A wonderful classic. Thanks for posting it, it was nice to read this again.
I've always loved the simplicity, and interestingly enough, the ambiguity towards the end of the story. I think it's so key to making the story as powerful and timeless as it is. Any more detail would be frivolous; it would detract from the story rather than add to it.
I may have used the wrong word. I didn't mean ambiguity in the interpretation so much as I meant in the execution of the ending. Asimov doesn't delve into wild explanations as to how entropy ends up being reversed, or how any of these complicated things come about; that's not the important part. I like how he does it, with simple statements: And it came to pass that AC learned how to reverse the direction of entropy.
I've been seeing a few #shortstory posts lately and thought I'd contribute one of my favorite's. I'm a sucker for alternative creation myths. Any story that can get my mind to transcend the normal human boundaries of space and time is on my list but they're often not short enough to post anywhere.
None as good as this. But for time-transcending stories I can't recommend The Time Machine and then The Time Ships (an authorized sequel) enough. As wonderful as The Time Machine is, The Time Ships is a beautiful continuation of the adventure.