Posted on 03/28/2006 8:21:20 AM PST by twinself
WARSAW -- Stanislaw Lem, a science-fiction writer whose novel "Solaris" was made into a movie starring George Clooney, died yesterday in his native Poland, his secretary said. He was 84. Mr. Lem died in a Krakow hospital from heart failure "connected to his old age," Wojciech Zemek said. He gave no other details. Mr. Lem was one of the most popular science-fiction authors of recent decades to write in a language other than English, and his works were translated from Polish into more than 40 other languages. His books have sold 27 million copies. "A great artist has died, a man with the hallmarks of a genius," renowned Polish film director Andrzej Wajda told the country's PAP news agency. His best-known work, "Solaris," was adapted into films by director Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972 and by Steven Soderbergh in 2002. The latter version starred George Clooney and Natascha McElhone. Set on a spaceship above a fictional planet, a psychologist meets the likeness of a long-dead lover as he and the crew grapple with suppressed memories of lost loves. Mr. Lem's first important novel, "Hospital of the Transfiguration," was censored by communist authorities for eight years before its release in 1956 during a thawafter the death of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Other works include "The Invincible," "The Cyberiad," "His Master's Voice," "The Star Diaries," "The Futurological Congress" and "Tales of Prix the Pilot." "He was an amazingly talented man, and Polish literature never had anyone like him before," said Tomasz Fialkowski, co-author of a book of interviews with Mr. Lem and the deputy editor of the weekly Tygodnik Powszechny. While Mr. Lem was widely known as a writer of science fiction, his works were never simple tales of spaceships and light sabers.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Probably never got over that stinker of a movie.
he did write some interesting stuff: Eden, Fiasco & Cyberiad
not to everyone's taste however
I have not seen the movie by Soderbergh so I can't comment on that. Anyway what I wanted to comment on was Stanislaw Lem. I yesterday heard one of last interviews with him on the radio. In that interview he seemed alienated and pessimisstic regarding what has become of 'culture' nowadays. He actually saw Internet and as a great danger allowing functional alphabetes to enter the main discourse. Nothing would be ever required from them apart from their eyes to watch the pictures.
No, no, no! It's "Tales of Pirx the Pilot", not "Tale of Prix the Pilot". Yes, I know, it's probably time to up the meds. Just don't get me started on affect vs. effect ...
(Actually, it's "Opowiesci o pilocie Pirxie", but since I don't read Polish I have to make do with the translation.)
You are right: it's "Tales of Pirx the Pilot."
He was a great writer, I admire him.
A big loss for all of us.
Too many people dying these days...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.