ISFDB banner

Title: What Is This Thing Called Love?

You are not logged in. If you create a free account and sign in, you will be able to customize what is displayed.

Title: What Is This Thing Called Love? Title Record # 40795
Author: Isaac Asimov
Date: 1961-03-00
Type: SHORTFICTION
Length: short story
Webpages: Wikipedia-EN
Language: English
Synopsis: An alien surreptitiously observing Earth becomes concerned about the evolutionary potential of sexual reproduction, but its superior officer is skeptical about such a thing existing.
User Rating: 6.67 (3 votes) Including variants and translations: 6.50 (4 votes) Your vote: Not cast VOTE
Current Tags: Merril07 (1), humor (1), captured by aliens (1), reproduction (1), romance (1), contemporary (1), alien point of view (1), evolution (1), science fiction (1), sexual dimorphism (1), human experiment (1) Add Tags

Other Titles

Variant Titles Translations
Year Title
1961 Playboy and the Slime God
Year Language Title
1964Translated by Roberta Rambelli
Italian Playboy e il dio bavoso
1967 Italian I Terrestri fanno così
1970Translated by Simone Hilling
French L'amour, vous connaissez ?
1971Translated by Gisela Stege
German Was man so Liebe nennt
1971Translated by Hilia Brinis
Italian Playboy e il Dio limaccioso
1973Translated by Eva Sander.
German Was ist es, das man Liebe nennt?
1975 Hungarian Mit neveznek szerelemnek?
1976Translated by J. A. Harloff
Dutch Liefde, wat is dat?
1978Translated by Hilia Brinis
Italian Playboy e il Dio limaccioso ovvero: Cos'è questa cosa che chiamano amore?
1982Translated by Christoph Göhler
German Liebe — was ist das?
1990 Serbian Ljubav, šta je to? [as by Isak Asimov]
1991Translated by an unknown hand
Romanian
Ce-i povestea asta numită dragoste?Ce-i povestea asta numita dragoste
1998Translated by Владимир Баканов (Vladimir Bakanov)
Russian
Что это за штука - любовь??Chto eto za shtuka - lyubov'?
[as by
Айзек Азимов?Ayzek Azimov
Aizek Azimov
Isaac Asimov
]
2009Translated by Carlos Gardini.
Spanish ¿Qué es esa cosa llamada amor?

Publications

Not displaying variants or translations • Display all variants and translationsDo not display translations

