FABLES FOR ROBOTS BY STANISLAW LEM (BOOK REVIEW AND OUTFIT POST)

Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! How are you doing? Today I'll post a review for one of my summer reads: A Fables for Robots by Stanislaw Lem. Stanislaw Lem is one of my favourite science fiction writers for sure. It's a real compliment, coming from me, because there are a lot of SF writers I adore. Moreover, I've been reading science fiction since I was a teenager.

Stanislaw Lem was a Polish writer, mostly known for his science fiction writing. His works have been translated to 40 languages, so you have a good chance of finding a copy of his in your language. I wrote about Lem a number of times on my blog and I will link it up my older Lem's  blog book reviews in this post. 

 I have read this book in Croatian translation (Bajke o robotima) and  enjoyed the imaginative language and world play so much. I love Croatian translations and editions. The cover art for this book is so pretty, too. Somebody did a great job with the translation. In Croatia, translations of literary works are taken seriously. I borrowed this copy from Split's city library. If you are ever in Split, you should pay it a visit. Split's city library often hosts exhibitions, lectures workshops, and cultural events of all sorts. They are really doing a great job. The outfit photos I'm sharing today were both shot in Mostar. I also recommend visiting Mostar libraries. It's interesting how many people to forget libraries when they are sight-seeing.

 As I have already mentioned, I have done a lot of reading this Summer. I just hope I won't end up as Amos Oz's mother. By that I mean, there's a time and place for everything. In one of his novels, Oz describes how his depressed mother spend her vacation reading Russian classics. According to him, she returned from her vacation more tired than rested. My unpaid vacation is a bit like that too. I'm trying my best to make the most out of my free time. Sometimes  I feel like I'm trying too hard, though. Maybe I should take it easy.  Do you ever do that? Push yourselves a little too hard?

THE STORY OF MY OUTFITS

SUSTAINABLE FASHION FILES

HOW I WORE IT BEFORE?

OUTFIT NO.1

THE BLUE DRESS- OLD,  HERE 2016

THE GOLD BELT - OLD, HERE

THE BAG- SECOND HAND (GIFED), HERE

THE BROWN HEELED SANDALS - 53 WAYS TO WEAR HERE 

I've been wearing this pair a lot this summer. I'm sure I've passed 100 wears!

OUTFIT NO.2

THE MIXED PRINT DRESS- SECOND HAND (NEW TO ME)

THE NEUTRAL MINI BAG- OLD, BORSA,  HERE & HERE

THE STRAW HAT STYLED WITH A SECOND HAND SCARF-HERE

TROPICAL PRINT SANDALS- 30 WAYS TO WEAR HERE, MORE WAYS TO WEAR HERE M HERE AND HERE

FABLES FOR ROBOTS BY STANISLAW LEM, 3.6 /5

What kind of book is it?

It's a collection of short stories about robots. Some stories feature the same protagonists but they are mostly independent one from another. They feature a wide cast of robot characters:  kings, queens, princes, princesses, ministers, wise man, engineers and the regular robot folk. 

This book turned out quite different from what I imagined it to be, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.  What did I expect? Well, I expected the kind of robot themes you'd find in Asimov, Heinlein or Philip K. Dick's works. Based on what I've read from Lem so far, I assumed that the theme would be more connected to technology or rather our relationship with technology. I expected something along the lines of  future predictions and questions about how the technology might influence us.  That was not the case, as there are no humans in this book. In fact, humanity isn't mentioned at all. 

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this book was filled with wonderfully didactic, highly symbolic and extremely humorous fairy-tales about the robots. Most of the time, the robots didn't feel like robots at all. They behaved like humans. Robot princesses had to be saved from robot dragons. Robot ministers plotted against the robot king. A clever robot found how to fix a mechanical heart of a robot princess and thus inherited the throne. Another king robot had a prophetic dream and killed his family members in fear for his throne. Many of the stories reminded me of folk tales, medieval stories or even classical Greek mythology. 

