ASIMOV, Isaac (1920-1992). A group of 3 typed letters signed with few hand corrections by Isaac Asimov to Forrest J. Ackerman relating to Swedish publication of the Foundation stories. 1954.

Each 1 page, 8vo. Provenance: Forrest J. Ackerman (1916-2008), American editor, magazine publisher, and science fiction author; acquired by the present owner directly from Ackerman.

Three letters in which Asimov, acting as his own agent, negotiates with Forrest J. Ackerman the publication of stories from his Foundation series in the Swedish magazine Hapna! In one, dated 27 September 1954, Asimov writes, “Now this is the situation, Forrie, I’m still having so much fun being my own agent, that I can’t bear to let anyone else horn in for awhile… I am perfectly willing to have you handle my Foundation stories for the one purpose of getting them into Hapna in Swedish translation at your usual fee. I ask only that you keep firmly in touch with whatever happens…”

The Swedish science fiction magazine Hapna! ran from March 1954 to April 1966, publishing 119 digest-sized issues during this time. Asimov’s Foundation stories began appearing within its pages in October 1955 and ran until 1957; by the end of the magazine’s run Asimov, along with Arthur C. Clarke and A.E. van Vogt, would be one of the highest-published authors whose works would appear in its pages.