All time great science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke, author of more than 100 books, has died today in Sri Lanka at the age of 90 after a cardio-respiratory attack. Born in 1917 in England, Arthur C Clarke had lived in Sri Lanka for more than half a century. He came to popular fame in 1968 when the short story The Sentinel was made into the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by director Stanley Kubrick. However he made his first mark on this world during World War II when he published a visionary paper detailing the conditions of placing a satellite in geostationary orbit. He was paid about 20 dollars for the theory that launched a multi billion dollar industry.
Clarke always wanted to be allowed to make three wishes. Peace in Sri Lanka, evidence of extra-terrestrial life and for the world to adopt cleaner forms of energy. Recently at his 90th birthday, confined to a wheelchair due to the effects of childhood polio, Clarke said “I have no regrets and no more personal ambitions”.
Other notable books included:
- Childhood’s End
- Rendezvous With Rama
- Songs of Distant Earth
- Against the Fall of Night
- The Fountains of Paradise
- City and Stars
- Expedition to Earth
- Islands in the Sky
- Nine Billion Names of God
- Earthlight
- Against Infinity
- A Fall of Moondust
He will be sorely missed!
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Rendezvous With Rama was a favorite of mine and I remember reading it also was in film development for quite some time. A lot of Clarke’s books dealt with humanity’s “next step” and how we were constantly evolving, which is characteristic of his optimism.
Rendezvous with Rama, yes, that was a great book! Here in The Netherlands the Dutch translation was published by the same company that also published one of my own early scifi books: Het pentagram in de toren. Although I’m in a totally different, infinetesimal league than Arthur Clarke, it sure pleases me that at least we shared a publisher! I’ll miss him - not only his books, but also his appearances on television. Be well! Jaap Verduijn.