There are only two recurring characters and they are robot engineers. I did some research and it seems   these are heroes of another book. These two engineer robots often come into conflict but they remain friends. In the book, they are either pinned one against the other or they solve problems together. The stories featuring these two robots are often quite funny. 

What is the writing like? What writing style is employed? Do stories featured in this book differ one from another?

The writing style is fairly simple but imaginative.  At times it is wonderfully poetic. Moreover, many of the stories employ world play to its advantage. The stories are often quite funny, sometimes in  bit dark way. Some feature elements of grotesque but I wouldn't call these elements dominant. As far as the narrative goes, it's very straight-forward third person linear narration. The stories are easy to read. A more serious reading might require more thought, though. Some stories contain more than meets the eye at first glance. 

I would say that the tone of writing differs slightly from story to story. Most stories are didactic, but their message might be more playful or more serious. Therefore, the style of writing changes in accordance with the tone of the story. Some stories were quite poetically written and philosophical, while others were more ironic and dark. Some stories felt more like dystopian than fairy-tale like, but there was usually a happy end, so the ending seems to lean more toward fairy-tale conventions. 

I have said that this book doesn't feature humans at all. However, that depends on our reading interpretation, doesn't it? Can a human being even write a novel that doesn't describe a human experience in some way?  Aren't the robots described similar to us humans? The robot societies described resemble human societies. On the outside, the robot planets are different from our own, but at its core they are plagued by same problems. Many stories in this book are about struggle for power, in particular, political power. Robot wars are fought and robot lives lost. I can not help thinking that Stanislaw Lem used the robot theme to criticize human societies. 

CONCLUSION 

 In some ways Fables for Robots was a light read, amusing and interesting. In other ways, it was thought-provoking and profound. On the first glance, it's a collection of fairly- tale stories about robots. You read about adventures various robots experience and about different robot societies. However, once you devote more attention to the implications, you'll realize this book is much more than a collection of simple, imaginative and amusing stories. Many of the stores are quite profound. Moreover, this book is quite imaginative and original. I'm really happy I had the opportunity to read this book. Highly recommended!

MORE WORKS BY STANISLAW LEM WORTH READING:

BOOK REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION: THE MAGELLANIC CLOUD, A NOVEL BY STANISLAW LEM 5/5

The Magellanic Cloud by Stanislaw Lem was a 5/5 novel for me. Its original title (in Polish) is Obłok Magellana. The title of the book refers to dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky way galaxy.  As the title would imply, this book is about space travel and as such it falls into the science fiction genre.  

THE KIND OF BOOK THAT MAKES YOU THINK

As I will explain in my review, The Magellanic Cloud is a wonderfully complex novel. It might not be action packed, but there is plenty material to keep a reader interested. Lem is a writer known for his psychological and philosophical writing and this novel is a great example of that. The ending part of the novel seems a bit rushed and even slightly confusing but somehow when it comes to Lem's writing that doesn't  seem to matter. The book seems perfect as it is, even if the pacing isn't what you expect. The sudden ending didn't bother me at all because there is such power in Lem's writing. This is a novel that speaks volumes about human relationships and has some really memorable characters. It is not a typical page turner. The Magellanic Cloud is the kind of book I enjoy reading slowly, the kind that makes me think and that stays with me. 

THEMES EXPLORED  ARE  TYPICAL OF LEM: HUMAN PSYCHE IN RELATION TO SPACE TRAVEL, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND FIRST CONTACT

Now, when it comes to themes this book explores, they are typical of Lem. Much of the novel seems to be focused on the individual and collective examination of the human psyche in relation to space travel, space isolation, technological developments and progress of future society. As pessimistic as Lem's views of the first contact generally are, he is sometimes optimistic about the development of the future society. This novel is an example of Lem being more on the optimistic side of things (although not as optimistic as the original version that was censored by the communist party implied). By that I mean that the original version of this novel was censored in an effort to make communism more appealing- making it look unreasonably optimistic. Lem resented those changes made by censors for he was ever a realist. Fortunately nowadays we shall all read the original and uncensored version of his book.  While Lem does seem to praise some concept from communism in this book, I don't think this novel is in any way political. It just reflects some social views of its time. 

