Wikipedia has articles on Isaac Asimov in 121 languages.

About Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov (c. 1920 to 1992) was a Russian-born American writer and biochemist, author of the Foundation and Robot stories and one of the most prolific writers of the twentieth century, with more than 500 books written or edited.

Born in Petrovichi in Soviet Russia (his exact birth date is uncertain), he became a naturalised US citizen in 1928, took a doctorate at Columbia in 1948 and taught biochemistry at Boston University. He began publishing short stories in 1939; the Foundation stories ran in Astounding Science Fiction from 1942 to 1944. His first novel, Pebble in the Sky, came from Doubleday in January 1950, and Gnome Press issued I, Robot on 2 December 1950, a collection of nine robot stories that includes his Three Laws of Robotics. Gnome, the trilogy's original publisher, then issued Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952) and Second Foundation (1953), which Doubleday later bought and reissued. In 1966 the trilogy won a special Hugo Award as the best all-time series. From the late 1950s he wrote mainly popular science, including 399 monthly columns for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, before returning to fiction with The Gods Themselves (1972, winner of the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards) and Foundation's Edge (1982). He died in Manhattan on 6 April 1992.

For collectors

The Gnome Press first editions are the key books: I, Robot (1950, first printing of 5,000 copies with Edd Cartier cover art) and the three Foundation volumes of 1951 to 1953. Pebble in the Sky (Doubleday, 1950) is his first novel and a natural companion.

For collectors

Collect Isaac Asimov

Earliest first editionThe Genetic CodeOrion Publishing Group, 1936 Most editions trackedI, Robot4 editions
First published by
Series
In order

First editions, year by year

  1. 1936The Genetic CodeOrion Publishing Group
  2. 1950The Foundation TrilogyDoubleday
  3. 1950Pebble in the SkyDoubleday
  4. 1950I, RobotGnome Press
  5. 1951FoundationDoubleday Bantam
  6. 1951The Stars, Like DustDoubleday
  7. 1952Foundation and EmpireGnome Press
  8. 1952The Currents of SpaceDoubleday
  9. 1952David Starr - Space RangerDoubleday
  10. 1953Second FoundationDoubleday
  11. 1953Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the AsteroidsDoubleday
  12. 1954The Caves of SteelDoubleday
  13. 1954The Naked SunBallantine Books
  14. 1954The Chemicals of LifeNew American Library
  15. 1955The End of EternityDoubleday
  16. 1955The Martian WayDoubleday
  17. 1956Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of MercuryDoubleday
  18. 1956Inside the AtomAbelard-Schuman
  19. 1957Earth Is Room EnoughDoubleday
  20. 1957The Robot NovelsDoubleday
  21. 1958Lucky Starr and The Rings of SaturnDoubleday
  22. 1958The World of CarbonAbelard-Schuman
  23. 1958Death DealersAvon Publications
  24. 1959Nine TomorrowsDoubleday
  25. 1959Words of Science, and the History Behind ThemHoughton Mifflin
  26. 1959Realm of NumbersHoughton Mifflin
  27. 1959The Clock We Live onAbelard-Schuman
  28. 1960The Intelligent Man's Guide to ScienceBasic Books
  29. 1961Words from the MythsHoughton Mifflin
  30. 1961Realm of AlgebraHoughton Mifflin
  31. 1962The Hugo WinnersAvon Books
  32. 1962Life and EnergyDoubleday
  33. 1963The Human BrainNew American Library
  34. 1964The Rest of the RobotsDoubleday
  35. 1964Adding a DimensionDoubleday
  36. 1965A Short History of ChemistryAnchor Books
  37. 1965Fifty Short Science Fiction TalesCollier Books
  38. 1966Understanding Physics: Volume IIIGeorge Allen & Unwin
  39. 1966The Universe; from Flat Earth to QuasarWalker Books
  40. 1966Motion, Sound, and HeatGeorge Allen & Unwin

And 53 more in the full list below.

Books and editions

Which edition do you have?

Questions collectors ask

Frequently asked questions

What order should I read Isaac Asimov's books in?

In publication order they begin with The Genetic Code (1936), then Nightfall (1941) and I, Robot (1950). Books in a series are listed in series order on this page.

What was Isaac Asimov's first book?

The earliest book we list is The Genetic Code, first published in 1936.

When was Isaac Asimov born?

Isaac Asimov was born in 1920 and died in 1992.

How many Isaac Asimov books does MyVolumes track?

We track 126 books by Isaac Asimov across 234 editions, 93 of them first editions.

What awards has Isaac Asimov won?

Isaac Asimov has won Hugo Award (1963), James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry (1965), Hugo Award for Best All-Time Series (1966), Humanist of the Year (1984), according to Wikidata.

Did Isaac Asimov write under another name?

Yes: Isaac Asimov also published as Paul French. Those books are listed here under the one author.

Sources

Where these facts come from

Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.

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