A Stanislaw Lem Reader (Rethinking Theory) by Peter Swirski

Rethinking Theory

by Stanisław Lem

In The Lem Reader, Peter Swirski has assembled an in-depth and insightful collection of writings by and about, and interviews with, one of the most fascinating writers of the twentieth century. Stanislaw Lem has a large and devoted following. Best known for his work in science fiction -- his novels and short stories have been translated into over forty languages and have sold over twenty-five million copies -- Lem is also a prolific writer of nonfiction monographs. Though not widely available in English, Lem's extensive studies of literary and contemporary culture, and of philosophy, rhetoric, and social theory, have been widely read and analyzed in their original Polish and in German and Russian translations. The Lem Reader forms an introduction to Lem's nonfiction it includes two interviews conducted with Lem, as well as a fascinating introductory essay by Swirski and an essay by Lem himself, "Thirty Years Later", in which he discusses the predictions he has made in his extensive philosophical works. Chief among the works discussed is Lem's Summa Technologiae (1964), in which Lem presents a series of wide-ranging prognoses on the social, cultural, and technological destiny of our civilization. Lem also analyzes the cognitive parallels, aesthetic differences, and shared social responsibilities of the science of futurology and the literary genre of science fiction. Included are a complete bibliography of Lem's works in English and Polish, and a bibliography of critical sources. Anyone interested in Lem's provocative and uncompromising view of literature's role in the contemporary cultural environment, in Lem's opinions about his own fiction, and about the relation ofliterature to science and technology, will be fascinated by this eclectic collection.

Genres: Science Fiction, Novels

Paperback

First published November 12, 1997

About the author

Stanisław Lem (staˈɲiswaf lɛm) was a Polish science fiction, philosophical and satirical writer of Jewish descent. His books have been translated into 41 languages and have sold over 27 million copies. He is perhaps best known as the author of Solaris, which has twice been made into a feature film. In 1976, Theodore Sturgeon claimed that Lem was the most widely read science-fiction writer in the world.

His works explore philosophical themes; speculation on technology, the nature of intelligence, the impossibility of mutual communication and understanding, despair about human limitations and humankind's place in the universe. They are sometimes presented as fiction, but others are in the form of essays or philosophical books. Translations of his works are difficult and multiple translated versions of his works exist.

Lem became truly productive after 1956, when the de-Stalinization period led to the "Polish October", when Poland experienced an increase in freedom of speech. Between 1956 and 1968, Lem authored 17 books. His works were widely translated abroad (although mostly in the Eastern Bloc countries). In 1957 he published his first non-fiction, philosophical book, Dialogi (Dialogues), one of his two most famous philosophical texts along with Summa Technologiae (1964). The Summa is notable for being a unique analysis of prospective social, cybernetic, and biological advances. In this work, Lem discusses philosophical implications of technologies that were completely in the realm of science fiction then, but are gaining importance today—like, for instance, virtual reality and nanotechnology. Over the next few decades, he published many books, both science fiction and philosophical/futurological, although from the 1980s onwards he tended to concentrate on philosophical texts and essays.

He gained international fame for The Cyberiad, a series of humorous short stories from a mechanical universe ruled by robots, first published in English in 1974. His best-known novels include Solaris (1961), His Master's Voice (Głos pana, 1968), and the late Fiasco (Fiasko, 1987), expressing most strongly his major theme of the futility of mankind's attempts to comprehend the truly alien. Solaris was made into a film in 1972 by Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky and won a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1972; in 2002, Steven Soderbergh directed a Hollywood remake starring George Clooney.

He was the cousin of poet Marian Hemar.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains invaluable extra-reading for Stanislaw Lem fans. Some reprinted reflection of his past work by Lem himself, criticism from Peter Swirski, and interviews between the two. Swirski seems most interested (I would go so far to say "hung up on") game theory, and what game theory means in Lem's work, and for Lem himself. I guess it was a trendy thing back in the day, and it seems like Lem was genuinely fascinated with this field, but today its just... not the most interesting thing about Lem's work.

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I expected. I have not read any Lem. I saw the movie Solaris and have read authors that list him as an inspiration. When I picked this up I thought it was an anthology of his shorter works. Instead, there's an introductory essay that is written in a way that assumes some familiarity with the author. I almost stopped reading that half-way through. The rest of the book are three different interviews that are dense and rambling, sometimes revealing plot twists and spoilers. The later interviews are more philosophical in nature and Lem repudiates or harshly criticizes some of his earlier works, particularly in his early phase of being naive and subject to strict censorship. A Stanislaw Lem Reader will not deter me from reading more of his work, but his work seems less important to me now than it was before.

[Mouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven't read this collection but love Lem since Solaris, would love to know more about Lem

[Wucaixia · Rating 5 out of 5]

excelent

[Ethan Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have bought this book,i like it!

[Excel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book!
This book really opened my minds and depended my understanding about the Lem.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really great！

[Chen Qiangpan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 1992 interview is the best part of this book, includes many of his thoughts on philosophy, science , and writing impulses.

[Andy P · Rating 2 out of 5]

Academic, "ivory-tower" discussion of philosophical themes in Lem's work.
This will only be of interest to only the most ardent of Lem fans.

[Amanda Mecke]

Haven't read this collection yet but love Lem since Prix the Pilot stories. An under appreciated European writer.

[Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Excellent insight in to an incredible author.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was attracted by the book of solaris, but it's hard to find a English introduction of Lem and his books, fortunately I've found this book :-)

[Hans]

This book is absolutely deserved complete reading and careful examine for it contains very much profound ideas that evoke comprehensive thinking about human and society.