Visionary science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke died in his adopted home of Sri Lanka yesterday after suffering breathing problems. He was 90 years old.

Clarke is perhaps best known for developing the premise for and working with Kubrick on "2001: A Space Odyssey", which he also wrote as a novel.

His achievements however stretch beyond the realm of science fiction; Clarke provided commentary alongside American broadcaster Walter Cronkite on the Apollo moonshots of the 1960s.

He is also credited with developing the idea of communication satellites in 1945 - a time when this was dismissed as being too far-fetched. Decades later, when geosynchronous orbits were established (to keep satellites in a fixed position relative to the ground) they were named "Clarke orbits".

In addition to his writing and enthusiasm for space travel, Clarke was also an avid deep-sea diver and explorer - one of the reasons he eventually settled permanently on the Indian Ocean island of Sri Lanka. He settled there while battling the debilitating effects of post-polio syndrome - the lingering effects of a disease that paralyzed him for two months in 1959. 

His  lifelong passion

Clarke - born in Minehead, England, on December 16, 1917 - developed an enthusiasm for science fiction soon after purchasing his first copies of the pulp magazine "Amazing Stories".

Soon after, he dove into the writings of H.G. Wells and Olaf Stapledon, and started his own writing for a school magazine while still in his teens.

A Very Prolific storyteller

Clarke is also known for the volume of science fiction work he put out - at times authoring up to three books a year.

His other well-known works include "Childhood's End," 1953; "The City and The Stars," 1956, "The Nine Billion Names of God," 1967; "Rendezvous with Rama," 1973; "Imperial Earth," 1975; and "The Songs of Distant Earth," 1986.

He followed up his "2001: A Space Odyssey" novel with sequels "2010," "2061," and the anticipated "3001: The Final Odyssey" one of his is last major works.

I never met Mr. Clarke,  yet as your  "sci-fi guy" , I do own quite a few signed items I received over the years. I will scan a few for you to see within the next few days!