"Nobody has done more in the way of enlightened prediction than Arthur C. Clarke," wrote Isaac Asimov, no slouch in that department himself. And indeed, this collection of Clarke's essays contains an astonishing amount of prophecy, in everything from space exploration to computer technology. Clarke, probably best known as the author of
2001: A Space Odyssey, is one of the most prolific science authors of the 20th century, even though his science fiction works got all the glory. His expertise in tracking scientific innovation and his predilection for far-flung adventure are well represented here. Reading these articles illuminates the enormous amount of research that good science fiction writers do in the course of learning their craft. The collection spans more than 60 years of Clarke's musings. Highlights include essays on undersea and lunar living, working with Stanley Kubrick on the movie version of
2001, and tributes to his favorite authors--Lord Dunsany, Robert Bloch, and Isaac Asimov, especially. Clarke gives each essay a context, and he good-naturedly points out his old errors and failed predictions. Clarke is a fascinating person, a man of great depth and passion, and fans of his science fiction will be pleasantly surprised that his straightforward, bemused style comes through in his nonfiction as well.
--Therese Littleton
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