New Releases by Stanislaw Lem

Ingenious essays from “a Jorge Luis Borges for the Space Age, who plays in earnest with every concept . . . from free will to probability theory” (The New York Times Book Review). In A Perfect Vacuum, Stanislaw Lem steps outside of his fictional comfort zone to try his hand at reviewing the literature of others. The only catch is this: None of these books have actually been published—or even written—he just made them up. These sixteen satirical and brilliantly insidious commentaries on non-existent books cover the gamut of unconventional writing techniques: from a Joycean review that doggedly dissects every word to a critique that is written entirely in negatives to an analysis presented in fragments for the reader to assemble as he or she likes. Along the way, Lem presents his trademark examinations on topics ranging from modern art to computer technology to philosophy. At once a disarming delight and a clever mental exercise, A Perfect Vacuum lends credence to the assertion that Lem is “Harpo Marx and Franz Kafka and Isaac Asimov rolled up into one and down the white rabbit’s hole” (Detroit News).

Contes, légendes, allégories tels se présentent ces onze nouvelles fantaisistes où tinte parfois la quincaillerie de la science-fiction mais où résonnent surtout les échos du merveilleux et les rumeurs de l''imaginaire. (1964).

The year is 3149, and a vast paper destroying blight-papyralysis-has obliterated much of the planet''s written history. However, these rare memoirs, preserved for centuries in a volcanic rock, record the strange life of a man trapped in a hermetically sealed underground community. Translated by Michael Kandel and Christine Rose. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

„Crescusem in asa masura incat marginile trupului incepura sa se piarda in intuneric. Rau00adtaceau pe undeva la cativa kilometri departare. Nu le mai simteam. Ramasese numai interiorul. Era imens. Un spatiu intortocheat o prapastie intre gandirea mea si lume. De fapt nici lumea nu mai exista. Ma aplecam fara suflare deasupra propriului meu abis. Acolo unde inainte aveam plamani marunu00adtaie vene acum erau numai ganduri uriase. Mi-am vazut in ele viata. Era despicata turtita ardea se carboniza devenea cenusa. Se imprastia intr-o pulbere de foc intr-o Sahara neagra. Ea era viata mea. “ Stanislaw Lem „Stanislaw Lem se joaca serios cu forma si astfel rezulta o scriitura europeana numai pe jumatate traductibila un stil inteligent infricosator cu greutate. “ Kirkus Reviews Un fost astronaut american merge de la Napoli la Roma si are niste electrozi pe piept. La un moment dat desconspira un atact terorist la aeroportul supersecurizat din capitala Italiei. La Paris apeleaza la Philippe Barth expert in computere si se dezvaluie totul: in zona Napoli au disparut oameni in conditii misterioase si au avut loc atacuri psihotice. Naratorul-detectiv reconstituie drumul si faptele comise de victima cea mai recenta. Un roman de reflectie care pune in prim-plan relatia cauza-efect si puterea gandului. "