Why people recommend it
Isaac Asimov's science fiction masterpiece, The Foundation Trilogy, chronicles the epic fall and rise of a galactic empire through the lens of psychohistory. The enduring work has frequently captured the attention of podcast guests and hosts discussing their formative literary influences and historical anecdotes. On The Book Review, listener Shelley Brisbane recounted how her high school friends recorded the series onto cassette tapes and presented them to her in two shoeboxes full of set tapes. During an appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Ariel Ekblaw recalled that the trilogy was among her favorite science fiction reads growing up, reflecting on the genre's broader impact on her path into space colonization and megastructures. Furthermore, on Modern Wisdom, Patrick Moore mentioned the Asimov trilogy to explain the literal origin of why Greenpeace used the word foundation in its name, noting that the organization was styled after the small group of prescient visionaries depicted in Asimov's classic narrative rather than massive financial wealth. Through these varied recollections, guests demonstrated how the iconic series continues to inspire space scientists, environmentalists, and devoted readers alike.
Who recommended it
- Ariel Ekblaw Discussed
- Patrick Moore Discussed
Ariel Ekblaw — 1 mention
“What were your favorite sci-fi authors when you were growing up? Probably Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy.”
Patrick Moore — 1 mention
“foundation wasn't because we were wealthy like foundations are, it was because of the Asimov trilogy about the small group of people on the opposite side, what Star what Star Wars is fashioned after.”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 1
“They wanted me to read Isaac azimoff's Foundation Trilogy so they recorded it and presented it to me in two shoe boxes full of set tapes”