AboutSue Kayton Expertise Engineer who has read thousands of science fiction books and short stories. Can recommend stories on specific subjects and comment on technical feasibility. Especially good at older out-of-print books and authors.
I am hoping that you can help me. When I was a kid in the 60's I read a short story about a society that had a sort of intellectual Olympics. Kids would be sorted into groups according to their abilities and they would be trained to compete in these olympics. The hero of the story did not however fit into any group. As it later turned out he had a talent for creativity that defied typing. He was singled out and was special because of his creative abilities.
Do you know the name of that short story by any chance?
Thanks for your help!
Bill
Answer One of my favorite short stories. This excellent short story is by Isaac Asimov, titled Profession. Read the e-text online at
But do yourself a favor and get one of the anthologies that contain the story so you can read some of his other great stories. I recommend the anthology "Nine Tomorrows", published by Doubleday in 1959. This anthology should be available in most public libraries and is still in print.
