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“Let’s Get Together” is a short story by Isaac Asimov published in 1957, involving Soviet robot infiltrating the United States. In the 1964 anthology book “The Rest of the Robots”, Asimov gives the following note regarding the story:

Another short story of the post-I, Robot decade was unusual in that it was the first since the very early days that involved neither Susan Calvin nor the Powell-Donovan team. It was 'Let's Get Together,' which appeared in the February 1957 issue of Infinity Science Fiction.

It was unusual in another way too. A couple of years after its appearance I received a reprint request, and (since I am easygoing to a fault) I said, 'Sure!' When I finally received the issue of the magazine with the reprinted story, it turned out to be one of those magazines that feature the undraped female form divine.

Heaven knows I have no objection to divine forms, but the event left me with an unanswered question. Not only does 'Let's Get Together' involve no sex, it has no female characters. Why did the magazine want it then?

Perhaps (I tell myself) because they thought it was a good story.

Maybe they did. At least, I hope so.

What is the pornographic magazine that reprinted “Let’s Get Together”?

And even if Isaac Asimov didn’t know in the 60’s why they wanted to reprint it, do we know now?

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  • 1
    Playboy, probably
    – Valorum
    Commented Jul 31, 2019 at 9:36
  • 2
    Hmm, ISFDB doesn't list any such publication but Playboy used to publish SF in the 50s and 60s so that seems the likely answer. Commented Jul 31, 2019 at 9:52
  • 2
    It doesn't appear to be Playboy (catalogues of those articles are easily found online) and asimovonline doesn't list any reprints of that nature.
    – user62584
    Commented Jul 31, 2019 at 10:02

1 Answer 1

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“Let’s Get Together” was reprinted in the August 1960 issue of Escapade magazine. Here is the table of contents: (source: Galactic Central)

Escapade [v5 #5, August 1960] (Bruce Publishing Co., 50¢, quarto)
Details supplied by John Pelan.

  • Let’s Get Together [Robots] · Isaac Asimov · ss Infinity Science Fiction Feb 1957
  • Flamingo Favorite with Jeanie Kruse · Paul Wagner · pi
  • The Fastest Women on Earth · Terry Galanoy · ar
  • Escapade visits the University of Michigan · Anon. · ar
  • The Dark Fountain · Paul W. Fairman · ss; illustrated by George Mocniak
  • Big Buildup for Bosomy Barbara with Barbara Valentin · Anon. · pi
  • The 1960 Olympic Games · Anon. · ar
  • An Ideal Situation · George L. Debord, Jr. · ss
  • Composition of a Beautiful Image with Geri Marmor · Bernard & Wagner · pi
  • The Inn of Happiness (Le Clos St. Antoine) · Anon. · ar
  • The Girl with the Extra Something · Anon. · pi
  • Solid Cuffos for the Country Bit · Arthur J. Sasso · ar
  • Treasure Ho · Max Williams · ss
  • Elsie · Herbert Huncke · ss
  • Ars Gratis Pecuniae · Marvin Kitman · ar
  • Follow This Curve with Carole Dean · Hayden · pi

A copy of the magazine was recently sold on eBay. Follow the link to see the cover and a few pages, including the title page of Asimov's story.

As to why Escapade wanted to reprinted the story: I think Asimov was wrong to assume that a men's magazine would only print erotic stories. I suppose they simply thought their readers would like it.

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