In an article in Reader’s Digest (February 2001) titled ‘Beyond 2001’, Sir Arthur C Clarke outlined a series of predictions for the next 100 years. And asked to be checked for accuracy on 31^st December, 2100; tongue firmly in cheek.

Retrospect is always enlightening. So while some of these predictions may seem far-fetched (even laughable) in 2011, not all of them, incidentally, are entirely inaccurate.

As we approach Clarke’s birthday on December 16, let us take a peek at what (Clarke believes) may lie in store for us…

2001 Cassini space probe (launched 1997) begins exploration of Saturn’s moons and rings. Galileo probe (launched 1989) continues surveying Jupiter and its moons. Life beneath the ice-covered oceans of one moon, Europa, appears likely.

2002 The first commercial device producing clean, safe power by low-temperature nuclear reactions goes on the market, heralding the end of the Fossil Fuel Age.

2003 The motor industry is given five years to replace all fuel-burning engines with the new energy device. The same year, NASA’s robot Mars Surveyor is launched.

2004 First (publicly admitted) human clone.

2005 First sample sent back to Earth by Mars Surveyor.

2006 Last coal mine closed.

2008 A city is devastated by the accidental detonation of an atomic bomb in its country’s own armoury. After a brief debate in the United Nations, all nuclear weapons are destroyed.

2009 The first quantum generators (tapping space energy) are developed. Available in portable and household units, from a few kilowatts upwards, they can produce electricity indefinitely. Central power stations close down: the age of pylons ends.

Electronic monitoring virtually phases out professional criminals.

2011 Largest living animal filmed: a 76-metre octopus in the Mariana Trench. Even larger creatures are discovered when the first robot probes drill through the ice of Europa.

2012 Aerospace-planes enter commercial service.

2013 Prince Harry becomes the first member of the British royal family to fly in space.

2014 Construction of the Hilton Orbiter Hotel begins by converting the giant shuttle tanks previously allowed to fall back to Earth.

2015 An inevitable by-product of the quantum generator is complete control of matter at the atomic level. Within a few years, lead and copper cost twice as much as gold as they become immensely more useful.

2016 Existing currencies are abolished. The “mega-watt-hour” becomes the universal unit of exchange.

2017 December 16, on his hundredth birthday, Sir Arthur C. Clarke is one of the first guests in the Hilton Orbiter.

2019 A major meteor impact occurs on the north polar ice cap. The resulting tsunamis cause considerable damage along the coasts of Greeland and Canada. The long-discussed “Project Spaceguard,” to identify and deflect potentially dangerous comets or asteroids, is finally activated.

2020 Artificial Intelligence reaches human level. Now, there are two ‘intelligent’ species on Earth.

2021 The first humans land on Mars.

2023 Dinosaur facsimiles are cloned from computer-generated DNA.

2024 Infrared signals are detected coming from the centre of the Galaxy, obviously the product of a technologically advanced civilisation. All attempts to decipher them fail.

2025 Neurological research finally leads to an understanding of all the senses, and direct input becomes possible, bypassing ears, eyes, skin, etc. The result is the metal “Braincap.” Anyone wearing this close-fitting helmet can enter a whole universe of experience; real or imaginary.

The Braincap is a boon to doctors, who may now experience their patients’ symptoms (suitably attenuated). It also revolutionises the legal profession, as deliberate lying becomes impossible.

2040 The “Universal Replicator,” based on nanotechnology, is perfected; any object, however complex, may be created – given the necessary raw materials. Diamonds and gourmet meals alike may literally be manufactured from dirt.

Resultantly, agriculture and industry are phased out, taking conventional notions of ‘work’ with them. There is an explosion in spheres of art, entertainment and education. Hunter-gatherer societies are deliberately recreated, and huge swathes of the planet are allowed to revert to their natural state.

2045 The completely self-sustainable mobile home (envisaged almost a century ago by Buckminster Fuller) is perfected. Any additional carbon needed for food synthesis is obtained by extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

2050 Bored in this era, millions decide to use cryonic suspension to emigrate into the future in search of adventure.

2057 On October 4, the centenary of Sputnik 1, the dawn of the space age is celebrated by humans on Earth, the Moon, Mars, Europa, Ganymede and Titan, and in orbit around Venus, Neptune and Pluto.

2061 Halley’s Comet returns. First landing on the comet by humans, and the sensational discovery of both dormant and active life forms; vindicating Wickramasinghe and Hoyle’s century-old hypothesis that life exists through space.

2090 Burning of fossil fuels is resumed to replace carbon dioxide ‘mined’ from the air, and to try to postpone the next Ice Age by promoting global warming.

2095 The development of “Space Drive” – a propulsion system harnessing the structure of space-time itself – makes the rocket obsolete and permits velocities close to that of light. Human explorers set off to nearby star systems.

