Isaac Asimov
Tales of the Black Widowers
To Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
to David Ford
and to the Trap-Door Spiders for reasons detailed in the introduction
Special Note
The erudite copy reader points out that since the stories that follow were written for separate publication in a magazine originally, I identify the continuing characters each time, and do it repetitious-ly. He pointed out several of the more nauseating examples of this and, with reverence for his exalted position, I corrected the matter in accordance with his suggestions. There undoubtedly remain some dozens of repetitions that could bear revision, but I hate to introduce too many changes from the pristine originals. Would you forgive me, then, for permitting them to stay?
Introduction
Because I have a friendly and personal writing style, readers have a tendency to write to me in a friendly and personal way, asking all kinds of friendly and personal questions. And because I really am what my writing style, such as it is, portrays me to be, I answer those letters. And since I don't have a secretary or any form of assistant whatever, it takes a lot of the time I should be devoting to writing.
It is only natural, then, that I have taken to writing introductions to my books in an attempt to answer some of the anticipated questions in advance, thus forestalling some of the letters.
For instance, because I write in many fields, I frequently get questions such as these:
"Why do you, a lowly science fiction writer, think you can write a two-volume work on Shakespeare?"
"Why do you, a Shakespearean scholar, choose to write science fiction thrillers?"
"What gives you, a biochemist, the nerve to write books on history?"
"What makes you, a mere historian, think you know anything about science?"