Arthur C. Clarke was born in Minehead, Somerset on December 16, 1917.  He pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in physics, and mathematics at King's College in London.  He has more than 50 million copies of his books in print.  He was named Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers Of America in 1986.  His bestsellers include Childhood's End; 2001; A Space Odyssey; 2010; Odyssey Two; 2061: Odyssey Three.

In 1968 he shared an Oscar Academy Award nomination with Stanley Kubric for the film of 2001: A Space Odyssey.  His invention of satellite communications with satellites in geostationary orbit in 1945 brought him numerous honors.