Paperback. 102 pages. Published 1991.

Combining a bizarre sense of humour with more sombre philosophical reflections, the author presents three provocative previews of life in the twenty-first century.

Maquerading as the reviews of books not yet written, these three essays allow Lem (novelist, philosopher, master of science fiction) even greater scope to sabotage the future.


Stanisław Lem (12'09'1921 – 27'03'2006) was a Polish science fiction, philosophical and satirical writer. His books have been translated into 41 languages and have sold over 27 million copies. At one point, he was the most widely read non-English-language science fiction author 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, to avoid both trappings of academic life and limitations of readership and scientific style, but others are in the form of essays or philosophical books. Translations of his works are difficult; Michael Kandel's translations into English have generally been praised as capturing the spirit of the original.

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted this book to the woman I love, in far, far away Europe...

Mailed at the Post Office 197 Condamine Street Balgowlah Sydney New South Wales Australia at 11am Thursday 26 April 2007.