http://lucis.net/stuff/clarke/9billion_clarke.html
Arthur C. Clarke has passed away at the age of 90.
Here is a famous short story of his called:
"The 9 Billion Names of God"
Tribute to Arthur C. Clarke
Moderators: MichelleH, Minimalist, JPeters
So few Golden Age sci-fi writers are now left. But i still think that it won't be long before their collected works are given the literary attention they have always deserved. Centuries from now Sci-Fi will be the literary tradition that defines Western culture in the 20th.
i can never remember the name of my favorite Clarke story. It's the one where the 'aliens' are coming back to Earth and sending a radio message about their return and about Earth's history before them. Most humans had left the planet ages before when i terrible disease disfigured much of the population. Today's earthlings were descendants of those who remained behind. At the end of the message the returning branch of humanity says........
...and if any of you are still white, we can cure you.
Very powerful story. Several of my teacher friends have read it to their classes after i introduced it to them. Clarke wrote many short stories that ended in powerful punchlines like the one above. It's one of the reasons i liked his writing so much.
i can never remember the name of my favorite Clarke story. It's the one where the 'aliens' are coming back to Earth and sending a radio message about their return and about Earth's history before them. Most humans had left the planet ages before when i terrible disease disfigured much of the population. Today's earthlings were descendants of those who remained behind. At the end of the message the returning branch of humanity says........
...and if any of you are still white, we can cure you.
Very powerful story. Several of my teacher friends have read it to their classes after i introduced it to them. Clarke wrote many short stories that ended in powerful punchlines like the one above. It's one of the reasons i liked his writing so much.
i think you meant that for me rather than Beagle, but thanks! To me the name of the story just isn't as important as its message. i figure that is why i can never remember it. That and my brain is often full so sometimes things leak out.....especially during tax season.Digit wrote:It's called Reunion Beag.
Sorry Dan, been reading too many posts tonight.
Arthur, of course had many very wide ranging topics that he wrote about. After his divorce he never re-married and rumours circulated that he was Gay, which he strenously denied.
He was accused of impropriety with his servants in Sri Lanka and put off the visit by Prince Charles so that the Prince might not be embarrased.
In typical Clarke fashion he kiled the rumours by pointing out that he had had prostate cancer and had been impotent for ten years!
He had a long running, albeit, frendly dispute with Isaac Azimov and came up with his three laws as a contrast to Azimov's Three Laws of Robotics.
My favourite story about the two of them is based on Clarke's presumed dislike of women and Azimov's fear of flying.
Clarke attended a symphosium in London and flew from Sri Lanka, Asimov crossed the Atlantic by ship and Clarke taunted him by asking when was he going to fly, Azimov replied that he would fly to Clarke's wedding!
I hope it's true!
Arthur, of course had many very wide ranging topics that he wrote about. After his divorce he never re-married and rumours circulated that he was Gay, which he strenously denied.
He was accused of impropriety with his servants in Sri Lanka and put off the visit by Prince Charles so that the Prince might not be embarrased.
In typical Clarke fashion he kiled the rumours by pointing out that he had had prostate cancer and had been impotent for ten years!
He had a long running, albeit, frendly dispute with Isaac Azimov and came up with his three laws as a contrast to Azimov's Three Laws of Robotics.
My favourite story about the two of them is based on Clarke's presumed dislike of women and Azimov's fear of flying.
Clarke attended a symphosium in London and flew from Sri Lanka, Asimov crossed the Atlantic by ship and Clarke taunted him by asking when was he going to fly, Azimov replied that he would fly to Clarke's wedding!
I hope it's true!
http://www.space.com/php/video/player.p ... 319-Clarke
AC Clarke on the International Space University.
AC Clarke on the International Space University.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLXQ7rNgWwg
Sir Arthurs last words to the world on his 90th birthday in Sri Lanka
in Dec. 2007.
Sir Arthurs last words to the world on his 90th birthday in Sri Lanka
in Dec. 2007.