The book was first published as a serial in Galaxy Magazine, October to December 1953. A Doubleday hardcover followed in 1954.
A television adaptation was made by the BBC and shown in 1964: only a few short excerpts still exist. In June 1989, the book was adapted by Bert Coules as a radio play for the BBC, with Ed Bishop as Elijah Baley and Sam Dastor as R. Daneel Olivaw.