Welcome to Litsy!

(1951) A far-future galactic empire teeters on collapse. Hari Seldom, a visionary “psychohistorian“ invents a strategy to reduce the coming dark ages from 30 millennia to just one. I first read the Foundation series forty (?!?) years ago, and enjoyed it much. Very happy to report I admire it still, though its central premise now seems, erm, improbable, and its demographics very 1950s office-building. But given the premise the ride is a joy.

I really liked this book and will read others in the series. I found the way the Foundation sneakily forced its presence onto surrounding planets and the way it used religion to be very interesting. I could not walk on any of the wooded trails in this area because the yellow flies were just terrible! They forced me into sunnier spaces. #audiowalk #ClassicLSFBC

I walked in the morning, so it wasn‘t a hellscape out there. Still enjoying Foundation. I remember a fair amount of women in the tv series, but I think there‘s only been one in the book so far and she was a receptionist. #audiowalk #ClassicLSFBC

I had watched some of the tv series with my husband but never read the book. It‘s not what I was expecting, but I‘m really enjoying it. I‘m already more than half way through. #audiowalk #ClassicLSFBC

59/100 I've never been a big fan of Asimov, I find his writing kind of dry, but I did enjoy the entire Foundation trilogy. The fall of the Galactic empire was predicted by Harry Seldon, and through his Foundation, the dark ages after the fall would only be 1,000 years instead of 30,000. Personally, I think the trilogy gets better as it goes along, but the first book is a solid story with plenty of interesting characters. 4🚀🚀🚀🚀 #ClassicLSFBC

Hari Seldon uses the statistical techniques of psychohistory to foresee the coming collapse of the Galactic Empire and starts a Foundation which will help shorten the coming period of barbarism since the collapse of the Empire is now inevitable. We observe the course of history through a series of snapshots in the first couple of centuries of the Foundation's existence. ⬇

#teaandabook

#ClassicLSFBC
@Ramsfan1963

The first 4 in the series.

My 3 Brazilian editions of the Foundation books. I plan to buy a box set with all books in the series.

My first Asimov experience, it's easy to understand why he's a classic scifi pillar. I like the broad sociological sweeps captured by the arcs of individual characters. Shout out to Finn for graciously volunteering as my photo background.

Be sure to not allow a lot of days to pass between readings! Book is essentially a collection of intimate scenes (separated by decades) detailing galactic imperial decline and power machinations along a fatalistic timeline predicted by a genius mathematician and "psychohistorian". Where does fate end, and chance begin? From where does power truly derive? And what is the relationship of prediction to predetermination?

"I wanted to be a psychological engineer, but we lacked the facilities, so I did the next best thing - I went into politics. It's practically the same thing."

“It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtle.”

My son is really into sci-fi and is reading all the classics. So I decided to read a few myself. This book wasn‘t what I expected. At first I didn‘t like it, but as it progressed I started to enjoy it more and now, I keeps thinking about it. So I am giving it a thumbs up.

Our episode on Asimov's Foundation is finally out! We discuss the Sci-Fi classic and its impact on the genre, whether or not we liked it (yes, it was very entertaining), the possibility of using psychohistory to predict real-world events, and we try to figure out what “vegan tobacco“ is. Enjoy!

https://anchor.fm/peter-murphy8/episodes/Episode-82-Foundation-e1dprio

During the last few days of #JoyousJanuary, I'll be reading the picks for #Roll100. I should make good progress on Sunday when I do my official unplug (no tv, computer and phone). @Andrew65 @PuddleJumper

I listened to this for two reasons:

1. It‘s a #1001Books selection, and
2. I kinda want to watch the show, and have that read-first rule.

I did like the basic premise—a great, advanced society receding into a dark age after the fall of an empire, and a forward-thinking plan to lessen the length of that dark age—the time jumps and one-dimensional characters made it hard to engage… maybe I will watch, but I won‘t continue the books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

While it‘s super dated (are there actually any women in the future?), I‘m enjoying the first Foundation book more than I figured I would.

But this is literally all I think if every time Prince Regent Wienis is mentioned. 😂

#TBR 2: While I am super excited about all my holiday reads that I have been meaning to read for a while, I am also very excited (and maybe most excited) to tackle Foundation with a friend. It has been on my bookshelf for a long long time. #WinterGames #TeamSleighers @StayCurious

This was not as good as I expected it to be, it was long-winded and boring for me personally.

The characters are dull and boring characters because the author doesn't spend much time developing them and that's what kills it for me; I like good, memorable characters.

I'm aware I'm in the minority here, the majority rate it highly but I find it dated.

Started the Foundation trilogy and I found it helped to learn it was initially a set of short stories and that Asimov wrote these to make some money when he was only 21 (!!). Asimov imagines what it would have been like for the fall of the Roman Empire to have been predicted, what would people have done.

Thanks for the tag @DarkMina 🙋‍♂️

1️⃣ I'm currently reading Foundation by Isaac Asimov 🚀

2️⃣ We're taking the kids trick or treating and we'll most likely watch sonething like the new Hotel Transylvania. 🧛‍♂️

3️⃣ The health and wellbeing of my family. 🖤

I tag @Ast_Arslan 🙋‍♂️

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

I may like the idea of this book more than the reality of it. My teenage self set my Goodreads URL to /psychohistory, as I was fascinated by that fictional branch of mathematics which sets these stories in motion. On this reread, Asimov‘s predicted decline of the galactic empire by stagnation of investment in science felt more possible than ever, yet for every spark of my interest there was an equally deep waning as we skipped across time.

