3.5
The Truth and Other Stories
ByPublisher Description
Experience a sci-fi master at his finest in this collection of 12 science fiction short stories from 1956 to 1993—many now presented in English for the very first time!
“A brilliant introduction to Lem’s science fiction.” —Wall Street Journal
Discover the full range of Stanislaw Lem’s intense curiosity about scientific ideas—and his sardonic approach to human nature—in this unforgettable collection of 12 short stories.
In “The Truth,” a scientist in an insane asylum theorizes that the sun is alive.
“The Journal” appears to be an account by an omnipotent being describing the creation of infinite universes—until, in a classic Lem twist, it turns out to be no such thing.
In “An Enigma,” beings debate whether offspring can be created without advanced degrees and design templates.
Other stories feature a computer that can predict the future by 137 seconds, matter-destroying spores, a hunt in which the prey is a robot, and an electronic brain eager to go on the lam . . .
Of these 12 science fiction short stories, only 3 have previously appeared in English, making this the first “new” book of fiction by Stanislaw Lem since the late 1980s. Featuring scathing humor, artificial intelligences, insane theories of cosmology and evolution, and so much more, The Truth and Other Stories is a multifarious a collection of mad scientists as any science fiction reader could wish for.
“A brilliant introduction to Lem’s science fiction.” —Wall Street Journal
Discover the full range of Stanislaw Lem’s intense curiosity about scientific ideas—and his sardonic approach to human nature—in this unforgettable collection of 12 short stories.
In “The Truth,” a scientist in an insane asylum theorizes that the sun is alive.
“The Journal” appears to be an account by an omnipotent being describing the creation of infinite universes—until, in a classic Lem twist, it turns out to be no such thing.
In “An Enigma,” beings debate whether offspring can be created without advanced degrees and design templates.
Other stories feature a computer that can predict the future by 137 seconds, matter-destroying spores, a hunt in which the prey is a robot, and an electronic brain eager to go on the lam . . .
Of these 12 science fiction short stories, only 3 have previously appeared in English, making this the first “new” book of fiction by Stanislaw Lem since the late 1980s. Featuring scathing humor, artificial intelligences, insane theories of cosmology and evolution, and so much more, The Truth and Other Stories is a multifarious a collection of mad scientists as any science fiction reader could wish for.
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3.5

Hen
Created 2 months agoShare
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Jonas
Created 11 months agoShare
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“*DNF
Good but definitely a mixed bag. Some of the stories were delightfully funny or truly thought provoking. Others were just okay. Worth a read regardless.”

David
Created about 1 year agoShare
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What.ShouldIReadNext
Created over 1 year agoShare
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“**Thank you to NetGalley and MIT Press for the free copy of this collection in exchange for honest feedback**
Having never read anything from Stanislaw Lem, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The Truth and Other Stories was an amazing sampler of his work, and I can't wait to check out more of his previous writing. I definitely enjoyed the range across these stories - they were translated from writing dating back t0 the 1950's - crazy!
Sometimes with translations things can feel a bit clunky but I felt like every single story in this collection was well done and the writing was amazing. Being a sci-fi fan in general I found a lot of the themes and stories to be right up my alley.
If you like science fiction, definitely check this one out! I thought the stories being collected in chronological order over 40 years was a neat touch - the evolution of a science fiction writer in one collection!”

Pam
Created over 2 years agoShare
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“Algunas pocas de las historias me resultaron interesantes, pero este tipo de ciencia ficción (filosófica, tipo Blade Runner) no es para mí. La mayoría de las historias me aburrieron.”
About Stanislaw Lem
Stanisław Lem (1921-2006), a writer called "worthy of the Nobel Prize" by the New York Times, was an internationally renowned author of novels, short stories, literary criticism, and philosophical essays. His books have been translated into forty-four languages and have sold more than thirty million copies.
Other books by Stanislaw Lem
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