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The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 4,834 ratings · 88 reviews

Andrew was one of Earth's first house robot domestic servants—smoothly designed and functional. But when Andrew started to develop special talents which exceeded the confines of his allotted positronic pathways, he abandoned his domestic duties in favour of more intellectual pursuits. As time passed, Andrew acquired knowledge, feelings and ambitions way beyond anything eve...more

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Published March 9th 2000 by Millennium (first published 1976)

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Mar 25, 2013 Karyshma Khan rated it 5 of 5 stars

"The Three Laws of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law." (Asimov 491).

Robots are made for the purpose of serving humans and following their orders. From the start, Andrew Martin was...more "The Three Laws of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law." (Asimov 491).

Robots are made for the purpose of serving humans and following their orders. From the start, Andrew Martin was never a normal robot. When first being brought to live with the Martin family, he began to carve one-of-a-kind creations out of wood. Not only is Andrew the most creative robot ever made, but when he was ordered to explain the reason behind his woodworks, he stated "'I enjoy doing them...I have heard...the word 'enjoy' [and it] fits the way I feel'" (Asimov 495). At this point, any other family would've sent Andrew to be reprogrammed, as robots were not designed to have preferences or feelings of any sort. However, Gerald Martin and the rest of the Martin family decided to let Andrew be, allowing Andrew's curiosity and feelings to be existent.
Over time, Andrew received a few more privileges than the average robot, such as earning his own money and being able to put it into his own bank account. Years pass, and Andrew, being able to spend his money however he wants, confronts Gerald Martin and asks to buy his freedom, for he is restricted to following human's orders and nothing more, Gerald's daughter takes the case to court, willing to defend Andrew's right to be treated as free, even though no other robot in history has taken a step this far before. In result, the judge decided "'There is no right to deny freedom to any object with a mind advanced enough to grasp and desire the state.'" (Asimov 500), making Andrew the first free robot.
Andrew proceeded to use his freedom and creativity to make advancements to his body using research in robotics, chemistry, and biology. Andrew Martin spent the next few generations persuading and convincing U.S. Robots to let him have his brain be transferred to an android body and to get installed a system allowing him to get energy from the combustion of hydrocarbon (which he designed himself), making it possible for him to have to similar bodily functions as humans as well.
After 150 years of existence, Andrew gained the ability to think freely, have feelings, speak with an expanded vocabulary, look like a human, wear clothes, breathe, eat, and excrete. Yet, after his desperate attempts to be seen as a man, he is coined the Sesquicentennial Robot. If Andrew has attained all these abilities, should he still be considered a robot? In the next fifty years, what decision will he make to prove a Bicentennial Man?
Issac Asimov's novelette described the story of Andrew Martin while carrying out the theme of a desire for humanity, which is Andrew's motivation throughout the whole story. More importantly, Asimov used this work to spark thought. Throughout Andrew's heartwarming tale, the reader is urged to think about what freedom really is, who deserves it, and what qualities one must have to be truly human.(less)

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Oct 28, 2010 Pvw rated it 1 of 5 stars

A typical one-idea novel.

Andrew the household robot discovers his creativity in crafting woodwork and making jewelry. From then on, he strives to become more and more human, both by upgrading his positronic brain and fighting legal battles to obtain human-like rights. The family that employed him at first keeps supporting Andrew in his desire (even though he survives all of them, because he himself becomes 200 years old).

