Odyssey 2008: Rest in Peace, Arthur C. Clarke
Posted: March 19, 2008 | Author: Doug | Filed under: Literature | 3 Comments »Al Billings from Arcanology posted this article (which in turn comes from Reuters) about the passing away of Arthur C. Clarke, the famous sci-fi writer.
A few years ago, I suddenly found myself getting into classic science fiction books I had never read before (Dune, Roger Zelazny, among others), and Arthur C. Clarke was another writer I enjoyed immensely. I read the book 2001 : A Space Odyssey a couple of years ago, and found it much better than the movie (since scenes could be described in words, not imagery). Clarke, unlike Herbert or Zelazny, liked to focus on so-called “hard science-fiction” where real science could backup the advanced technology used in his stories. This was apparent in another of his books, which I enjoyed, The Songs of Distant Earth. Although this book was not my favorite, I thought his view of the universe, and how we would colonize planets, one of the most compelling and realistic. That, and Clarke put in some not-so-subtle praises for Buddhist religion toward the end of the book as well.* 
In any case, Clarke was way ahead of his time, and his writings reflected a positive outlook for Mankind, not a dystopian one, and I’ve certainly enjoyed them. Rest in peace, Mr. Clarke!
* – Given that he lives in Sri Lanka, a Buddhist country, he probably has some interest in the religion as well.
Hello, this blog is about my life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Any useful information I can pass along will hopefully make the 
I read this yesterday, a sad day indeed. Clarke was probably my favorite sci-fi writer when I was a kid. 3001 has been on my “must read when I finish grad school” list for some. I guess since I finished school, it’s time!
rip, mr. c.
My grandfather met him a while back while he was living in Colombo.
Yes, he did have an interest in Buddhism, and some readers may have noticed that he has incorporated some aspects of it into his work.
“Q: Do you see any value at all in the various religions
A: Though I sometimes call myself a crypto-Buddhist, Buddhism is not a religion. Of those around at the moment, Islam is the only one that has any appeal to me. But, of course, Islam has been tainted by other influences. The Muslims are behaving like Christians, I’m afraid.”
Sri Lanka also has a sizable Muslim population.
Scott: Definitely check out 2001 while you can.
Eksith: That’s a fascinating quote you posted. Thanks for sharing!