He wasn't my favourite SF author but there were a good few cracking reads among his books.
I guess though he'll mostly be remembered for 2001 a Space Odyssey, which is a shame.
I sort of met him once when I accidentally stumbled across his home in Sri Lanka and caught him pottering about in the garden. I didn't bother his peace like!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke

He has an awesomely impressive "get it right" rate with his visions of the future.

That's come as a terrible shock, especially as I thought he was already dead. Ah well, he's had a good innings.

I love that, me. It's an anagram of 'who cares if he's dead....'

that crystal skull on his 'mysterious world' used to scare the shi'ite out of me !!