This book reminded me very much of Max Ehrlich's The Big Eye because it was...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Luke Devenish rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's not every day that sci-fi can make you teary, but the title story in this anthology got me blubbing beautifully. It is exquisite. And yes, I've seen the movie, which I also liked, but this, the original, is so much more affecting for the emotional punch of robot Andrew's two hundred year journey and the sheer, sob-worthy beauty of its ending - which the filmed version foolishly eschewed. Crazy! It would have been far better for being truthful to Azimov's idea. This story was just so sublime...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Carlos Mendez rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. El personaje principal es un ser inteligente, capaz hasta de sentir pero todo esto gracias a la tecnología creada por el hombre. En este contexto se nos intenta cuestionar ¿qué es la humanidad?, o al menos así fue en mi caso. ¿Son los sentimientos y el intelecto, o la capacidad para aportar a la cultura humana lo que nos define como humanos? Lo cierto es que no, solo en parte; porque también nacemos, y sentimos y razonamos, por decir solo una parte de la complejidad del universo del ser humano a...more El personaje principal es un ser inteligente, capaz hasta de sentir pero todo esto gracias a la tecnología creada por el hombre. En este contexto se nos intenta cuestionar ¿qué es la humanidad?, o al menos así fue en mi caso. ¿Son los sentimientos y el intelecto, o la capacidad para aportar a la cultura humana lo que nos define como humanos? Lo cierto es que no, solo en parte; porque también nacemos, y sentimos y razonamos, por decir solo una parte de la complejidad del universo del ser humano además de las características que nos definen como cualquier ser vivo.
Un humano puede tener intelecto y aporta a la humanidad, pero no por eso es humano. En mi opinión, Andrew nunca dejó de ser robot, quizás fue un androide con partes orgánicas, qué se yo. Tal como se plantea en este libro, un humano no es menos humano por tener prótesis, pero a la vez -y que no se menciona en el libro- un robot no es más humano por tener partes celulares.
Andrew es un vivo ejemplo del personaje que no se encuentra a gusto en su cuerpo, algo así como las personas de sexo masculino que se sienten mujeres por dentro. Es por ende infeliz, y no descansa hasta convencer a la opinión pública de que sea visto y tratado cómo algo que no es. Intenta hacer todo lo posible para lograrlo, incluso parecerse a su .
Fue creado no para sí mismo, sino para servir a los demás.
El final puede verse como que él consiguió lo que quería porque logró convertirse en humano, y el triunfo está en que luchó por sus ideales, que no eran más que convertirse en algo que no era, en vez de aceptar quién era, y hacerse respetar y valer tal como era. En vez de eso, se transforma para ser aceptado y querido, no solo por el resto (aunque esto solo cambia, por la pena que produce en la gente al perder su inmortalidad) sino además quererse a si mismo. Y finalmente, el otro suceso importante el de haber vivido 200 años; pero la verdad es que solo vivió el final de sus años como "humano" y los primeros -y casi toda su existencia- con cuerpo de robot, así que no tendría más de medio siglo.

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Feb 29, 2012 Michael Tildsley rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was kind of "middle of the road" for Asimov. Sort of a hit-or-miss collection. There were stories that I liked a lot, stories that I liked a little, and stories that were bad (sorry, Isaac).

I feel like Asimov's true area of fiction talent is in novels and novellas, not short stories. While some are passable, my big gripe with his short stories as a group is that they tend to be bogged down in explaining the "hard science" of whatever the topic in question is to the point that the character...more

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Nov 19, 2007 fatemeh kashefi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

The Story is about LOVE, You can't believe how can Love & feelings change the lives even the life of a robot,
I read this book when I was at high school but sometime ago, I saw the movie of this story which Robbin Williams played the character of that robot(I forgot the name) & I was really impressed.
I recommend you to read the book & see the movie, You'll enjoy it for sure.

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Jul 09, 2009 Migdalia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

What made this so enjoyable was the author's commentary, which added great insight into his character and imagination. It also provided insight into the world of writing and publishing.

The stories themselves are - of course - well written and very entertaining. The other nice thing is that most were truly short (about 10-15 pp); so, if you're pressed for time, you can finish a story in between activities. On the other hand, if you have time to spare, the stories fly, and you feel like you got a...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Alba rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: libros

"Creo que sólo alguien que desea la libertad puede ser libre. Yo deseo la libertad"

A mi parecer esa frase lo dice todo. ¿Qué es un hombre sino un esclavo de su propia piel? ¿Un hombre es un hombre porque lo dice o porque sabe que es un hombre? Y si no quiere ser un hombre, ¿entonces qué?
Isaac Asimov ha logrado algo que mis maestros no pueden lograr: que me cuestione a mi misma. Y gracias a eso llegue a la conclusión de lo que es un hombre. Un hombre es sus propias decisiones. Decidir que comer,...more

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Oct 22, 2010 Erika Nelson rated it 3 of 5 stars

So this book is a collection of stories, which makes it hard to rate overall. Some stories were boring so I didn't really read them, while others, such as the title story, were amazing, thought-provoking and terribly entertaining. Asimov is truly a master of his craft. Between the stories in this book, Asimov tells little stories about how each piece came to be, how it was commissioned, his interactions with his editors, and stuff like that. This made it really fun, because I felt like he was of...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Caiti rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I want to love Asimov, but I still just can't get totally on board with sci-fi. I have yet to finish this book, clocking in at 7 out of 11 stories. Following are my synopses and thoughts for each of the 7:
1) The Prime of Life - A self-portrait of a poem with a smart, witty commentary.

2) Feminine Intuition - a fascinating little story about a "woman" robot and the power of an intuitive mind. Quite humorous.

3) Waterclap - The safety of Ocean-Deep is compromised. This short, though I'd say not one...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Sophia rated it 3 of 5 stars

It’s never easy to review short story collections because they can be so very mixed, and this was no exception. By far the best (and fortunately also the longest) was the title story. The Bicentennial Man is the story of a robot who, by some quirk of his mechanical brain, develops a personality. Over the course of the story, which spans 200 years, he learns to feel emotion and begins to question his role as a mankind’s slave and to desire something that’s unprecedented among robots – freedom. It...more It’s never easy to review short story collections because they can be so very mixed, and this was no exception. By far the best (and fortunately also the longest) was the title story. The Bicentennial Man is the story of a robot who, by some quirk of his mechanical brain, develops a personality. Over the course of the story, which spans 200 years, he learns to feel emotion and begins to question his role as a mankind’s slave and to desire something that’s unprecedented among robots – freedom. It’s a sci-fi take on the Pinocchio story, and is brilliantly done, making us really care about the robot and feeling outrage when his “human rights” are threatened.