🌟 Yea I can‘t. I totally get this a classic and people looooove this series. It just isn‘t for me. I love science fiction but this was a totally slog fest for me. Why am I still reading this when I almost a week ago. It‘s short, and yet I‘m still 3 hours away from being done.

I‘ll try the series instead. I got the gist of it.

Hari Seldom,a psychohistorian whose job is to predict the future of the galaxy,predicts the fall of the Empire and manipulates the government into send him and other scientists to an empty planet in the periphery.There stablishes a colony of scientists, the Foundation, mapping up the next centuries with the aim of getting the Foundation as the new ruler.An interesting read,but it feels like is setting the pieces for a bigger story that's to come

It was good to read this again, though it is hopelessly androcentric, with the single named female character being a '50s stereotype and nought but a cipher, but that quibble aside, it's an interesting future history that was, and is, a satirical commentary on contemporary society. Many of Asimov's ideas having become genre tropes & entered the mainstream through media such as (particularly) Star Wars is a testament to the strength of his vision.

End of empire; religion cynically used to control and incite the masses; the undermining of science and critical thinking; political cults of personality; fake news.
Move along, please. Nothing to see here. Keep it moving!

I last read the Foundation trilogy in 1975. I wasn't sure how it would stack up now, and while it may be a bit early to commit to a definite position as I'm only on page 20, I'm loving it so far! 😀🚀

This was interesting but also disappointing in that it continually left me expecting more. I never minded reading it and was intrigued by the details of each section. Yet, each short episode of history never provided enough depth of world building or character development. The abrupt ending felt unsatisfying without making me feel any real need to know how the society would move forward next.

#1001books
#Reading1001 #TBRTakedown August 2020

I forgot how much I love this book! The writing is good, the characters fun, and the fi is very sci. I‘m going to have to get into the rest of the series again at some point.

#LLReadathon

“Hardin‘s expression became that of a man counting to ten, mentally.”
It‘s nice to be reading these again after so many years.

#LLReadathon

So I‘d only intended to buy The Little Blue Kite and In the Dream House while I was out book shopping... but then I found this while I was browsing. It is a book I want to read, but I‘d planned on just borrowing it from the library... but that cover though. 😍 My boyfriend also shared my #coverlove so I ended up bringing this one home too.

Great book. Truly ahead of its time, with so many parallels to life and society today. For some reason, it took me awhile to get through it, but I loved it all the same. Is it worth carrying on with the rest of the series?

Man, I really love classic sci-fi. The interconnected short stories tell the fall of a stagnant galactic empire and the rise of Foundation, a small world which uses its science, religion, and traders to navigate relationships with it‘s more dangerous neighbors. Asimov can eerily predict ideas and societal movements. This one truly deserves its place as one of the cornerstones of science fiction.

Heh. If I had to sum up how I live my life at work, it would be waiting in quiet serenity and utter faith in a deus ex machina to pop up and save my butt.

We doing this thing. ❤️

“Mr. Advocate, the rotten tree-trunk, until the very moment when the storm-blast breaks it in two, has all the appearance of might it ever had. The storm-blast whistles through the branches of the Empire even now. Listen with the ears of psychohistory, and you will hear the creaking.”

#LilithJuly | 15: #Foundations

📷: Made with Typorama

Foundation is a well readable story, but it is not the big deal it is cracked up to be. There are interesting themes: civilizations fall when scientific curiosity stalls, when authoritariasm wins. Religion, technology and trade are examined as means of political power. However, the writing is mediocre, the story is a series of shorts, there is zero character development, and zero women. The science is stuck in 1951. Disappointing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an odd little book...halfway through I thought it‘s a great encapsulation of the cycles human civilization seems destined to pass through & I can see why it was popular, BUT I‘m not sure if I want to read the sequels. However the end leaves you mid-story and the idea that it‘s almost impossible to overcome the inertia of society without lots of people or time is a bit chilling since it rings true and our inertia is so bad at the moment.

When Asimov wants it clear this is going to be the bad advisor to the underage king. 🤪🤦‍♀️😂

I‘m not sure if this would be a pick if I hadn‘t read the two books in the series that occur before Foundation (which were written much later). There are basically five different stories that take place in the same “world” and there‘s not enough time spent with the characters for me to be really drawn in. I‘ll have to see how this book fits into Asimov‘s scheme.

Audiobooking it so we can celebrate Lola Petunia‘s 13th birthday with our traditional rotisserie chicken. It‘s even funnier hearing the narrator say #wienis repeatedly. #pugsoflitsy

Am I the only one who giggles every time they hear the name WIENIS? This chapter has me in hysterics. #nevergrowup

Drinking my $5 cold brew and reading while waiting for a haircut at the only place in my neighborhood that charges less than $100. Fingers crossed that I don‘t end up with a mullet.

Time for another classic Science Fiction fix, with the first published book in the Foundation series - this one was published in 1951! Pretty sure I read this around 25 - 30 years ago.

I‘m very happy I start late in the morning - nothing is better than a cup of coffee and a good book in bed 😊 come join us on reddit (r/bookclub) this month! We‘re reading this fantastic and seminal classic by Asimov!

Currently reading

I know that all SFF writers write from their own situation in time and place, but they speculate on social structures as well as technology. And it's a bit disappointing to see that tens of thousands of years from now humanity has a social structure where men work and women are simply classified as wives. (And they're not using the metric system either!)

Book. Train. Welsh countryside. Let the weekend commence!
#ReadingRetreat

@jhod @squirrelbrain @Mitch @julesG @scripturient @RachelO @Oryx @eraderneely