I posted the audio to Arthur C. Clarke “Childhood’s End” 1953 AD.
The book has it all; it has obviously been very influential as it includes giant alien spacecraft being stationed over Earthly cities (as in the new War of the Worlds, District 9, the new V series, etc.), it contains ancient alien astronauts themes, it contains mystic-mythological-theology as the ancient aliens had been confused with being gods, demons, etc. and takes us on a journey long into the future.