2100 History begins…

You may Buy OR Rent the following books by Sir Arthur C Clarke, EXCLUSIVELY at INDIAreads;

2001 – A Space Odyssey : Change the way you look at the stars. And at yourself.

“ Dazzling. Wrenching. Eerie. A true mind bender.”  -  TIME

2010 – Odyssey Two : Cosmic in sweep. Filled with the romance of Space. Eloquent in its depiction of Man’s place in the Universe.

“A daring romp through the solar system and a worthy successor to 2001.”  -  Carl Sagan

2061 – Odyssey Three : For Scientists and Metaphysicists alike.

“[Clarke] remains a master at describing the wonders of the material universe in sentences that combine a respect for scientific accuracy with an often startling lyricism.”  -  The New York Times

3001 – The Final Odyssey : Scientifically accurate. Yet startlingly lyrical.

“[Clarke] is . . . the poet laureate of the Space Age.”   -  Los Angeles Times

Today is that day that William Shakespeare was baptised. His exact birth date remains shrouded in mystery. But nonetheless, since this is like the week of his birthday, we from the INDIAreads team invite you to participate in “Map your Shakespearean Characters contest”. You are required to mention your favourite character as well as the one whom you despise from your favourite play by Shakespeare. (along with the why of course.)

Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte (April 21, 1816-March 31, 1855) is considered one of the leading figures in 19^th Century Victorian Literature. She was a renowned English novelist as well as poet. Born in Thornton, Yorkshire to an Irish Anglican clergyman, she was the third of six children . At an age of eight, Bronte went to clergy daughter’s school in Lancashire, whose inhuman condition had permanently taken its toll on her health and physical development. The school has a special mentioning in her novel Jane Eyre in the name of Lowood School.  In fact two of her elder sisters succumbed to tuberculosis while attending that school. Along with her surviving siblings, she began chronicling about the life and struggle of the inhabitants of their imaginary country, Angria. Bronte has also worked as governess for various families in Yorkshire till 1841. Her stay in Brussels as an English tutor did not last long because of her feeling lonely, homesick and her growing proximity to Constantine Ledger, the Belgian teacher in the same boarding school.

Bronte’s stay at the boarding school served as an inspiration behind her novel “The Professor and the Villette”. Politically she was a Tory, who believed in preaching tolerance rather than revolution. Lord Charles Albert Florian, Wellesley and Currer Bell are her pen names showcasing the patriarchal Victorian society as well as her inherent shy nature .It was only after the enormous  success of Jane Eyre that she revealed her true identity. The novel since long has been dubed as a semi autobiographical piece by critics.

Buy/Rent novels by Charlotte Bronte at INDIAreads- an online bookstore cum library. Register Now.

Henry James

Henry James is considered as one of the key figure in trans- Atlantic literature. Having spent the last fifty three years of his life in England, his works had semblances of the confluence of the American and European cultures.

James (April 15, 1843 – February 28, 1916) was born in New York. He was A Harvard Regular. He contributed significantly to the 19^th century literary realism, stressing the need of freedom from the part of writers in showcasing his views, ideas to their audience. Apart from being an extraordinary productive writer, he also wrote innumerable fiction books, books on travel, autobiography, biography, criticism and Plays. His theatrical endeavour had its impact on his later novels and plays.

The popularity of his novel can be seen to the extent that Ismail Merchant teamed up with James Ivory to make films on his three novels, The Europeans (1978), The Bostonians (1984) and The Golden Bowl (2000).

The Portrait of a Lady is considered as one of his best book.

Buy/Rent popular works by Henry James from INDIAreads-online bookstore cum library. Register Now.

What a coincidence, two of America’s famous authors share their birthday on the same day- April-12.

Thomas Clancy was born on April 12, 1947. He is a popular American novelist, having created his own niche in technically detailed storyline in which espionage and military science are the main elements. He has leveraged his name for video games and similar kind of movie scripts and many series of non-fiction books on military subject.

Wild Card, Balance of Power, Bio Strike, The Sum of all Fears, Ruthless.com and War of Eagles are some of the popular novels by Tom Clancy.

Scott Turow was born in Chicago on April 12, 1949. His works have been translated in 20 languages and have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Though a master of non-fiction, he has also compiled two non-fiction books. Turow is still a practicing lawyer and his stories are based on legal thrillers.

Presumed Innocent, Pleading Guilty, The Burden of Proof and Personal Injuries are some of his notable works.

Buy/Rent novels by Tom Clancy & Scott Turow from INDIAreads-online bookstore cum library. Register Now.

Lew Wallace

Lew Wallace (April 10, 1827 – February 15, 1905) was an American lawyer, governor, politician and author of the cult historical novel “Ben- Hur”- A Tale of the Christ. Like his father who graduated from United States Millitary Academy, Wallace too served as the Union General in American Civil War. The Siloh controversy where he was blamed  incompetent in moving the reserve armed forces to the battlefront, led the foundation stone for a glittering career in Politics. It was during this time that he wrote” Ben-Hur”. The book gas been the best selling American  novel in the 19^th century. The book has been filmed four times with the 1959 film directed by William Wyler and starring Charlton Heston was a massive hit, accumulating eleven academy awards.

