Isaac Asimov (19201992) was an American science fiction writer and biochemist. Author of about five hundred books, mostly artistic and popular science. Multiple winner of Hugo and Nebula awards . Some terms from his works - robots, positronic, psychohistory - are firmly established in English and other languages. In the Anglo-American literary tradition, Asimov, along with Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein, is referred to as the "Big Three" of science fiction writers. The second volume includes selected works by the author. Among them are fascinating detective stories written with subtle and inimitable humor, and classic sci-fi stories with a plot based on a witty paradox. And each of them is in its own way the best, since they all belong to the pen of a true master and are deservedly included in the gold fund of world fiction.