"Asimov, Isaac - 2. Foundation and Empire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

In January 1977, Cathleen Jordan, then my editor at Doubleday, suggested I do
"an important book – a Foundation novel, perhaps." I said, "I'd rather do an
autobiography," and I did – 640,000 words of it.
In January 1981, Doubleday apparently lost its temper. At least, Hugh O'Neill,
then my editor there, said, "Betty Prashker wants to see you," and marched me
into her office. She was then one of the senior editors, and a sweet and gentle
person.
She wasted no time. "Isaac," she said, "you are going to write a novel for us
and you are going to sign a contract to that effect."
"Betty," I said, "I am already working on a big science book for Doubleday and I
have to revise the Biographical Encyclopedia for Doubleday and –"
"It can all wait," she said. "You are going to sign a contract to do a novel.
What's more, we're going to give you a $50,000 advance."
That was a stunner. I don't like large advances. They put me under too great an
obligation. My average advance is something like $3,000. Why not? It's all out
of royalties.
I said, "That's way too much money, Betty."
"No, it isn't," she said.
"Doubleday will lose its shirt," I said.
"You keep telling us that all the time. It won't."
I said, desperately, "All right. Have the contract read that I don't get any
money until I notify you in writing that I have begun the novel."
"Are you crazy?" she said. "You'll never start if that clause is in the
contract. You get $25,000 on signing the contract, and $25,000 on delivering a
completed manuscript."
"But suppose the novel is no good."
"Now you're being silly," she said, and she ended the conversation.
That night, Pat LoBrutto, the science-fiction editor at Doubleday called to
express his pleasure. "And remember," he said, "that when we say 'novel' we mean
'science-fiction novel,' not anything else. And when we say 'science-fiction
novel,' we mean 'Foundation novel' and not anything else."
On February 5, 1981, I signed the contract, and within the week, the Doubleday
accounting system cranked out the check for $25,000.
I moaned that I was not my own master anymore and Hugh O'Neill said, cheerfully,
"That's right, and from now on, we're going to call every other week and say,
'Where's the manuscript?’" (But they didn't. They left me strictly alone, and
never even asked for a progress report.)
Nearly four months passed while I took care of a vast number of things I had to
do, but about the end of May, I picked up my own copy of The Foundation Trilogy
and began reading.
I had to. For one thing, I hadn't read the Trilogy in thirty years and while I
remembered the general plot, I did not remember the details. Besides, before
beginning a new Foundation novel I had to immerse myself in the style and
atmosphere of the series.
I read it with mounting uneasiness. I kept waiting for something to happen, and
nothing ever did. All three volumes, all the nearly quarter of a million words,
consisted of thoughts and of conversations. No action. No physical suspense.
What was all the fuss about, then? Why did everyone want more of that stuff? –
To be sure, I couldn't help but notice that I was turning the pages eagerly, and
that I was upset when I finished the book, and that I wanted more, but I was the