In the saddest of all things I missed this last March. .
Last March Arthur C. Clarke died.
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Wow! That is something for me.
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Arthur C Clarke was the second author I remember reading as "an author".
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Ray Bradbury was the first writing a kid's Science Fiction book about a new ice age and people setting our from New York to London.
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Arthur C. Clarke was an adult author and his "City and the Stars" was ... well, I don't know how to describe what it meant to me. It was full of ideas, and philosophy and dreams and hopes and warnings.
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It was a book that taught me that entertainment and fun could be had in a book that forced you to think. I read it in 7th grade, so that was a big and new thing for me at that time. He was never a great "writer". I mean his thoughts are / were wondrous and challenging. His prose... not so much.
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But he not just a writer, but also a scientist. He came up with the idea of "geosynchronous orbit", which essentially means that a satellite can orbit the earth at the same speed as the Earth turns. Therefore the satellite would also be over one place .
.This is how nearly communication satellites really do work now.
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He also prophesized the idea of a space elevator, which will probably occur someday (if we don't blow ourselves us first).
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A great mind was lost and one that made me think. He will be missed.
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I was thinking of this because I just finished his book "Fristborn" with Steven Baxter and I think it is probably his last book. And I was sad. Sad and thankful for having the opportunity to discover him.
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Discovering writers is a true joy and wonder that I wish for all people sometime in their lifes. And, at Christmas, I get to thank my Mom for a lot of this. She (and my crazy ass dad) both encouraged my reading. And I am a more complete guy because of it.
Ho ho ho.