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Title: In Joy Still Felt
(1954-1978)
Series: Asimovian Memoirs #2
Authors:
Isaac Asimov
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre:
Autobiography
Pages: 778
Words:
307K
Publish: 1980
Reading this went much smoother than the previous book, “In Memory Yet Green”. Part of that was that it was getting into the stuff I wanted to actually read about, his breaking out into a successful SF author and his growing fame as an author in general. I kept waiting to hit that wall like I had in the first book, where I had to take a break, and it never came. I sailed through this like a space shark scenting space blood, in space ;-) It felt really good to be honest.
The downside was that as he became more famous, his ego came more to the forefront and there were several instances that he records where all I could think was “this whole situation came about because of your monstrous ego”. He still keeps things light, but he wasn’t just the aggrieved party in several instances.
There was obviously something up with his son David, that he doesn’t talk about. David had to go to private schools to finish high school, took 5 years to do so and Asimov states something like “and it was obvious college was out for him”. Asimov just doesn’t interact with his son as he becomes an adult and doesn’t write about him. I really wouldn’t have noticed it (and assumed it was for privacy’s sake) except he writes a LOT about his second child, his daughter. She gets all sorts of stories told and he interacts with her like you’d assume a father would. Then there’s his first wife Gertrude who Asimov ended up divorcing. Even in the first book, and more so here, she’s very much a non-entity in his life. I don’t know if she played that small a role in his life or if he just didn’t want to write about her. Either way, it felt very weird to not-read about his wife and son, especially with the example of his daughter. And when he remarries, he has all sorts of things to say about his second wife, so I suspect he was trying to practice the “if you don’t have anything nice to say….” routine. But man, it was quite noticeable.
Asimov was an extremely personable man and it showed in how he could handle speaking engagements, almost off the cuff. That ability comes through in his writing and made for a good time. While I didn’t agree with a lot of stuff he did, or believed, it never impacted how he wrote. He was a very liberal man, politically and morally and I believe he would have fit right into the WOKE crowd or the ME TOO group. How he wrote about Richard Nixon (literally calling him Hitler) reminded me of how neo-liberals of today feel about Trump. And their game book hasn’t changed a bit. Act outraged about something, call others super nasty names and take the moral high ground on an issue that nobody is arguing about. It made laugh to see this carried out 50 years earlier, hahahaha :-)
There is one more book in this “Asimovian Memoirs” trilogy, that was a compilation of these two books and some new stuff and some posthumous stuff by his wife Janet. While I’m not looking forward to going over some of the same ground as I’ve already trod, I think the new stuff will be worth it.
★★★★☆
From Grokipedia.com
Relation to Asimov's autobiographies
In Joy Still Felt: The Autobiography of Isaac Asimov, 1954-1978 constitutes the second volume of Asimov's detailed autobiographical project, directly following In Memory Yet Green: The Autobiography, 1920-1954, which documented his early life and career up to 1954. [1] This volume extends the chronological narrative to cover the period from 1954 to 1978, preserving the exhaustive, day-by-day style characteristic of the initial installment. [2] The titles of both In Memory Yet Green and In Joy Still Felt derive from the same poetic lines—"In memory yet green, in joy still felt, / The scenes of life rise sharply into view"—which Asimov featured prominently in the volumes. [3]Combined, the two volumes total approximately 640,000 words, reflecting Asimov's commitment to a highly comprehensive and uncondensed recounting of his life. [4] In contrast, Asimov's later I. Asimov: A Memoir (1994) presents a more condensed overview of his entire life, departing from strict chronological detail in favor of a structure organized around thematic and emotional elements. [5]A further abridged selection drawn from his autobiographical material appeared in 2002 as It's Been a Good Life.
The period from 1954 to 1978 represented a pivotal transformation in Isaac Asimov's career, as he transitioned from balancing academic responsibilities with writing to dedicating himself exclusively to authorship. In the mid-1950s, Asimov continued his role as associate professor of biochemistry at Boston University School of Medicine, having joined the faculty in 1949 and been promoted to associate professor in 1955. [6] This academic phase overlapped with his ongoing science fiction output, but in 1958 he ceased active teaching duties and salary (effective June 30, 1958) amid university concerns over his lack of research, becoming a full-time writer while retaining his university title after negotiations. [2] [6]The shift to full-time writing was accelerated by the 1957 launch of Sputnik, which spurred Asimov to address perceived deficiencies in American science education through accessible nonfiction. [7] Beginning in November 1958, he launched a monthly science essay column in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction that continued uninterrupted for 399 issues, earning him a special Hugo Award in 1963 for bridging science and science fiction. [2] This period saw an extraordinary expansion of his popular science nonfiction, encompassing books on a wide array of scientific subjects alongside works on literature, history, and other topics, establishing him as one of the era's most prolific and influential popularizers of knowledge. [2]Asimov further diversified his output to include mystery stories, literary and biblical guides, and humorous pieces, reflecting his versatility beyond traditional science fiction and science exposition. [2] Concurrently, science fiction achieved greater cultural respectability during the 1950s through 1970s, aided by broader societal interest in science amid the space age and Asimov's own growing public prominence as a writer, speaker, and commentator who made complex ideas approachable to general audiences. [2] His intermittent but influential presence in the field, combined with his extensive nonfiction contributions, helped elevate science fiction's status and cemented his reputation as a central figure in its mainstream acceptance. [2]
Development and writing process
Isaac Asimov composed In Joy Still Felt by culling material from his extensive personal diaries, which provided the chronological structure and precise factual details for the period from 1954 to 1978. [8] These diaries served as the primary source for documenting events, dates, and daily occurrences, enabling a highly accurate and methodical reconstruction of his life during those years. Asimov's exceptional memory supplemented the diaries by allowing him to recall vivid conversations, emotions, and incidental details that added depth to the narrative.The writing process reflected Asimov's disciplined and prolific habits, resulting in a lengthy, detailed manuscript focused on factual precision over interpretive embellishment. In the autobiography, Asimov adopted a candid and self-aware tone, cheerfully recounting his professional successes and personal achievements while openly admitting his faults, stupidities, moments of vanity, and failures. [9] He balanced self-appreciation with frank admissions of shortcomings and errors in judgment, creating an engaging portrayal of both accomplishment and human imperfection. [9]Janet Asimov later critiqued the two original autobiographical volumes as too factual and reserved, describing them as overly chronological and emotionally restrained. [10] This observation, made in connection with the preparation of the subsequent memoir I. Asimov, highlighted her view that the earlier works prioritized detail and sequence at the expense of deeper emotional expression.
