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List of works by Stanisław Lem and their adaptations

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Some of Lem's works in 9 languages

Stanisław Lem was a Polish science fiction writer. His works have been translated into 40 languages and over 30 million copies have been sold.[1]

Fiction

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Individual works

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  • The Man from Mars (1946) – short novel, originally published in a magazine serial form. In 2009 for the first time a long excerpt from Chapter 1 was translated into English by Peter Swirski and published, with permission of Lem's family, in the online literary magazine Words Without Borders.[2]
  • Hospital of the Transfiguration [pl] (1948) – partly autobiographical novella about a doctor working in a Polish asylum during World War II, centred on a German Nazi euthanasia program Action T4. It was published in expanded form in 1955 as Czas nieutracony: Szpital przemienienia, and translated into English by William Brand (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988). In Poland it was made into a film in 1979.[3]
  • The Astronauts [pl] (1951) – young adult science fiction novel. In the early 21st century, it is discovered that the Tunguska meteorite was a crash of a reconnaissance ship from Venus, bound to invade the Earth. A spaceship sent to investigate finds that Venusians killed themselves in an atomic war first. It was made into a film in 1960.[4] Not translated into English.
  • The Magellanic Cloud [pl] (1955) – the first interstellar travel of mankind to the Alpha Centauri system. Not translated into English.
  • Eden [pl] (1959) – science fiction novel; after crashing their spaceship on the planet Eden, the crew discovers it is populated with an unusual society. Translated into English by Marc E. Heine (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989).
  • The Hunt [pl] (1950s) – short story, found in Lem's archives and published in 2018.
  • The Investigation [pl] (1959) – philosophical mystery novel. Translated by Adele Milch (New York: The Seabury Press, 1974). The book was made into a short film of the same name by Marek Piestrak in 1973.[5]
  • Memoirs Found in a Bathtub [pl] (1961) – Kafkaesque novel set in the distant future about a secret agent, whose mission in an unnamed ministry is so secret that no one can tell him what it is. Translated by Michael Kandel and Christine Rose (New York: The Seabury Press, 1973)
  • Return from the Stars [pl] (1961) – science fiction novel. An astronaut returns to Earth after a 127-year long mission. Translated by Barbara Marszal and Frank Simpson (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980)
  • Solaris [pl] (1961) – science fiction novel. The crew of a remote space station is strangely influenced by the living ocean occupying a whole planet while they attempt communication with it. Translated into English from the French translation by Joanna Kilmartin and Steve Cox (New York, Walker & Co., 1970; London: Faber and Faber, 1970). Also translated by Bill Johnston in 2014. Made into two Russian films in 1968 and 1972, and an American film in 2002.
  • The Invincible [pl] (1964) – a hard science fiction novel credited with introducing nanotechnology into the genre. The crew of a space cruiser searches for a disappeared ship on the planet Regis III, discovering swarms of insect-like micromachines. Translated from German by Wendayne Ackerman (New York: The Seabury Press, 1973). Also translated by Bill Johnston in 2014.
  • His Master's Voice [pl] (1968) – science fiction novel about the effort to translate an extraterrestrial transmission. Translated by Michael Kandel (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983).
  • The Futurological Congress [pl] (1971) – an Ijon Tichy novella, published in the collection Bezsenność (Insomnia) and Ze wspomnień Ijona Tichego. Translated by Michael Kandel and published as a standalone novella. (New York: The Seabury Press, 1974).
  • The Chain of Chance [pl] (1976) – borderline SF novel. A former US astronaut is sent to Italy to investigate a series of mysterious deaths. Translated by Louis Iribarne (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1978).
  • Golem XIV [pl] (1981) – science novel. Expansion of an essay/story from the collection Imaginary Magnitude [pl].
  • Observation on the Spot [pl] (1982) – Ijon Tichy novel about the planet Entia. Not translated into English.
  • Peace on Earth [pl] (1985) – Ijon Tichy novel. A callosotomised Tichy returns to Earth, trying to reconstruct the events of his recent visit to the Moon. Translated by Michael Kandel and Elinor Ford (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1994).
  • Fiasco [pl] (1986) – dystopian science fiction novel about an expedition to communicate with an alien civilization that results in a major fiasco. Translated by Michael Kandel (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987)

