Arthur C. Clarke, R.I.P.

Hoagy · 19 March, 2008, 07:54:44 PM

The don of Science Fiction died today..God forgive yers.

Ignatzmonster · 20 March, 2008, 05:30:21 AM

A very good, well the best I've thus far read, article/eulogy of Clark. Nice to see someone not just mention the movie, even though it's a personal favorite.

On a side note can I just mention my pet peeve of obits of authors that only mention the movie adaptations? It's getting bigger as I get older. Approximately the size of a mastiff at present. You know when Wagner passes it'll just be Dredd the movie and History of Violence.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/books/20clar.html?_r=1&ref=arts&oref=slogin" target="_blank">link

Adrian Bamforth · 21 March, 2008, 12:26:04 PM

I enjoyed Arthur C Clarke's Mysterious World as a kid, though I doubt if there was anything on it today that had a any credibility or hasn't since been proven to be fraud, delusion or kids just chucking things around when people are looking the other way.

satchmo · 21 March, 2008, 12:34:14 PM

Are you saying this isn't a genuine photo of the Loch Ness Monster? :)

http://www.unmuseum.org/lochshiels.jpg">

Jim_Campbell · 21 March, 2008, 12:54:13 PM

"I enjoyed Arthur C Clarke's Mysterious World as a kid, though I doubt if there was anything on it today that had a any credibility or hasn't since been proven to be fraud, delusion or kids just chucking things around when people are looking the other way."

Or, more accurately, Arthur C Clarke's Not-So-Mysterious World. This week: Arthur C Clarke doesn't believe in ... Yetis. Next week, the Loch Ness Monster.

Still enjoyed watching it as a kid, though, and it's sad to learn of the passing of a true giant of science fiction.

Cheers!

Jim

satchmo · 21 March, 2008, 01:05:57 PM

The book that accompanied the series is great. At the end of every chapter it has an afterword by Arthur that basically says "bag of shite. Next!"
It includes his famous quote "I wouldn't cross the street to see another UFO"

M.I.K. · 21 March, 2008, 01:10:21 PM

Would that be the book in this clip?

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdTsDix5WAc" target="_blank">Cobblers!

satchmo · 21 March, 2008, 01:16:34 PM

Haw!!!! Brilliant! A spot on parody too.

Adrian Bamforth · 21 March, 2008, 02:45:50 PM

"The Unexplained" magazine was a bit like that - I seem to remember a chapter about the belief that the Earth was hollow (seemingly based on photographs of the planet in which the poles are cast in shadow that looks a bit like enormous holes). At the end it says: 'Is the Earth really hollow? See chapter 12. Then after 3 another weeks of buying the magazine, chapter 12 says 'no'.