Title Date Author/Editor Publisher/Pub. Series ISBN/Catalog ID Price Pages Format Type Cover Artist Verif
Science Fiction Oddities 1966-11-00 ed. Groff Conklin Berkley Medallion S1311
$0.75?$: US dollar
256
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Don Punchatz Checkmark
Nightfall and Other Stories 1969-00-00 Isaac Asimov Doubleday (Doubleday Science Fiction)  
$5.95?$: US dollar
343
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Amelia S. Edwards  
Science Fiction Oddities 1969-06-00 ed. Groff Conklin Rapp & Whiting 0-85391-082-0
21/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
x+
156
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth Checkmark
Nightfall and Other Stories 1969-12-00 Isaac Asimov Doubleday / SFBC (Doubleday Science Fiction) 2099
$1.69?$: US dollar
343
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Amelia S. Edwards Checkmark
Nightfall and Other Stories 1970-06-25 Isaac Asimov Rapp & Whiting 0-85391-157-6
35/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
344
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll  
Nightfall and Other Stories 1970-11-00 Isaac Asimov Fawcett Crest M1486
$0.95?$: US dollar
350
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Checkmark
Nightfall Two 1971-10-00 Isaac Asimov Panther 0-586-03537-0
£0.30?£: UK pound
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
Nightfall Two 1972-00-00 Isaac Asimov Panther 0-586-03657-1
£0.30?£: UK pound
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
Nightfall Two 1973-00-00 Isaac Asimov Panther 0-586-03657-1
£0.30?£: UK pound
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
Nightfall Two 1976-00-00 Isaac Asimov Panther 0-586-03657-1
£0.50?£: UK pound
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
Nightfall and Other Stories 1977-07-00 Isaac Asimov Fawcett Crest 0-449-23188-7
$1.75?$: US dollar
350
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Checkmark
Nightfall Two 1978-00-00 Isaac Asimov Panther / Granada 0-586-03657-1   192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
Sex in the 21st Century 1979-09-00 ed. Michel Parry, Milton Subotsky Panther / Granada 0-586-04705-0
£0.95?£: UK pound
172
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Checkmark
Nightfall Two 1981-00-00 Isaac Asimov Panther / Granada 0-586-03657-1
£1.25?£: UK pound
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
Flying Saucers 1982-05-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin Harry Greenberg, Charles G. Waugh Fawcett Crest 0-449-24503-9
$2.95?$: US dollar
349
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Richard Courtney Checkmark
Flying Saucers 1983-03-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin Harry Greenberg, Charles G. Waugh Fawcett Crest / Ballantine     349
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth  
Nightfall and Other Stories 1984-12-00 Isaac Asimov Del Rey / Ballantine 0-345-31091-8
$3.50?$: US dollar
350
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Rick Sternbach Checkmark
Nightfall Two 1985-00-00 Isaac Asimov Panther / Granada 0-586-03657-1
£1.95?£: UK pound
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
Amazing Stories: 60 Years of the Best Science Fiction 1985-07-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg TSR 0-88038-216-3
$7.95?$: US dollar
255+
[16]
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
anth Jeff Easley Checkmark
Flying Saucers 1987-08-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin Harry Greenberg, Charles G. Waugh Fawcett Crest / Ballantine 0-449-21400-1
$3.95?$: US dollar
349
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Checkmark
The Complete Stories, Volume 1 1990-11-00 Isaac Asimov Doubleday Foundation 0-385-41606-7
$22.95?$: US dollar
viii+
614
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Barclay Shaw  
The Complete Stories, Volume 1 1990-11-00 Isaac Asimov Doubleday Foundation 0-385-41627-X
$12.95?$: US dollar
viii+
615
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Barclay Shaw Checkmark
The Complete Stories, Volume 1 1991-03-00 Isaac Asimov Doubleday Foundation / SFBC 17907
$10.98?$: US dollar
viii+
614
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Barclay Shaw Checkmark
Nightfall and Other Stories 1991-07-00 Isaac Asimov Grafton 0-586-21255-8
£4.99?£: UK pound
445
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Chris Foss  
The Great SF Stories #23 (1961) 1991-07-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg DAW Books (DAW Collectors #856) 0-88677-478-0
$5.50?$: US dollar
367
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Angus McKie Checkmark
The Great SF Stories #23 (1961) 1991-07-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg DAW Books 0-88677-478-0 / UE2478
C$5.99?C$: Canadian dollar
367
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Angus McKie Checkmark
The Complete Stories, Volume 1 1993-03-00 Isaac Asimov HarperCollins (UK) 0-00-224139-0
£15.99?£: UK pound
614
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Chris Moore  
The Complete Stories: Volume Two 1995-01-00 Isaac Asimov HarperCollins (UK) 0-00-648016-0
£5.99?£: UK pound
464
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Chris Moore  
UFOs: The Greatest Stories 1996-06-00 ed. Martin H. Greenberg MJF Books 1-56731-086-9
$8.98?$: US dollar
310
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth Checkmark
The Complete Stories: Volume Two 1997-00-00 Isaac Asimov Voyager 0-00-648016-0
£6.99?£: UK pound
464
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Chris Moore Checkmark
Nightfall Two date unknown Isaac Asimov Panther 0-586-03537-0
£0.50?£: UK pound
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Ken Sequin Checkmark
The Complete Stories, Volume 1 date unknown Isaac Asimov Doubleday Foundation 0-385-41627-X
$17.95?$: US dollar
viii+
614
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll  
Nightfall and Other Stories date unknown Isaac Asimov Fawcett Crest M1486
$0.95?$: US dollar
350
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll  
Nightfall and Other Stories date unknown Isaac Asimov Fawcett Crest P1969
$1.25?$: US dollar
350
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Checkmark
Nightfall and Other Stories date unknown Isaac Asimov Fawcett Crest 0-449-23672-2
$1.95?$: US dollar
350
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Checkmark
The Complete Stories, Volume 1 date unknown Isaac Asimov Broadway Books 0-385-41627-X
$22.00?$: US dollar
viii+
614
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll  
View all covers for What Is This Thing Called Love? (logged in users can change User Preferences to always display covers on this page)
Copyright © 1995-2022 Al von Ruff and the ISFDB team
ISFDB Engine - Version 4.00 (2006-04-24)