Isaac Asimov: A Life of the Grand Master of Science Fiction

White supplies a well researched biography of Asimov. For those of you who may have read Asimov's columns in Fantasy and Science Fiction, or his many stories and textbooks, this biography helps fill out your knowledge of him. For example, you may have heard of the Nobel Laureate chemist Urey. Asimov was his student at Columbia, but apparently Urey took a dislike to him and considered him a flake! White also furnishes analyses of Asimov's major writings, like Nightfall, the Foundation series and the Robot stories. Prior to this book, you'd have to look back to Joseph Patrouch's "The Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov". That was published in the late 70s, and while well done, of course could not cover Asimov's works since then till his death. Plus, Patrouch's book was not about Asimov's life, per se. So White's book is a very useful complement. There is one unfortunate and curious omission to the biography. Not a single photo?! Perhaps some of you might suggest that since Asimov's fame was as a writer, we have little need for photos. However, I suspect that most readers would want at least some photos - of Asimov when he was younger, and of his family. Other biographies of writers usually furnish these. Take, as just one example, Warburton's recent biography of John Fowles. This omission from White's book is really puzzling. He says he received the cooperation of Asimov's wife, who is also writing a biography of Isaac. Surely, if she aided White, some photos could have been forthcoming?