Re: ~ Arthur C. Clarke, Science Fiction Author and Gay Man, Dies ~

David T. Bilek <davidbilek@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in
news:ar23u39ka6lk8vvur02rk02sho4ro8mf60@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 

> On 19 Mar 2008 20:22:57 +0000 (GMT), Thomas Womack
><twomack@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>>In article <Xns9A6689CC51817mss2mediaonenet@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>>Michael S. Schiffer <mschiffe@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>>>Clarke would definitely have been called a science fiction
>>>author, even in a piece focusing primarily on his nonfiction
>>>(e.g., his role wrt the idea of the comsat), and ditto
>>>Heinlein, Asimov, etc.  Who's the most well-known person
>>>currently who would be identified, say, when being introduced
>>>on CNN, as "science fiction author <X>"? 

>>William Gibson, by a mile.

> See, I disagree.  I think if you pulled a random person off the
> street and asked them if they'd heard of both Clarke and Gibson,
> far more people would know the name Clarke.  By a mile, as you
> say. 

> If you look only at some narrow demographics (tech savvy white
> males between 18 and 35, say) then a lot will know Gibson.  How
> many 65 year old women know Gibson?  Not too many, I'd say.  But
> Clarke sat there with Walter Cronkite for the friggin' MOON
> LANDING.  

> I think you're too immersed in your demographic to realize how
> few people know Gibson and how many know Clarke.

People can interpret the question as they choose, but just for the 
record: by "currently" I meant still-living-- i.e., the current 
figures most closely comparable to what Asimov or Clarke were.  
(Which might be Bradbury, since he's still around.  He doesn't seem 
to get the public play he used to, but he may still have more name 
recognition than later figures like Gibson.  It might also be Harlan 
Ellison.)  It's possible that those late figures are still more 
recognizeable than their successors, but I'm curious who's out there 
now.

Though my impression, backed up by a quick web search on ABC News' 
site, is that there really aren't any sf writers currently with the 
public recognition that people like Asimov and Clarke attained 
during the 60s and 70s or so.  Which is especially odd given the 
comparative mainstreaming of geek culture in general compared to 
then.

Mike

-- 
Michael S. Schiffer, LHN, FCS
mschiffe@[EMAIL PROTECTED]