h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi again, Frag!

I came by to check on its progress

It's coming along great!

I thought I should leave some notes, just the same.

In the prologue:

Whomsoever is quoted in the opening italics, is not identified. The same goes for other italics.

'Isaac Asimov was unarguably the most prolific author of his time.'
Do you really mean unarguably - as in, no one can argue the point; or, perhaps, arguably - as in 'one can make a case for ...'?

I wouldn't be surprised to find he has been proclaimed the most prolific, but I suppose it depends on your measuring stick (words, published words, number of stories, number of books, number of awards, etc.) Perhaps just 'unarguably one of the most' would do.

Particular mention might be made of his books on mathematics, and his seat on dictionary review boards.

In the Biography
'HE' should be 'He'
Asimov was called to serve in the US Army in November. HE was variously (He was variously ...)

'Asimov died in 1992 of heart and kidney failure, both complications of AIDS. He contracted the deadly disease from a blood transfusion given in 1998 ...'
One of the dates must be wrong; if he died in 1992, he wouldn't be given a transfusion 6 years later.

'Gertrude smokes,... '
While this may be true, it could be safer to say 'smoked'; she may quit smoking, or die, on you!

'Ironically, Asimov's failed to cover all ten categories in the librarian's Dewey Decimal System because he somehow missed philosopy.'
I think this is the committee's fault. I'll bet they didn't even consider "The Sensuous Dirty Old Man" book!

'Gilbert & Sullivan Society... '
You may want to try to find out which one, there are many. There's one at my son's college.

I was surprised not to find mention of his laws of futurics. Perhaps I just missed it.

A great read and memory provoker! It's coming along great!

All the quotes are from Asimov himself. That will be made clear when the final draft is in. Similarly, I'm not going to worry about typos until the entry is more or less correct.

I thought "unarguably" was pretty clear. Nobody can argue it. He far surpasses any other writer from his era, including those in other languages.

The two dates are reversed.

Asimov himself didn't specify the society. I can inquire at a local fan sight. I suspect it would be one based in New York. He disliked travel in his latter years while he was still involved in the society.

The laws of futurics should be their own entry, same as the laws of robotics. I don't think they belong in a biographical entry, and mentioning them would seem confusing unless I explained what they are. I believe I already mentioned the general gist of his theories, but if not, I certainly meant to and will get around to it.

Personally, Frag, I believe that you are absolutely right about IA's being the most prolific author, etc.

My only thought was that if he was prolific by virtue of writing books, stories, articles, and the like, there may be some person(s) who wrote as much or more that just never included books or stories, but only articlesm, or who was just never as popularly (or notoriously) printed.

You'll get no argument from me though. I believe he deserves the title.

Just an ol' bet hedger, me.