I pestered my father to take me to see "2001: A Space Odyssey." He thought I was too young and would not understand it. He was right. The film is a vision of a near future, in which humans make contact with technologically superior aliens. It is a recurring theme in Clarke's work. Along with the Apollo Moon landings, this vision inspired and enthralled me.

Arthur Charles Clarke was born in Minehead, England, on Dec. 16, 1917. The son of a farmer, he was educated at the local state grammar school then joined the British civil service. Volunteering for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II, he worked on radar development. After the war he gained a first class degree in math and physics at King's College, London, before going on to became a full-time writer.