Isaac Asimov was born between October 4, 1919 and January 2, 1920. Two different calendars were in use in the region where he was born, neither of which matches the calendar commonly used in Western societies, which is why even Asimov himself was unsure of his birthday. He chose to celebrate it on January 2.

Asimov was born in Petrovichi, U.S.S.R, son of Judah Asimov, then head of a food co-operative, and Anna Rachel Asimov. In 1923, the Asimovs moved to Brooklyn, New York, and in 1926, Judah Asimov opened his first candy store. Isaac avidly read the magazines for sale in the store, making sure that the magazines still looked new when he finished with them so that they could still be sold. Isaac Asimov became a naturalized United States citizen in 1928.

In 1935, he attended Seth Low Junior College. From 1936 to 1939, he attended Columbia University, earning a...