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labors of love
Isaac Asimovs Fan Mail to YoungCarl Saganby Maria Popova
You are my idea of a good writer because you have anunmannered
style, and when I read what you write, I hearyou talking.
Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov first met in the
1960s. I visualized him as an elderly person (the
stereotype of the astronomer at his telescope,)
Asimov recounted in his autobiography, but
what I found him to be was a twenty-seven-year-
old, handsome young man; tall, dark, articulate,
and absolutely incredibly intelligent. The two
went on to be good friends for more than 25
years as Asimovs first impression was not only
confirmed but amplified.
From the altogether fantastic Yours, IsaacAsimov: A Lifetime in
Letters (public library),edited by Asimovs younger brother
Stanley,
come a few short and infinitely delightful letters Asimov wrote
to and about
Sagan over the course of their friendship, brimming with equal
parts good-
natured humor and overwhelming respect.
Theres so much to love in this note Asimov sent to another
friend on March 22,
1966:
Sagan has read half through my book on the universe andhas
caught one fundamental error so far. In my rendering ofEddingtons
theories on stellar structure, I talked of radiationpressure.
Apparently, I didnt have to. Fortunately, it justmeans correcting a
sentence here and there.
But thats what I need Sagan for. Anything he doesnt catchisnt
there to be caught. If only he were a little faster about it.I said
to him I realized he was awfully busy, too, but then Iadded with my
particular brand of ingenuousness, But then,what is your work
compared to mine?
And he said, You say it in such a way that I can take it as
ajoke. But you really mean it, dont you?
So I made the best of it. I said, Yes, I do.
A very smart fellow, that Sagan.
Jest aside, however, Asimov held profound admiration and respect
for Sagan
but never revealed it in the raw, uncushioned by that same
particular brand of
ingenuousness. On December 13, 1973, he sent Sagan a short note
of
appreciation, with the appropriate twist of affable
irreverence:
I have just finished The Cosmic Connection and loved everyword
of it. You are my idea of a good writer because you havean
unmannered style, and when I read what you write, I hearyou
talking.
One thing about the book made me nervous. It was entirelytoo
obvious that you are smarter than I am. I hate that.
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Asimov and Sagan at a banquet celebrating the 20th anniversary
of Mariner 2,December 14, 1982
On June 15, 1985, Asimov sent another admiring note:
I just heard your talk on nuclear winter on PublicBroadcasting.
I am so proud of you, I almost burst with it. Itwas absolutely the
sanest best speech I could imagine on thesubject. It delighted me
so much to find that I was on yourside in every sentence of your
talk.
But most heart-warming of all is this short limerick Asimov sent
on the occasion
of Carl Sagans marriage to Anne Druyan, one of the most epic
love stories of
modern history, in 1980:
Three loud cheers for Carl Sagan and AnnWho today have become
woman and man.Be your lives bright as dayAs the broad Milky WayAs
the Big Bang with which all began.
One final note on the affectionate faux-rivalry between the two
appears in a
letter Asimov sent to another friend on March 15, 1986:
Half a year ago, Carl Sagan published Contact and thatknocked
half the sales off Robots and Empire. (These days,who can afford to
buy two hard-covers?)
Yours, Isaac Asimov: A Lifetime in Letters is full of many more
such gems fromAsimovs singular mind and heart. Complement it with
Asimov on curiosity,
risk-taking and the value of space exploration in this
magnificent interview by
the Muppets and Carl Sagan on the meaning of life.
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