The travel mentioned in my last post kept me away from the news. Thus, I was extremely saddened and surprised to see this afternoon that Arthur C. Clarke died. It was only three months ago that he celebrated his 90th birthday. As I said then, Clarke was instrumental in helping create my longstanding interest in science fiction.
But as you will see from the various news stories and obituaries, Sir Arthur was so much more than just a science fiction writer. Many of his ideas — whether expressed in fiction or nonfiction — impacted our world. I can’t really improve on some of the excellent pieces that are out in the mainstream press and on the internet that examine these aspects of Clarke and his life.
There is one small glimmer in the sad news, though. Clarke’s latest (and now last) novel will be published later this year.
Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.
Arthur C. Clarke
