Arthur Charles Clarke, 1917-2008, Rest In Peace
Arthur C. Clarke, the writer of so many science fiction and science books, has died . A visionary, Clark foresaw the geosynchronous orbit used by communication satellites - the orbits are still known as 'Clarke Orbits'.
Born in Minehead, western England, on Dec. 16, 1917, the son of a farmer, Arthur Charles Clark became addicted to science-fiction after buying his first copies of the pulp magazine "Amazing Stories" at Woolworth's. He devoured English writers H.G. Wells and Olaf Stapledon and began writing for his school magazine in his teens.
Clarke went to work as a clerk in Her Majesty's Exchequer and Audit Department in London, where he joined the British Interplanetary Society and wrote his first short stories and scientific articles on space travel.
It was not until after the World War II that Clarke received a bachelor of science degree in physics and mathematics from King's College in London.
In the wartime Royal Air Force, he was put in charge of a new radar blind-landing system.
But it was an RAF memo he wrote in 1945 about the future of communications that led him to fame. It was about the possibility of using satellites to revolutionize communications — an idea whose time had decidedly not come.
Clarke later sent it to a publication called Wireless World, which almost rejected it as too far-fetched.
Clarke's science education made him one of the premier "hard science" science fiction writers. Rest in peace.
By Maggie, Tuesday, 18 March , 2008 @ 7:27 pm
Was one of my favorites when I was a teen Sci-Fi freak.
Aside from the heroic astronauts that inspired my wanting to go into space, writers such as Clarke painted magnificent pictures of space and space travel inside my mind.
He is seeing it ALL for himself now …
Enjoy the show.
By Uncle Fester, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 8:13 am
The Nine Billion Names Of God - one of the best SF stories ever written. He was one of the greats.
By Sam, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 9:15 am
I grew up reading Sci Fi books back in the 60s and 70s. My father worked at a community college and he would take me to the college library and let me check out as many books as I wanted. Sometimes I would get a dozen books at a time and have them read in a couple of weeks. Arthur C. Clarke was one of my favorites.
By Chris, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 9:33 am
Of the ABC’s, only Bradbury remains.
By martian, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 11:47 am
As a lifelong Science Fiction reader, fan, and occasional writer Arthur C. Clarke was one of what I considered to be "The Big Three" in the genre: Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Clarke. Arthur C. Clarke is the last of them to go and will be sorely missed by all of his fans. He was a towering figure in Science Fiction - one of the truly great authors. Rest in Peace, Arthur. Your fame and work will survive you for many years.
By Maggie, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 12:50 pm
martian
Yep, they were pioneers.
Over the last several years I haven’t read much "new" sci-fi … Any names/writers comparable to those mentioned (Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke) to fill this new century with visions of the next century ?
By martian, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 12:54 pm
Try David Weber and his "Honor Harrington" series, Maggie, along with his other hard Sci Fi stuff. Also some of John Ringo is pretty good. I’ve found Elizabeth Moon very readable. That should get you started…………..
By Jess, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 2:13 pm
I was going to comment that it was odd that he was never knighted, but he was, apparently in 2000. I think I read Rendezvous with Rama about 6 times.RIP Sir Arthur.
By Maggie, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 3:16 pm
martian
Thanks!
By Maggie, Wednesday, 19 March , 2008 @ 3:52 pm
Here’s a real nice round-up on the man:
Arthur C. Clarke: An Appreciation of a Life Well-Lived
by Jeff VanderMeer on March 19, 2008
http://www.omnivoracious.com/2008/03/arthur-c-clar-1.html