Farewell Arthur C. Clarke

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

well, 2001 didn't turn out as he predicted, and he won't live to see 2010.

He provided us with a great deal of science fiction and had a huge impact on both other writers and science. The popularizer of the Space Elevator and geosynchronus communications satellites, died yesterday at age 90.

From Steve Jackson:

The CNN obituary ( http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/03/18/obit.clarke/index.html )  does a pretty good job of summing up his contributions. As of this writing, he's been the front-page story there for well over an hour (no less than he deserves) and his name has been spelled "Clark" in the first paragraph for that entire time (about par for CNN reporting). One trusts that history will get Sir Arthur's name right.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

I read tons of his books in junior high, and his novel Imperial Earth gave me an obsession with Saturn's moon Titan that continues to this day (though it has become less intense over time). He's almost the last of the old guard remaining—Ray Bradbury is still with us and 3 years younger than Clarke. (Who else born in the 20s or before is still around?)

[The Jade Knight]

He said that of all he had done with his life, he wanted most to be remembered as a writer.

[pengwenn]

I know I've read some of his stuff but for the life of me I can't remember any of them right now.  I also looked around and found that I didn't own of his books.  I rectified that last week and made a trip to the bookstore.  (Life I need an excuse to go to a bookstore.)