A VERY DETAILED RECOUNTING OF THE PROTAGONIST'S GROWING UP

The novel opens with a detailed account of the protagonist's childhood and growing up. The first person narrative was so incredibly convincing, I felt like I was listening to a friend telling me his life story. Later on when I did some research, I realized that much of the initial narrative seems autobiographical, i.e. there are definite parallels with Lem's life. Perhaps that is what makes the narrative so convincing, the fact that it was drawn from personal experience. At any rate, the author was right in opting to write The Magellanic Cloud as a formative novel, a bildungsroman if you will. It makes the story flow naturally. Both the future society described and the protagonist are described in detailed. The writer managed to make this story of growing up in a future society quite convincing.  

FAMILY AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP EXAMINED IN THE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

Future society is often a subject of Lem's writing. What is the foundation of every society? Family. Indeed, family relations cover a lot of space in this novel, whether it comes to the protagonist's account of his childhood or his adult years. The protagonist is at the centre of the novel but his family and friends are put into spotlight as well. Lem often writes in detail about friends or family members of the protagonist. Moreover, this novel often focuses on human relationships. There are quite a few interesting observations made by Lem about marriage, love and family life. Some of them I found incredibly touching. Once the protagonists gets on the space ship, these observation do not stop. Quite on the contrary, what we can read is a detailed account of various personalities travelling to the Magellanic Clouds. Many different work and personal relationships are examined, often turning into separate episodes of sorts featuring different 'heroes'. For example, there is an episode that deals with a pilot who has lost his memory but it returns to him and he remembers a love that wasn't returned. His account of how that unrequited love was so incredibly powerful it made me cry. 

THE PORTRAYAL OF PROTAGONIST'S FAMILY AND HIS LOVE INTERESTS

I found the portrayal of the protagonist's family to be absolutely fascinating and convincing. I swear the grandmother of the protagonist is so alive in my mind, I'm half convinced I actually met her.  The grandmother is a fascinating character. She's a widow who is quite focused on her youngest grandchild because she is convinced he will be an artist. That's the reason why our protagonist often gets away with things as a kid, he gets pardoned because everyone (under the influence of grandmother) believes in his artistic sensibility. However, his path will be one of science but that will become evident as the novel progresses and our protagonists grows to be a young man fascinated with space. During his growing up, other family members play a part in his mental and emotional development: his siblings and parents. The relationship between the protagonist and his father was quite touching. There is a moment in a book when the protagonist realizes (in an instant of mental enlightenment) that his father was a great man and he decides to study medicine to honour him. It happens when his father has a retirement party and suddenly there are all these people present who tell him about what a great doctor his father was and how many lives he saved or changed for the better. It is as if the protagonist has taken his father for granted his all life but now suddenly he sees him as a real person and wants to establish a more closer relationship with him. I found that moment very touching and the fact that he decided to follow in his father's footsteps. His decision to study medicine is fueled by his desire to understand his father better. It doesn't take his away from his desire to explore space, rather it makes him a more complex and interesting character. Once he gets older and falls in love, the author examines his love relationships as well. On Earth, he leaves behind a love interest- a young woman named Anna. On board the ship, he falls in love and starts a relationship with another Anna. That's when the time comes for him to start his own family.

EDEN, A NOVEL BY STANISLAW LEM 4/5

 Eden is a first contact novel, first published in 1959. A starship crew consisting of six men crashes on an alien planet they name Eden. Lem had a pessimistic view of first contact and this book reflects that. As the six scientist crew explores the surface of Eden, they are faced with many perplexing puzzles. I remember distinctly one scene where two characters (members of the crew) are arguing. One asks the other: "And what is not a hypothesis here?" and the other answers: "Our presence here". That part of the dialogue got stuck in my head. Indeed, the crew's mere presence on Eden implies moral responsibility, but how can they help the native residents if they don't know what is exactly going on? 