The other story I really liked was The Winnowing, which was a morality tale. Do the needs of the many always outweigh those of the few? Can we commit murder to save the lives of others or should we stand back and let the dice fall as they may? When short fiction is done well it can make you think about some pretty big issues and this certainly got my mind whirring. The ending is really good too.

Looking at the collection overall, the stories I enjoyed the most were all the ones that had a human element, whether it be an emotional aspect, a moral problem or a human conflict. The weaker stories for me were those that were more scientific, like Marching In, which is about ways in which music might be used to treat depression, or Birth of a Notion, which involves a time traveller discussing future innovations with a sci-fi fan from the past.

These stories were written in the 1970s, and it’s interesting to see what predictions Asimov made then for the future. He certainly never saw the internet coming, as he has people in the future still visiting reference libraries, though he does include a tale – The Life and Times of Multivac – which has a computer ruling the world (a bit like the Matrix). His attitudes to women sometimes date the stories to the 1970s. In Feminine Intuition, Asimov writes about men who decide to create a feminine robot, reasoning that as people think women are less intelligent than men, they will feel less intimidated by a feminine-styled machine. In it, Asimov has a female character solve a problem that the men were unable to work out, as if the reader should be impressed by how progressive and non-sexist he is being. We have to make allowances for the times I suppose, but he’d never get it published these days!(less)

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Aug 27, 2010 Rowan MacBean rated it 5 of 5 stars

Prior to reading this book, I'd only ever read one Asimov work. It was the short story version of Nightfall and I very much enjoyed it, but I still didn't consider myself an Asimov fan because I knew him as "the robot/space-opera guy" and I've never particularly enjoyed robots or space-opera sci-fi.

As it turns out, it seems I only don't particularly enjoy robots and space-opera sci-fi when it's not written by Asimov. This book contains twelve pieces (eleven short stories and a poem) and there wa...more

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Apr 21, 2010 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, short-stories, fiction

Arthur C. Clarke said that science fiction done well at the least can give the pleasure of a "good puzzle" and entertain. Asimov is always science fiction done well, and this collection is no exception. I don't think Asimov has a strong prose style, and his characters are rarely memorable. But in the best stories by him I've read, such as "The Dead Past" or "Nightfall" he can stun me by making me see the world in a whole new way.

I don't think any of the stories here are of that order--with the...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Fiver rated it 4 of 5 stars

Half-rate Hollywood reproductions aside, this short story is one of the staples of great science fiction... that simply had to be written, sooner or later.

The Bicentennial Man is a very simple, almost droll story: in the near future, a robot finds itself instilled with the urge to become human, and lives through 200 years of slight modifications to himself while following this goal.

I've always said that good science fiction uses the unusual situations to comment on the human condition, and I cou...more

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Dec 11, 2007 James rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Asimov Fans

Shelves: science-fiction, us-author

I read this collection because there were stories in it that were not included with “The Complete Robot” I will only be touching on the stories not included in “I, Robot” or “The Complete Robot”

The Prime of Life
Is a Poem about how everyone thinks he is old, yet he feels young. It is just pretty neat to read as it gives you some insight into the man himself and, is in its own way quite humorous.

Waterclap
A neat story about the conflicts between people who live in Inner and Outer Space, this shows...more

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May 20, 2009 Valerie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

I can't remember the other stories, but I can't forget "The Bicentennial Man". An amazing story that I'd put in my top 10 of all time. This is what I love about science fiction--it's not ray guns and monsters, it's how will we change and stay the same, and how can we change our current perceptions?

The movie (which I refuse to see) can not hope to capture the subtle heartbreak of the story. Read this!

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Oct 21, 2010 Kenneth Rathburn rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's rather clear that this book by Isaac Asimov will strike some as fascinating and others as unrealistically off-putting. But part of what makes this book captivating for readers such as myself is simply the journey a future household robot makes to gain acceptance as a human and truly feel. While it's not masterpiece quality (partly due to its lack of plausibility), this doesn't interfere with the ultimate point and, generally, the delivery of what Asimov is trying to make. Andrew becomes a c...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Mafe rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book, although the first pages weren't exciting, as I got ino the novel I felt like I really enjoyed it and began to understand it more and more. After reading the book (which I read in spansh class) we saw the movie (in english) and it was a lot deeper than the book, however both tried to convey the same emotion giving it different perspectives.

