Arthur C. Clarke

Arthur Charles Clarke

Arthur C. Clarke was one of the world's best-selling authors of science fiction and was widely considered one of the masters of the genre. Clarke's fiction is credited with combining flawlessly accurate technical details with such philosophically expansive themes as "spiritual" rebirth and the search for man's place in the universe.  For many years he, along with Robert A. Heilein and Isaac Asimov (Know More About Asimov) , were Known as the Big Three of Science Fiction.

Arthur C. Clarke was born on 16^th  December 1917  in the seaside town of Minehead, Somerset, England. When Clarke was 14 his father died and the family's savings declined.  Clarke was forced to look for work, at last taking a position as an auditor, but continued to pursue his earlier scientific interests.  In 1945 he published the technical paper "Extra-terrestrial Relays" laying down the principles of the satellite communication with satellites in geostationary orbits - a speculation realized 25 years later. His first piece of fiction to see publication was Rescue Party, in Astounding Science, May 1946. He obtained first class honors in Physics and Mathematics at the King's College, London, in 1948.  He married Marilyn Mayfield, an american, on June 15, 1953. They split in December 1953. In 1947, he wrote his first novel, Prelude to Space.

Clarke first visited Colombo, Sri Lanka in December 1954. It was in 1954 that Clarke started to give up space for the sea. In 1956 Clarke moved permanently to Sri Lanka, a change of locale that would show its subtle influence in such works as The Fountains of Paradis and the Rama series.

In 1964, he began an entirely new project: collaborating with Stanley Kubrick on the development of 2001: A Space Odyssey. After 4 years, he shared an Oscar Academy Award nomination with him for the film version of 2001: A Space Odyssey. In 1985, he published a sequel to 2001, 2010: Odyssey Two. He worked with Peter Hyams in the movie version of 2010. Their work was done using a Kaypro computer and a modem, for Arthur was in Sri Lanka and Peter Hyams in Los Angeles. Their communications turned into the book The Odyssey File - The Making of 2010. Other novels in the series have included 2061: Odyssey Three (1988) and 3001: The Final Odyssey (1996).

In 1988 Clarke sufferred a return to mobility problems and he was diagnosed with post-polio syndrome. The condition eventually confined him to a wheelchair. He lived in Sri Lanka until his death in March 18^th 2008. He was kighted by Queen Elizabeth II and was awarded Sri Lanka’s highest civil honour, Sri Lankabhimanya.

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