Stanisław Lem is known in the English-speaking countries virtually only as a Science Fiction (SF)... more Stanisław Lem is known in the English-speaking countries virtually only as a Science Fiction (SF) writer. This is despite the fact that two of his best non-fantastic novels were translated into English, 1 and his numerous critical papers and reviews published in such periodicals as Science-Fiction Studies. 2 This is in significant contrast to Lem's reception in countries such as Germany (with no significant difference between the eastern and western lands), the former Soviet Union and, of course, his native Poland. The reasons for such a phenomenon are manifold. The most important seems to be the high level of commercialisation of SF in the English-speaking countries, especially in the US. Another is the popular misconception (quite common even in the literary circles of America) that since SF is only a popular genre, with very lowly origins in so-called pulp magazines and comics, no SF writer can be seriously regarded as a true artist. Obviously, there are many exceptions to this rule. First, some SF writers are indeed regarded seriously by the critics (for example Kurt Vonnegut). Secondly, some prominent authors are not regarded as writing SF, in spite of the fact that they really write in this genre. Aldous Huxley and George Orwell are the most striking examples of this popular misconception. The reasons for such an artificial and obviously incorrect classification are manifold, and beyond the scope of this paper. Therefore I shall only mention that after H.G. Wells and Karel Čapek, virtually none of the SF writers (including such outstanding authors as Olaf Stapledon) was regarded as a " highbrow " artist. It is important to analyse Lem's non-science fiction novels in order to prove that the classification of Lem as a SF writer is artificial and reductionist. Lem's non-fantastical prose can be divided roughly into autobiographical (or semi-autobiographical) novels and unorthodox detective stories. Both of these genres have important links to Lem's science fiction as well as to his philosophical writings. In his SF, Lem privileged the role of chance and the impossibility of meaningful contact between truly alien cultures. Lem's biographical novels and thrillers can also be read as political works. The reason is that Lem's life was very much influenced by political events, such as the Second World War and two of Poland's major economic and political transitions: I, who experienced the alternative character and fragility of subsequent social systems (from poor prewar Poland, through phases of Soviet, German and again Soviet occupation, and then the People's Republic of Poland and the end of the Soviet protectorate), disregarded fretting about individual psychology and tried to concentrate on this, which as technologicus genius temporis shapes or rather 1 Szpital Przemienienia (Warszawa: Czytelnik, 1975) was translated by William Brand as Hospital of the Transfiguration (San Diego & NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988) and Wysoki Zamek (Warszawa: Wydawnictwo MON, 1966) was quite recently translated by Michael Kandel, as Highcastle. A Remembrance (San Diego & NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1995). 2 Some of the most interesting of these are in the collection Microworlds: Writings on Science Fiction and Fantasy, edited and with introduction by Franz Rottensteiner (San Diego, NY & London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984).
Stanisław Lem is known in the English-speaking countries virtually only as a Science Fiction (SF)... more Stanisław Lem is known in the English-speaking countries virtually only as a Science Fiction (SF) writer. This is despite the fact that two of his best non-fantastic novels were translated into English, 1 and his numerous critical papers and reviews published in such periodicals as Science-Fiction Studies. 2 This is in significant contrast to Lem's reception in countries such as Germany (with no significant difference between the eastern and western lands), the former Soviet Union and, of course, his native Poland. The reasons for such a phenomenon are manifold. The most important seems to be the high level of commercialisation of SF in the English-speaking countries, especially in the US. Another is the popular misconception (quite common even in the literary circles of America) that since SF is only a popular genre, with very lowly origins in so-called pulp magazines and comics, no SF writer can be seriously regarded as a true artist. Obviously, there are many exceptions to this rule. First, some SF writers are indeed regarded seriously by the critics (for example Kurt Vonnegut). Secondly, some prominent authors are not regarded as writing SF, in spite of the fact that they really write in this genre. Aldous Huxley and George Orwell are the most striking examples of this popular misconception. The reasons for such an artificial and obviously incorrect classification are manifold, and beyond the scope of this paper. Therefore I shall only mention that after H.G. Wells and Karel Čapek, virtually none of the SF writers (including such outstanding authors as Olaf Stapledon) was regarded as a " highbrow " artist. It is important to analyse Lem's non-science fiction novels in order to prove that the classification of Lem as a SF writer is artificial and reductionist. Lem's non-fantastical prose can be divided roughly into autobiographical (or semi-autobiographical) novels and unorthodox detective stories. Both of these genres have important links to Lem's science fiction as well as to his philosophical writings. In his SF, Lem privileged the role of chance and the impossibility of meaningful contact between truly alien cultures. Lem's biographical novels and thrillers can also be read as political works. The reason is that Lem's life was very much influenced by political events, such as the Second World War and two of Poland's major economic and political transitions: I, who experienced the alternative character and fragility of subsequent social systems (from poor prewar Poland, through phases of Soviet, German and again Soviet occupation, and then the People's Republic of Poland and the end of the Soviet protectorate), disregarded fretting about individual psychology and tried to concentrate on this, which as technologicus genius temporis shapes or rather 1 Szpital Przemienienia (Warszawa: Czytelnik, 1975) was translated by William Brand as Hospital of the Transfiguration (San Diego & NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988) and Wysoki Zamek (Warszawa: Wydawnictwo MON, 1966) was quite recently translated by Michael Kandel, as Highcastle. A Remembrance (San Diego & NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1995). 2 Some of the most interesting of these are in the collection Microworlds: Writings on Science Fiction and Fantasy, edited and with introduction by Franz Rottensteiner (San Diego, NY & London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984).
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