In Joy Still Felt is divided into five chronological parts, which together contain forty-six chapters. [9] [11] The book extends to 828 pages in its original edition and follows a detailed, sequential narrative that traces Asimov's life and work from 1954 onward. [12] [13] Within each chapter, the text breaks into numerous short sections, often presented as brief anecdotes or focused accounts of particular incidents, creating a fragmented yet densely packed progression that mirrors the author's meticulous record-keeping. [9] [14] This format emphasizes discrete events over extended thematic discussions, resulting in a diary-like chronicle of daily and professional developments. [9]The main body of the narrative concludes on December 31, 1977, after which a short updating section brings select details forward to 1979. [9] This organization supports a rigorous chronological framework while accommodating the inclusion of photographs, appendices, and indexes. [13]
In "In Joy Still Felt," Asimov describes the opening of the covered period as coinciding with his ongoing role as a biochemistry professor at Boston University School of Medicine, where he encountered administrative disapproval for producing nonfiction books during what superiors considered academic time. [15] This tension escalated into a significant conflict, leading him to relinquish salaried teaching responsibilities in the late 1950s while retaining his faculty title as a nonsalaried associate professor, a change that freed him to pursue writing full-time. [11] [9] The autobiography later notes his eventual promotion to full professor, along with honorary degrees and Boston University's archival collection of his works. [9]Asimov recounts his fiction output during these years, beginning with the 1954 publication of The Caves of Steel, a key novel blending science fiction and mystery. [11] Notable later works include the 1966 novelization Fantastic Voyage, written to accompany the film, and The Gods Themselves (1972), which earned both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novel. [9] He also expanded into mystery fiction during the 1970s, alongside specialized nonfiction such as guides to the Bible and Shakespeare, and collections of original limericks. [9]The book emphasizes Asimov's rapid growth in nonfiction writing across science, history, and other fields, culminating in the celebration of his 200th published book near the end of the period, marked by Opus 200 and the first volume of his autobiography. [9] [15] This prolific output reflected a shift toward popular science exposition and away from heavy science fiction production. [9]Asimov chronicles his rising public profile, including the 1977 founding of Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, which extended his influence in the genre. [9] He also details the growth of his career as a sought-after speaker and television commentator, with increasing fees and engagements that solidified his status as a prominent explainer of science. [9]
In "In Joy Still Felt", Asimov recounts the birth of his daughter Robyn Joan in 1955, joining her older brother David in the family he shared with his first wife Gertrude. [16] The autobiography touches on family life during this period, though it focuses more on later developments. [16]The deaths of his parents marked significant personal losses: his father Judah died in 1969, followed by his mother Anna in 1973. [16] Asimov describes bidding farewell to his father in a dedicated chapter. [13]After separating from Gertrude in 1970, Asimov finalized his divorce on November 16, 1973, ending a marriage that had lasted 31 years. [16] He married Janet Jeppson two weeks later on November 30, 1973, and the autobiography includes a chapter on this second marriage. [16] [13]Asimov details his health challenges, including a thyroid condition addressed in the chapter "My Thyroid," which contemporary reviews describe as thyroid cancer. [13] [17] In 1977 he suffered a heart attack, covered in the chapter "Coronary" along with his recovery. [13]Due to severe acrophobia that limited his air travel to only two flights in his lifetime, Asimov preferred ocean cruises for longer journeys and describes several such trips during the 1970s, including one eclipse cruise taken alone. [16] [13] These personal changes, including his remarriage, contributed to greater flexibility in his later years. [16]
In Joy Still Felt is filled with Asimov's recollections of his encounters with a wide range of figures in science fiction and popular culture, offering a glimpse into the social dynamics of the genre during the period. He describes his long-standing friendships with Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein, including their mutual admiration, playful rivalries, and occasional disagreements on topics like politics and writing styles. Asimov recounts humorous exchanges with Clarke, such as their informal agreement on how to handle compliments about each other's work, and notes moments of tension and reconciliation with Heinlein amid their differing views.Anecdotes about Harlan Ellison highlight Ellison's volatile personality, including pranks, heated arguments at conventions, and eventual amicable resolutions. Asimov also shares stories involving Larry Niven and Robert Silverberg, often centered on convention appearances and casual discussions of ideas. His relationship with editors Lester del Rey and Judy-Lynn del Rey is portrayed through social gatherings, professional advice, and light-hearted banter.Asimov includes encounters with figures outside science fiction, such as astronomer Carl Sagan, with whom he discussed popular science and shared mutual respect, as well as brief meetings with actresses Raquel Welch and Julie Newmar at public events or conventions. Throughout these accounts, he intersperses self-deprecating humor about his own ego, such as his tendency to dominate conversations, his love of attention at gatherings, and his habit of reciting limericks or puns to entertain or deflect. These candid reflections underscore his awareness of his foibles while portraying the lively, sometimes contentious world of fandom and professional science fiction circles.