Compilations

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  • Sesame and Other Stories [pl] (1955) – linked collection of short fiction, dealing with time machines used to clean up Earth's history in order to be accepted into intergalactic society. Not translated into English.
  • The Star Diaries [pl] (1957–1971) – collection of short fiction dealing with the voyages of Ijon Tichy. English translations of some stories were published in two volumes: the first, The Star Diaries, by Michael Kandel (New York: The Seabury Press, 1976) and the second, Memoirs of a space traveler: further reminiscences of Ijon Tichy, by Joel Stern and Maria Swiecicka-Ziemianek (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982).
  • The Invasion from Aldebaran [pl] (1959) – collection of nine science fiction stories, among them three Tales of Pirx the Pilot and Darkness and Mold [pl], about the creation of Whisteria Cosmolytica which is described as "a microbe annihilating matter and drawing its vital energy from that process", creating a grey goo scenario.[6]
  • Mortal Engines (1961) – also contains The Hunt from Tales of Pirx the Pilot. Selected translation by Michael Kandel (New York: The Seabury Press, 1977).
  • The Cyberiad (1965) – collection of humorous baroque-style stories about the exploits of Trurl and Klapaucius, "constructors" among robots. The stories of Douglas Adams have been compared to the Cyberiad.[7] Transl. by Michael Kandel (New York: The Seabury Press, 1974)
  • A Perfect Vacuum (1971) – collection of reviews of fictional books. Transl. by Michael Kandel. (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979.)
  • Imaginary Magnitude [pl] (1973) – collection of introductions to nonexistent books. Also includes Golem XIV, a lengthy essay/short story on the nature of intelligence delivered by an eponymous US military computer. In the personality of Golem XIV, Lem with a great amount of humor describes an ideal of his own mind. Transl. by Marc E. Heine (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984).
  • Tales of Pirx the Pilot [pl] (1973) – collection of linked short fiction involving the career of astronaut Pirx. English translations of some stories were published in two volumes: the first, Tales of Pirx the Pilot, by Louis Iribarne (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979) and the second, More Tales of Pirx the Pilot by Louis Iribarne, Magdalena Majcherczyk and Michael Kandel (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982).
  • The Cosmic Carnival of Stanisław Lem – edited with commentary by Michael Kandel. New York: Continuum, 1981.[8] Includes:
    • The Condor from The Invincible (trans. from German by Wendayne Ackerman)
    • Excerpt from Solaris" (trans. from French by Joanna Kilmartin and Steve Cox)
    • The Test (trans. from Polish by Louis Iribarne)
    • Chapter Seven of "Return from the Stars" (trans. from Polish by Barbara Marszal and Frank Simpson)
    • Excerpt from "The Futurological Congress" (trans. from Polish by Michael Kandel)
    • Two Monsters (trans. from Polish by Michael Kandel)
    • The Second Sally (trans. from Polish by Michael Kandel)
    • Tale of the Computer That Fought a Dragon (trans. from Polish by Michael Kandel)
    • The History of Zipperupus
    • The Star Diaries: The Seventh Voyage (trans. from Polish by Michael Kandel)
    • The Star Diaries: The Fourteenth Voyage (trans. from Polish by Michael Kandel)
    • Les Robinsonades (trans. from Polish by Michael Kandel)
  • Provocation [pl] (1984) – contains two faux reviews. Not translated into English.
  • One Human Minute (Biblioteka XXI wieku - lit. Library of 21st century, 1986) – 3 more fictional reviews (trans. from Polish by Catherine S. Leach)
  • The Riddle. Stories [pl] (1996) – collection of short stories. Not translated into English.
  • The Fantastical Lem [pl] (2001) – short stories collection. Not translated into English.
  • Lemistry: a celebration of the work of Stanisław Lem. Edited by Ra Page. A collection of three translated short works by Lem (The Lilo; Darkness and Mildew; The Invasion from Aldebaran) and works by other authors but inspired by Lem. (2011).
  • The Truth and Other Stories (2022) – short stories collection, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones.

Nonfiction

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Unless noted, not translated into English