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Jun 07, 2011 Jycel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

Sencillo, y tan complicado. Sí, todo a la vez. El tema que trata es uno de los temas que más me apasionan de la ciencia ficción: los robots/androides que desean y quieren ser humanos, y el contraste con la poca humanidad que algunas veces tienen los seres humanos.

Es curioso cómo en la película estiraron el chicle, en mi opinión no les quedó del todo mal.

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Oct 15, 2012 Steve rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who enjoys science fiction.

Shelves: favorites

In the Bicentennial Man, Isaac Asimov returns to his first and most enduring love - robotics. The result is a brilliant book of first-class entertainment and mind-spinning ideas which confirm Asimov's supreme status as Grand Master of science fiction...

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Aug 25, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

I must say that I have seen every movie made based on an Asimov story, and none of them come even remotely close to the original, either in effect, plot, or interest. Stay away from Nightfall, and I, Robot. But see Bicentennial Man. It's OK at least.

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Aug 20, 2012 Timothy Morrow rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very good, loved the movie and now just suddenly I have read the Short story known as the Bicentennial Man. Mind probing! I truly see how this book reflects the Prejudices of man and their lack of heart, where a cold robot might even might be more kind.

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Mar 23, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just finished reading the novella The Bicentennial Man. After spending several weeks absorbing research about Asimov and robot stories, this one stands out among the rest. It is very poignant. It is definitely one of his best robot stories.

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Feb 14, 2011 Cecily Robertson rated it 2 of 5 stars

As someone who is not really a fan of science fiction (save Adams), I didn't really enjoy the stories in this book. In fact, I only read a few before skipping to the one I really wanted to read--Bicentennial Man. The introductions written by Asimov before each story were in themselves highly amusing! If he had written his actual work in the same voice I would have liked them a lot better. Bicentennial Man was the best story I read, but even so, I didn't feel like it was as good as the movie. Sad...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Kaushik rated it 4 of 5 stars

An amazing story by Isaac Asimov. No other author of the sci-fi genre has ever asked such pertinent questions or has woven such amazing stories around those questions. Definitely a must read if you are into a bit of philosophy...

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Feb 04, 2009 Patrick added it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, sci-fi

The original "Bicentennial Man" is vastly different from (and superior to) the movie starring Robin Williams. Also contains other short stories written in the 70's by Asimov. Not his most prolific time, but still worth reading.

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Jan 06, 2011 Jonathan Lucero rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Libro muy emocional, rico y con una logica que hace que realmente te transportes en los acontecimientos descritos en el libro, es muy cortito y relajado de leer, buen libro si apenas estas conociendo al grandioso Issac Asimov

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Dec 06, 2009 Amanda Harford rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: never-want-to-read

i liked bicentennial man but most of Asimov's stories i can't stand. we were forced to read them in school and they just seemed to never make sense or were boring as all-get-out. he's one of my least favorite authors.

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Feb 08, 2013 Andrea Camacho rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nice short story of a robot that wanted yo be a human, not only making his body looks like human but being recognized by law as a human being.
I would recommend it.

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Apr 08, 2009 Doris rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is awesome, and for me the defining moment of what makes a man a man. The robot is a machine, then a servant, then family and finally judged to be human.

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About Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was a Russian-born, American author, a professor of biochemistry, and a highly successful writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books.

Professor Asimov is generally considered the most prolific writer of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. He has works published in nine of the te...more Isaac Asimov was a Russian-born, American author, a professor of biochemistry, and a highly successful writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books.

Professor Asimov is generally considered the most prolific writer of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. He has works published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System (lacking only an entry in the 100s category of Philosophy).

Asimov is widely considered a master of the science-fiction genre and, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, was considered one of the "Big Three" science-fiction writers during his lifetime. Asimov's most famous work is the Foundation Series; his other major series are the Galactic Empire series and the Robot series, both of which he later tied into the same fictional universe as the Foundation Series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those pioneered by Robert A. Heinlein and previously produced by Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson. He penned numerous short stories, among them "Nightfall", which in 1964 was voted by the Science Fiction Writers of America the best short science fiction story of all time, a title many still honor. He also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as a great amount of nonfiction. Asimov wrote the Lucky Starr series of juvenile science-fiction novels using the pen name Paul French.

Most of Asimov's popularized science books explain scientific concepts in a historical way, going as far back as possible to a time when the science in question was at its simplest stage. He often provides nationalities, birth dates, and death dates for the scientists he mentions, as well as etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Examples include his Guide to Science, the three volume set Understanding Physics, and Asimov's Chronology of Science and Discovery.

Asimov was a long-time member and Vice President of Mensa International, albeit reluctantly; he described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs" He took more joy in being president of the American Humanist Association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, a Brooklyn, NY elementary school, and two different Isaac Asimov Awards are named in his honor.

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