Isaac Asimov is one of the best-known science fiction writers, as well as one of the most prolific writers of any genre in the world. Isaac was born to Anna and Judah Asimov on January 2, 1920 (White 3), in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, a short-lived republic formed after World War I. He later immigrated to Brooklyn, New York with his family. family when he was only three years old (White 7). While living in Brooklyn, Isaac taught himself to read English before the age of five, but retained the ability to speak Yiddish. Isaac Asimov's work transformed science fiction writing into what it is today. Asimov became interested in science fiction through five-cent pulp magazines at the candy store his parents owned and operated. Because of his parents' decision that pulp magazines distracted him from his schoolwork, Isaac was forced to take them away and read them in secret. His interest in these stories grew over the years and he was later able to convince his parents that the magazines were good since they had "Science" in their names (White 10). Throughout his childhood and early adulthood, Asimov dabbled in writing, but considered his work inferior and never finished or submitted his early works. At the age of nineteen, Isaac submitted his first story to science fiction magazines, marking the beginning of his fruitful writing career. Over the years, Asimov produced over 500 novels and short stories. (Seiler) His most important works are "Nightfall", The Foundation Trilogy (to which two more books will later be added) and the Robot series. The Foundation series is based on a collapsing empire and the creation of the Foundation, a small, isolated planet containing the extent of... middle of paper... "mechanics". (White 55) Asimov sadly died on April 6, 1992 in New York, New York from AIDS complications resulting from an infected blood transfusion during a triple bypass in December 1983. Today he is considered one of the fathers of modern science fiction and one of the key players in transforming it from a bunch of silly stories to a more serious genre. In the words of Harlan Ellison: “Isaac Asimov had writer's block once. It was the worst ten minutes of his life." Today Asimov is considered among the ranks of master writers such as Philip K. Dick, George Orwell and Michael Crichton. Works Cited Asimov, Isaac. Foundation. New York: Random House, 1979. Print.Seiler, Edward. "Frequently Asked Questions About Isaac Asimov." Isaac Asimov home page. September 20, 2009. Web. January 29, 2010. .Bianco, Michael. Isaac Asimov. Da Capo Press, 2005. Digital.