The Book Collector

The Book Collector

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Solaris – Stanislaw Lem

R600.00

“A 1961 philosophical science fiction novel by Polish writer Stanisław Lem. The central theme of the book is the complete failure of human beings to understand an extraterrestrial intelligence.

While probing and examining the oceanic surface of the planet Solaris from a hovering research station, a team of human scientists is, in turn, apparently being studied by the sentient planet itself, which probes for and examines the thoughts of the human beings who are analyzing it. Solaris manifests an ability to cast their secret, guilty concerns into a material form for each scientist to personally confront. All human efforts to make sense of Solaris’ activities ultimately prove to be futile. As Lem wrote, “The peculiarity of those phenomena seems to suggest that we observe a kind of rational activity, but the meaning of this seemingly rational activity of the Solarian Ocean is beyond the reach of human beings”. He also wrote that he deliberately chose the Ocean as a sentient alien to avoid any personification as well as the pitfalls of anthropomorphism in depicting first contact.”

R600.00

Edition: Reprint

Published: 1972

Publishers: Science Fiction Book Club

Condition: Hardcover in good condition, with very minor shelf wear around the edges of the cover, and top and bottom of the spine. Dust jacket in fair condition, with scuff marks around the edges, and slight discolouration on the spine. Internally in very good condition – very clean and tightly bound.

1 in stock

Description

“A 1961 philosophical science fiction novel by Polish writer Stanisław Lem. The central theme of the book is the complete failure of human beings to understand an extraterrestrial intelligence.

While probing and examining the oceanic surface of the planet Solaris from a hovering research station, a team of human scientists is, in turn, apparently being studied by the sentient planet itself, which probes for and examines the thoughts of the human beings who are analyzing it. Solaris manifests an ability to cast their secret, guilty concerns into a material form for each scientist to personally confront. All human efforts to make sense of Solaris’ activities ultimately prove to be futile. As Lem wrote, “The peculiarity of those phenomena seems to suggest that we observe a kind of rational activity, but the meaning of this seemingly rational activity of the Solarian Ocean is beyond the reach of human beings”. He also wrote that he deliberately chose the Ocean as a sentient alien to avoid any personification as well as the pitfalls of anthropomorphism in depicting first contact.”

R600.00

Edition: Reprint

Published: 1972

Publishers: Science Fiction Book Club

Condition: Hardcover in good condition, with very minor shelf wear around the edges of the cover, and top and bottom of the spine. Dust jacket in fair condition, with scuff marks around the edges, and slight discolouration on the spine. Internally in very good condition – very clean and tightly bound.

Additional information

Weight 397 g