Azazel, The Collection
The introduction of this book describes how Dr. Asimov came to create Azazel, with an explanation about how the stories and book came to be published.
- "The Two-Centimeter Demon" - Written to introduce this collection, this story describes how the writer and George first met, and supplies information about Azazel. The tale is of George's goddaughter, in love with a mediocre basketball player. Azazel is asked to improve his game.
- "One Night of Song" - A man asks revenge on mistress who cruelly dumped him - by giving her one night performing with a perfect voice.
- "The Smile That Loses" - A woman asks George to capture her husband's radiantly happy smile in a photograph.
- "To the Victor" - A young man is unsuccessful with women, so Azazel boosts his pheromones.
- "The Dim Rumble" - A speleologist informs George that he has discovered a sound amplifier underground which, when disturbed, caused rumbles all over the world.
- "Saving Humanity" - A man wishes to be cured of being a jinx - but also wants, as compensation, to be able to save humanity.
- "A Matter of Principle" - An advertising man wants to write novels, but is unable to get past the first paragraph. George hopes to enrich himself with a share of the man's profit as a novelist.
- "The Evil Drink Does" - A beautiful but forceful girl wants to get close to a man but can't overcome her inhibitions, and is extremely sensitive to alcohol.
- "Writing Time" - An author is exasperated by the amount of time he must spend waiting everywhere he goes.
- "Dashing Through the Snow" - In order to stay at a friend's country retreat during the winter, George arranges for him to be able to fly over snow.
- "Logic Is Logic" - An idle rich man loves his snobbish club but makes no friends there, so Azazel gives him the ability to tell jokes.
- "He Travels the Fastest" - George's former lover marries a rich man, but he is miserly and will not take her abroad. Azazel gives him the urge to travel.
- "The Eye of the Beholder" - Two homely people fall in love and marry each other, but then the girl wishes she could be beautiful for him.
- "More Things in Heaven and Earth" - An economist wants to accept a new position, but each person in the post has survived a shorter time period.
- "The Mind's Construction" - A young detective believes any story a suspect tells him.
- "The Fights of Spring" - An old friend's son at college is actually studying instead of the usual youthful pursuits. George arranges for the 97-pound weakling to beat the college bully.
- "Galatea" - A young sculptress is in love with a male statue she has created.
- "Flight of Fancy" - A skeptic argues with believers about the Bible, but what he really wants is to fly like an angel.
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“The society would permit no books of fiction in its collection because the town fathers believed that fiction worketh abomination and maketh a lie.”
—For the State of Rhode Island, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)