  • Dialogi (Dialogs 1957) – Non-fiction work of philosophy. First section translated into English by Frank Prengel as Dialogs. Dialog 1 (On Nuclear Resurrection). Complete translation by Peter Butko in 2021, published by MIT Press.[9]
  • Wejście na orbitę (Going into Orbit, 1962)
  • Summa Technologiae (1964) - Philosophical essay. Partially translated into English.
  • Wysoki zamek (1966) – Autobiography of Lem's childhood in the interbellum Lwow. Translated into English as Highcastle: A Remembrance by Michael Kandel (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1995)
  • Filozofia Przypadku (The Philosophy of Chance, 1968) – Nonfiction
  • Fantastyka i futurologia (Science Fiction and Futurology 1970) – Critiques on science fiction. Two chapters were translated into English in the magazine Science Fiction Studies in 1973-1975 and later included in the collection Microworlds: Writings on Science Fiction and Fantasy, ed. Franz Rottensteiner (San Diego : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984). Includes two important essays on Philip K. Dick.
  • Conversations with Stanisław Lem, (pl:Rozmowy ze Stanisławem Lemem, Stanisław Bereś, Wydawnictwo Literackie Kraków, 1987, ISBN 83-08-01656-1)
  • Rozprawy i szkice [pl] (Essays and drafts, 1975) - collection of essays on science, science fiction, and literature in general
  • Lube czasy (Pleasant Times, 1995)
  • Dziury w całym (Looking for Problems, 1995)
  • Tajemnica chińskiego pokoju (Mystery of the Chinese Room, 1996) – Collection of essays on the impact of technology on everyday life.
  • Sex Wars (1996) - essays
  • Dyskusje ze Stanisławem Lemem M. Szpakowska, Discussions with Stanisław Lem, Warszawa 1996
  • Bomba megabitowa (The Megabit Bomb, 1999) – Collection of essays about the potential downside of technology, including terrorism and artificial intelligence.
  • World on the Brink (pl:Świat na krawędzi, 2000) interviews of Tomasz Fiałkowski [pl] with Lem
  • Okamgnienie (A Blink of an Eye, 2000) – Collection of essays on technological progress since the publication of Summa Technologiae[10]
  • Thus Spoke... Lem (pl:Tako rzecze... Lem, 2002) – Interviews with Lem.
  • Mój pogląd na literaturę (My View of Literature, 2003)
  • Krótkie zwarcia (Short Circuits, 2004) - Essays
  • Lata czterdzieste. Dyktanda. (The 40s. Dictations, 2005) – Lem's works from the 1940s
  • Rasa drapieżców. Teksty ostatnie (The Predator Race 2006) – the last book of Stanislaw Lem contains actual feuilletons about art, politic and social problems from Polish press "Tygodnik Powszechny".
  • Boli tylko, gdy się śmieję... Listy i rozmowy, (It Only Hurts When I Laugh... Letters and Conversations) Stanisław Lem, Ewa Lipska, Tomasz Lem, ebook, 2018, ISBN 978-83-08-06692-8, Wydawnictwo Literackie
    From book description: "... Contains records of conversations the poet and the writer had in early 21st century , as well as the letters which Ewa Lipska exchanged with Stanisław Lem's son when he studied in the United States. The book is adorned with numerous photos."

Adaptations

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Dramatic adaptations

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Musical adaptations

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Videogame adaptations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "FAQ at Lem's website". Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  2. ^ "Man from Mars", an excerpt (in English)
  3. ^ Hospital of the Transfiguration at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  4. ^ The Astronauts at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ Polish Studies Center
  6. ^ "Aliens - The Anthropology of Science Fiction - page 44" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-06. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  7. ^ "Vitrifax: On Stanislaw Lem - The Cyberiad". Archived from the original on 2012-01-22. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  8. ^ The cosmic carnival of Stanisław Lem
  9. ^ "Dialogues". MIT Press. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  10. ^ "Peering into the Future "[usurped], by Peter Swirski, Central Europe Review, vol. 3 no. 13, 2001, — a review of Stanisław Lem's Okamgnienie [A Blink of an Eye], Wydawnictwo Literackie, Krakow 2000 ISBN 8308030386
  11. ^ Profesor Zazul at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  12. ^ Przekładaniec (Roly Poly or Layer Cake) at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  13. ^ Ikarie XB 1 (1963)
  14. ^ Pirx Kalandjai at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  15. ^ "Theatre :: Solaris".
  16. ^ "Die Preisträger des IKFF 1999" (in German). KurzFilmAgentur Hamburg. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  17. ^ Gorinsky, Liz (2008-08-23). "SF Theatre: There Will Come Soft Rains". Tor.com. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  18. ^ About show Thirty-Minute Theatre on TV.com
  19. ^ Fischer, Russ (10 January 2011). "Watch the trailer for Maska, in which the Brothers Quay adapt Stanislaw Lem". /Film. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  20. ^ The Congress at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  21. ^ Shaw, Helen (2020-07-31). "Go Small and Go Home: Tiny Theater Made in Quarantine". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  22. ^ Detlev Glanert - Solaris - Opera