Remembering Arthur C. Clarke

March 19, 2008 by Cynthia

The world has lost one of its greatest science fiction writers, Arthur C. Clarke. Mr. Clarke passed away at his home in Sri Lanka at the age of 90 and it is reported that he was working on a manuscript for a new book until just before his passing. He is probably best known for penning “2001: A Space Odyssey” but my personal favorite was “Childhood’s End.”

In honor of Mr. Clarke’s passing, one of our former guest writers, Steve Steinberg wrote about his personal experiences with the author and we’d like to share that with all of you.

It is sad that such a brilliant and personable man as Arthur C. Clarke should pass on, especially in such an egregiously difficult manner, and particularly in a time when his presence and continuing ability to contribute to raising the heart and elegance of civilized discourse is so deeply needed.

I once had the welcome opportunity to interview Mr. Clarke — along with UFO researcher/astronomer D. J. Allen Hynek — for a television series that I produce here in New York City (“Dazzle Unlimited” [tm] ). He was at once engaging, intellectually stimulating, and delightfully personable. It was a pleasure and a privilege to have been able to meet him and to discuss such intriguing matters with him in such depth.

To this day as well, I continue to enjoy, and gain value from, seeing his classic film “2001: A Space Odyssey”, which I also had the thrill of seeing at its original Premiere in London back in 1968 — which, by coincidence, or was it perhaps part of my “calling”, was just about 4 years before I became the in-house science researcher/specialist at CBS NEWS for the Network’s coverage of the APOLLO LUNAR PROJECT. Not that I quite expected that one of the Apollo Missions might stumble across a half-buried geometrically-perfect lunar Obelisk, but neither can I say that the essence of that speculative idea, as I so often pored over detailed lunar geological maps and monitored the astronauts’ explorations of the lunar surface, eluded my imagination.

And of the tomorrows yet to come, and the distances in time, space, and other as-yet unnamed dimensional and spiritual realms yet waiting for us to explore: these too are some of the thought-expansive “cornerstones” — if such forms might exist in such realms — that Arthur C. Clarke, particularly in his writings and films, so importantly contributed to the crucible of dreams from which our present and future continue to emerge.

“Childhood’s End” … “Rendezvous with Rama” … “The Nine Billion Names of God” … “2001″ … Each, a provocative, consciousness-raising, mind-portal to the existence of the kind of possibilities that could serve to advance — in a positive, uplifting direction — the spirit of human civilization.

And to have a good time doing it, at the same time.

Oh, and one more thing:
Don’t forget Europa.