Another classic! I really should read more of these, since it's probably good for my overall perspective.
Asimov is brilliant at challenging whole societies to solve complex external and internal problems with subtle solutions. However, since (at least in this book) there are sections that take place generations apart in time, the characters run together and all seem pretty much identical on a personal level. Okay, so it's the macro view and not the micro that matters. I can dig it.
I loved the beginning of this story. A young man recently graduated from college is invited to a world he's never before visited to be a part of a mysterious and progressive movement whose goal is preserving humanity's culture, essentially. He is immediately relatable: if you had never been in a new-fangled anti-gravity elevator before, you wouldn't know to hook your foot under the bar that keeps you from floating up to the ceiling either, right?
All those small details about future technology add to the charm of Asimov's writing. He can just mention that there is a personal message-capsule, and, helped by the characters' curt and casual dialog, you simply accept it, and just sink down into the alternate universe. Definitely classic.
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