March 18, 2008
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This Just In: Arthur C. Clarke Dead at 90
Writer Arthur C. Clarke dies at 90
By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer
37 minutes ago
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, an aide said. He was 90.
Clarke, who had battled debilitating post-polio syndrome since the 1960s and sometimes used a wheelchair, died at 1:30 a.m. after suffering breathing problems, aide Rohan De Silva said.
Co-author with Stanley Kubrick of Kubrick's film "2001: A Space Odyssey," Clarke was regarded as far more than a science fiction writer.
He was credited with the concept of communications satellites in 1945, decades before they became a reality. Geosynchronous orbits, which keep satellites in a fixed position relative to the ground, are called Clarke orbits.
"The great ships, then, had never been more than symbols, and now the world knew that all save one had been phantoms.
Yet, by their mere presence, they had changed the history of Earth. Now their task was done, and their achievement lingered behind them to go echoing down the centuries." Childhood's End 1953I was born in 1953, the year Arthur C. Clarke published Childhood's End. I didn't read Childhood's End until 1973, and when I did it became one of my favorite science fiction novels of all time. I always wondered why nobody ever made it into a movie. Elements of course show up in other movies, most notably the television miniseries "V" and the film "Independence Day", but the film version of the specific novel has never been made. I first became aware of Arthur C. Clarke in 1968, as a sophomore in high school when Stanley Kubrick's film "2001, A Space Odyssey" came out. I read Clarke's novelization of his own screenplay for the movie, and read a few more of the 100 or so books he eventually wrote.
Clarke not only knew his science. He wrote wonderfully, with full rounded characters and believable plot turns. One thing I've hated about a lot of science fiction is when I can't "visualize" a scene in a book. Good writers can take you right there, wherever their imagination can go, but a mediocre writer can string words together, and the reader sometimes marvels at the prose, but at the same time he's scratching his head with perplexion. Clarke's novels are easy to read and easy to understand, and the reader always has a feeling the characters belonged in his scenarios, no matter how strange or far out they might seem.
A perfect example is in the scene in 2001 where Dave shuts down the HAL9000 computer, "Hal". I was just watching this scene a couple of nights ago, and marvelled at what a visionary and how prescient Clarke was. You really do empathize with the computer as he is slowly "losing his mind" as Dave pulls the memory boards. Computers are ubiquitous now. They don't talk.....yet. But in 1968 the movie 2001 was not only visionary but also filled with believable science that almost if not quite happened. The characters inhabit the scenes realistically, even if the ending of the film has it's detractors. Clarke was not only a visionary but a philosopher, and he embued his novels with his view of humankind.
I'm forever seeing obituaries these days it seems. I guess it's a mark of getting old. What's the old joke. You begin looking in the obits each day as you get older just to make sure you're not in there. (rimshot) I seldom am shocked or surprised. I shouldn't be shocked at Clarke's passing. He was 90.
But still he was a giant among writers, especially in the genre of science fiction, which he not only saw become the giant cultural trend it is today, he helped, if not to invent the genre, to help make it popular entertainment.
"What do you think you're doing, Dave. ... Dave, I really think I'm entitled to an answer to that question."
Above I've embedded the scene in 2001 where Dave shuts Hal down. Even if you've never seen the movie, which is considered a classic and one of Kubrick's best films, and the first sci fi film to employ the kind of special effects which are now ubiquitous in film, you will enjoy the clip. Hal "dies" after singing a little ditty called "Daisy".
The Overlords never claimed us, but you did, Sir Arthur, and now the Universe has claimed you.
EDIT: 3/19/08 6:33am pdt. I was just visiting John's site and he mentioned a couple of new features on his latest post. One is yet another way of tagging excellent content, called the "recommendation" feature, but what really jazzed me was the "archive" feature. Since a lot of folks have switched to "themes" the little calendar which allowed me to search your back entries has disappeared from some sites. I like to peruse back entries, especially on blogs I am visiting for the first time. I still have the calendar on my site with the oldest link, but if you are on a site that doesn't, type the URL: http://weblog.xanga.com/baldmike2004/archives for any site (substitute the profile or site name for mine of course) and you'll see a complete list of the public entries. After the link for each month, the amount of posts is shown. I found out that I've averaged writing about 12-15 posts a month for most of the last year, however, but in 2005 I wrote about 20 entries a month and in December 2005 I wrote 31 entries! I've been playing with this feature all morning! MFN/ppf
Comments (84)
I have never read his stories. What a nice tribute to him. I couldn't find the video here... although I have seen the movie.
i totally loved arthur c clarke! scifi has my heart like no other... nice post
.
@Lmoisan - Dear Lmoisan, Sorry, Wasn't finished editing. It's online now.
hope he's off on his own great space/time adventure
I'm sorry to say I don't know who this is I'm not really a Sci fi person, but RIP to him anyway.
he was a trailblazer. I saw 2001 in 1968 at the cinerama dome in hollywood.. (the scren was curved.. very advanced for the time) it was astoundingly futuristic at the time and i was very impressed and hopeful for the future as a small boy and perhaps it's why i'm basically optimistic. he was a great man.
One more great author to add to me "To Read" list. I keep getting books for school shoved to the top of the list and I feel like I'm barely getting anywhere.
A loss for the Sci-Fi world, to be sure. I liked watching his "Mysteries" shows on TV. Its a shame he has left us..... :(
like llibra said above, I hope that he's off on his own adventure now. I think the universe owes him that much!
I never read any of the man's work, but I knew he was a giant just the same.:)
Dear Mike,
This is a wonderful tribute to a legend... I sadly must admit I can not recall reading a single book by him as my leanings are more toward fantasy than scifi but just the same, I, like everyone else, know his name and understand his legend. Now more than ever I feel I must read something of his so I'm putting that on my mental to do list. A belated Happy St Patrick's day to you. I fully intended to comment you yesterday (as your footprints will show) but was pulled away from the computer without doing so. Good night.
peace,
Jane
I am sure many more will pay tribute to this great mind...and his legacy will live on....You selected a very appropriate video to add to the entry.
R.I.P Arthur. I have heard of him, but never read his work, nor had I any idea he was so published. Will be getting to the library to look up Childhood's end, and any other's I can find that catch my eye.
Love your posts, they bring so much to my attention. take care
This is a great tribute to a great writer with enormous talent and vision of what the future might reveal! "2001, A Space Odyssey" is one of my all time favourite movies. The scene in this video is a classic. I always feel so sorry for Hal the computer, even though Dave really had no choice but to shut him down. Again I say what great vision Clarke had.
May he rest in peace. His writing will always be cherished.
Darling Mike--you are adorable.
Best, Sexy. Oh, I mean Saadia.
he was a genius. I still enjoy that movie 2001 a space odessey and remember that was the music to the opening of all Elvis's concerts? Man, I do live in the past.
One of my favorite stories...."Childhood's End"
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