OT: A Moment of Silence for Arthur C. Clarke

[Scott Pearson]

We've lost one of the giants. Sir Arthur just a few months ago wrote a foreword for a book on Space Ship One my day job is publishing.

Of my ABCs of SF--Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke--we're down to just Ray.

Sad day.

 

[Rosalind]

indeed. one of my favourite SF writers. While 90 is by no way a bad age to go, it is stil very very sad to hear about this.

 

[JAG]

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Truly, a sad day for all sci-fi fans, whether one knew him and his works, or not.

RIP, Mr. Clarke.

 

[Turtletrekker]

 

[EliyahuQeoni]

Well, Crap!

RIP ACC

 

[Turbo]

 

[Christopher]

I knew this would probably happen before much longer, but I hoped he'd at least make it to 2010.

 

[Scott Pearson]

I knew this would probably happen before much longer, but I hoped he'd at least make it to 2010.

When his name came up for the foreword for the book, we didn't know if he was even still doing anything like this or if he was completely retired. He's been in declining health for a while. But my coworker, the editor of the book, was able to contact Clarke's people, and we fairly quickly heard back that he wanted to do it. Clarke wrote, as you can imagine, a very optimistic appraisal of private space flight, of citizen astronauts. My coworker and I were just giddy that we had gotten Clarke, and it's still a thrill to me to have had even a tangential relationship with it. Of course, it also has a layer of sadness now.

 

[trampledamage]

*sigh*

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Rest in peace, Sir Arthur. Thank you for your incredible imagination.

 

[Corran Horn]

...

 

[BrotherBenny]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF!!!!

Keep it real

 

[Mistral]

When various forums all publish RIP threads about the same person I answer one and one only-but this is different. I read Childhood's End in 1981-and it shook me so badly I have never picked it up since. I don't NEED to-of all the books I've read(thousands) that one stays with me to this day. The mark of a fine author, indeed. You will be missed, sir!

 

[JD]

It is a sad day for sci-fi. Even though I haven't read any of his works, I know that we have indeed lost a great writer. RIP Mr. Clarke.

 

[Lorraine Anderson]

I knew this would probably happen before much longer, but I hoped he'd at least make it to 2010.

A sad day, but what a nice thought. I wish that had come true.

 

[trampledamage]

The BBC have produced a list of some of Clarke's ideas and how they match up to reality.

The list is here

 

[Christopher]

Interesting article. Odd, though, that they attribute cryogenic suspension to The Songs of Distant Earth when, of course, Clarke had already used the idea in the much earlier, more famous 2001.

 

[Ronald Held]

We need more than a moment. RIP, Sir Arthur, you have earned it.

 

[Rabid Trekkie]

I read Childhood's End last year and it's probably one of the best things I've ever read. I've got a couple of his other books (Rendevouz with Rama and Songs of Distant Earth) and I plan on reading them soon. I'm really sad to see him go. Like someone else said, Bradbury is the last of the greats still standing.

RIP Mr. Clarke.