An immediate best-seller on publication, Ben Hur remains a dazzling achievement by any standards. A thoroughly exhilarating tale of betrayal, revenge and salvation, it is the only novel that ranks with Uncle Tom’s Cabin as a genuine American folk possession. Wallace writes with a freshness and immediacy that brings every action-packed scene to life and illuminates the geography, ethnology and customs of the ancient world.

“When people are lonely they stoop to any companionship.”

— Lew Wallace

Buy/Rent Lew Wallace novels from INDIAreads-online bookstore cum library! Register Now.

Jean Baptist Rousseau

The great Jean Baptist Rousseau (6 April 1671 – 17 March 1741) was the son of a poor shoemaker. He was well educated and his penchant for satirical verses made him the most popular lyrical poet of his time. Also the lack of genuine poets in the genre after Jean Racine and Andre de Chenier tilted the scale in Rousseau’s favour. His successive stints in theatre always ended in great dismay with, Le Café, Le Flatteu, Venus et Adonis and Le Capricieux failing miserably one after another. It was his poems which were either published singly or in manuscript that he gained attention. More often than not he got into series of disputes and verbal exchanges with his detractors and critics; this also resulted to the sour fate of his theatrical ventures. Rousseau is among the select few group of writers whose odes and cantatas were reprinted during 18^th century.

Ode A La Fortune remains to be his most memorable work.  In 1712, Rousseau was convicted of defamation and libel charges when he truthfully accepted that he had never written a satirical verse. He led the rest of his life in exile, wandering through Europe and finally dying in acute poverty in the year 1741.

To read poems by famous poets please visit INDIAreads: online bookstore cum library. Register Now.

Arthur Hailey

Arthur Hailey was born in Bedfordshire, England on April 5^th 1920. After serving in the Royal Air Force from 1939-47, he migrated to Canada. While in service he witnessed the Second World War. He tried his hand in several jobs while writing on part-time basis. Finally the love for writing took its toll and Hailey devoted himself to full-fledged writing in 1956. Following the success of his novel Hotel, he moved to California and later to Bahamas to avoid US and Canadian income taxes, which claimed 90% of his income. Henceforth Bahamas was his abode till the day he bid adieu to this world in 2004.

He had begun his writing life as a journalist on a transport magazine, but got his break as a fiction writer when, during a flight, he began to ponder what would happen if both pilots fell sick from food poisoning. The storyline led to his first big success.

Each of his novels had different industrial and commercial settings, which was in sync with the environment, the society and the people constituting it. His works were well researched and presented a firsthand account of the machinery functioning in a particular system. His popularity was such that whatever he wrote were guaranteed best-seller. Many of his works were on the best seller list in Newyork times which underlines his credentials as one who understood his audience.

“In High Places, The Evening News, Wheels, Airport, Overload, The Money Changers” are some of his memorable nobles.

I don’t think I really invented anybody. I have drawn on real life.

-Arthur Hailey

Buy/Rent novels by Arthur Hailey from INDIAreads –online bookstore cum library. Register Now.

Maya Angelou

America’s most visible black autobiographer, Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 at St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She is an American author, poet of repute and is renowned for her six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” is her first and most highly acclaimed work. Apart from international recognition, what the book did was to catapult her to a level where her works got nominated for awards. The national awards and Pulitzer prize nomination for 1971 volume of poetry,” Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water for I Diiie” is a proof of it. Angelou was also the member of the Harlem Writers Guild in the late 1950s and was an active member of Civil Rights Movement.

What more can be said, she also served for Martin Luther King Jr and renowned in the lecture circuit, having made more than ninety appearances. She also hods the longest running  record on the Newyork Times Paperback Notification besr seller list in 1995.  Besides she is also a dancer, film producer, television producer, playwright, film director, author, actress, professor.

“Singin-and-swingin-and-gettin-merry-christmas, Wouldnt-take-nothing-my-journey-now and Heart of a woman” are her other important works.

I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.

Maya Angelou.

Buy/Rent books by Maya Angelou from INDIAreads – online bookstore cum library. Register Now.

Anna Sewell

Anna Mary Sewell (30 March 1820 – 25 April 1878) was an English novelist best remembered for her classic novel “Black Beauty”. She wrote in the genre of children’s literature.The novel has been her only published work. She is said to have special fondness for horses. “Black Beauty” is the story of a horse and its struggle to find love, warmth and kindness from its owners. Owing to health reason Sewell frequented her visits all over Europe, which exposed her to writers, philosophers and moulded her as a writer.

Buy/Rent Anna Sewell novels from INDIAreads-online bookstore cum library. Register Now.

“A special aim being to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses”

– Anna Sewell