Last week I finished reading my mega-book of Arthur C. Clarke short stories, which I wrote about recently. It took me over 3 months to finish the 1,000 pages, so it feels like a monumental achievement! The stories appeared chronologically: the first was published in 1937 and the last in 1999. I thought the writing was much better, and more powerful, in the second half of the book. However, I think I liked the ideas in the first half better. They seemed more creative. Regardless, there were many great stories throughout.
Here are some of the interesting things I learned in the second half:
Venture to the Moon was one of my favorite stories. It was published in 1956. Clarke said the London Evening Standard proposed a commission for him to write six independent but related stories about what mankind's first trip to the moon would look like. He turned it down, saying it was impossible to write 1,500-word stories for the general reader about a totally alien landscape. But the more he thought about it, the more he thought it would be an interesting challenge, so he accepted. The stories were great, and made me wish that humans could have had a months-long stay on the moon like he described. The series was so successful that he was asked to write a sequel.
The Man Who Ploughed the Sea (1957) is about a scientist who creates a device that attaches to a ship and extracts uranium from sea water. Decades later, Clarke read in a scientific journal about a ship-borne device that did the same thing. He sent a copy of his story to the inventors and apologized for invalidating their patent!
Songs of Distant Earth (1958) was just a beautiful story that he later turned into a novel. Interestingly, he said it was his favorite of his novels.
I Remember Babylon (1960) is a mostly true story about Clarke's predictions of commercial satellites. At one point he says that long ago he learned not to argue with the Flat-Earthers. This was a revelation to me! There have been stories in the media the past few months/years about people who still believe the Earth is flat. Apparently it's nothing new; it seems people have believed it for at least 60 years.
Trouble With Time (1960) is about an ancient sculpture of a human head found on Mars. Clarke says it's a little eerie, considering the infamous "Face on Mars" that was discovered a few decades later.
The Dog Star (1962) is about the bond between an astronomer and his dog. Clarke said he could no longer bear to read it after his own dog passed away.
The Shining Ones (1962) is about problems at a Russian underwater power plant. He said that in 1962 it was quite daring to suggest Russians were decent people!
Summertime on Icarus (1964) is about a scientific expedition to an asteroid closer to the sun than Mercury. Several decades later, Clarke had an asteroid named after him by the International Astronomical Union. It was asteroid 4923. According to Wikipedia, Clarke later jokingly said he was disappointed he didn't get asteroid 2001, which was named after Einstein.
The Cruel Sky (1967) features a scientist confined to a wheelchair. Clarke wonders if it was a premonition; he was confined to a wheelchair late in his life due to Post-Polio Syndrome.
Quarantine (1977) is a very, very short story. An editor he knew came up with the idea of sci-fi authors writing a story short enough to fit on a postcard, along with a stamp-sized picture of the author. He was convinced they would be a huge hit. Clarke said it was "damned hard work" coming up with a complete story in 180 words. He sent the story to the editor, and "that was the last I ever heard of his scheme."
Finally, I can't finish this post without mentioning some of my favorite stories from the second half. I mentioned Venture to the Moon and Songs of Distant Earth already. In addition:
- Death and the Senator (1961) and Transit of Earth (1971) were two of the most powerful stories in the book.
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Saturn Rising (1961) was magnificent.
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A Meeting with Medusa (1971) made me feel like I've been to Jupiter.