RoR: Forum

Thanks Luke! I love this kind of humor!

Ed

Post 1

Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 6:59pm

Luke,

You need to search for it, but this is an old Isaac Asimov routine he used to charm audiences with. Except in his case, he would build it up in technological terms as if it were a new invention and only say that it was a book at the end.

You can find it in his writings somewhere.

Michael

Post 2

Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 11:04pm

Michael,

Thanks, I'll look that up! I've always liked Asimov's work, but I didn't know he did humor.

Of course, I wasn't claiming credit for this one. I got it from a friend, who got it from a ___, who got it from... wherever these things come from.
When I come up with a really funny joke on my own, on the other hand, it's a momentous occasion! ;-)

Post 3

Friday, June 17, 2005 - 8:19am

Luke-

Asimov wrote on pretty much anything, and humor was no exception. Check out 'The Sensuous Dirty Old Man' and 'Lecherous Limericks', I think he had other humor ones too. He was also supposed to be (in)famous for composing off-the-cuff dirty limericks about the attendees of social functions.

Post 4

Friday, June 17, 2005 - 2:44pm

I've heard it said that science fiction writers tend to become the dirty old man in their later years...hmm...

Post 5

Friday, June 17, 2005 - 6:51pm

(Edited by Robert Bisno on 6/17, 6:52pm)

(Edited by Robert Bisno on 6/17, 6:53pm)

Post 6

Monday, June 20, 2005 - 8:07am

I am a big fan of Asimov for his non-fiction work. He wrote frequently on general science, and is phenomenal at explaining scientific concepts in ways that truly convey how interesting the knowledge is and is an excellent mechanism toward gaining a conceptual understanding of something. I actually have not read much of his fiction, but he also wrote things such as "Asimov's guide to Shakespear", "Asimov's guide to the Bible" (more of an anthropological and historical commentary on it) "Asimov's guide to humor" etc. A truly fascinating man.

Michael F Dickey

Post 7

Saturday, February 23, 2008 - 8:43pm

I thought this was so good that I had to make an account just to tell you that. I, personally, have been a great fan of BOOKs since the age of two, and it gives me great joy to see them finally respected and acknowledged as I have always thought they should be. L.O.L. This is a good one, though. I think I've heard of or read about it before somewhere, but I don't really remember. Oh well, keep it up! :D

Post 8

Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 6:39am

The BOOK has been characterized here satirically, but I point out that inexpensive books, such as those which were published after the invention (or re-invention) of movable type was the earliest mass medium. Books shaped and moved the world. Martin Luther became one of the first "super-stars" with his image and words published widely. Our Lord may be a Mighty Fortress but it was books that broke the Catholic monopoly on thought and morals. If the pen is mightier than the sword, the printing press is and wasthe nuclear weapon of its day and ours.

Ideas and memes cannot be slain or suppressed as long as millions and millions of books carry them to the people. That is why tyrants burn books. After they burn books they get around to burning people.

The Book as been the icon of logos. Thus we have The Book of Life, the Book of Wisdom. Everything valuable can be found in The Book. Man is the only advanced primate that publishes. I think that differentiates more from the other primates than anything else. It not only makes us talkers and teachers, but it binds one generation to ones the follow. The Book is our Time Machine.

Bob Kolker

Post 9

Sunday, February 24, 2008 - 8:21am