SOLARIS, A NOVEL BY STANISLAW LEM 5/5 

Published in 1961, Solaris has remained popular to this day. This novel has been a subject of many adaptations in various media, from radio dramas, a play, a TV serial, several films to even ballet (in different countries and languages).  Solaris also inspired songs, music and multimedia projects. What is the secret of Solaris' success? First of all, it is a beautifully complex work, philosophical science fiction at its best. Secondly, the themes it explores are still relevant and interesting. Thirdly, the novel is well written and plotted. Fourthly, it is a book that inspired reader's interest and imagination. Finally, it is a book that asks all the right kind of questions, engaging both the heart and the mind of its reader

THE INVINCIBLE, A  NOVEL  BY STANISLAW LEM 4.4/5

Published in 1964, The Invincible  is simply ideal for a science fiction reader that enjoys thought-provoking but dynamic novels. Indeed, The Invincible is in many ways a page turner, a book filled with mystery, a space thriller. Nevertheless, at the same time this novel is filled with so many interesting philosophical and scientific concepts that are still relevant. The novel is named after a space ship that takes a crew to a surface of a planet they haven't visited before. Like many of Stanislaw Lem's work, this novel is a first contact story. Nevertheless, there is a different twist to it as the contact is not with 'biological' life. The Invincible is another work of Lem that makes its characters think hard. Similar to Lem's novels Eden and Solaris, the crew landing on this planet Regis III encounters a planet they do not understand. 

RETURN FROM THE STARS, A NOVEL BY STANISLAW LEM, 5/5

Published in 1961, this novel tells a story of an astronaut returning home to Earth after more than a century.The writing is absolutely captivating. What particularly impressed me is how it felt like several novels within one novel. The protagonist of this novel is an astronaut who has returned to Earth from the starts (meaning the outer space) after a period of more than a hundred years. Hal, a former astronaut, finds the Earth greatly changed. So, changed that Hal experiences severe cultural shock. Tennessee Williams said it best- Time is the greatest distance. Lem excelled at both creating this new world and describing Hal Bregg's reaction to it. What was a decade for Hal, was more than a hundred years for people on Earth. 

This is what wikipedia says about this book: "Fables for Robots (Polish: Bajki Robotów) is a series of humorous science fiction short stories by Polish writer Stanisław Lem, first printed in 1964.

The fables are written in the grotesque form of folk fairy tales, set in the universe populated by robots. In this universe there are robot kings, robot peasants, robot knights, robot scientists; a robot damsel in distress is pestered by a robot dragon, robot dogs have robot fleas, etc.^[1]

The Fables constituted the bulk of the collection Mortal Engines (ISBN 0156621614) translated by Michael Kandel. Two of them were also included into the 1981 collection The Cosmic Carnival of Stanislaw Lem (ISBN 0826400434).

In 1965 three of the fables, "Jak ocalał świat" ("How the World Survived"), "Maszyna Trurla" ("Trurl's Machine"), and "Wielkie lanie" ("The Great Spanking") were included into the cycle The Cyberiad.

On the other hand, one of the stories from The Cyberiad, "O królewiczu Ferrycym i królewnie Krystali" ("About Prince Ferricius and Princess Crystal"), stylistically belongs to the Fables cycle, but it was not in the original 1964 book.

The remaining fables are:

• "Trzej elektrycerze"/"The Three Electroknights"
• "Uranowe uszy"/"Uranium Ears"
• "Jak Erg Samowzbudnik Bladawca pokonał"/"How Erg the Self-Inducting Slew a Paleface"
• "Skarby króla Biskalara"/"Treasures of King Biskalar" (not translated into English)
• "Dwa potwory"/"Two Monsters"
• "Biała śmierć"/"The White Death"
• "Jak Mikromił i Gigacyan ucieczkę mgławic wszczęli"/"How Mikromil and Gigatian Provoked the Runaway of Nebulae" ("How Mocrox and Gigant Made the Universe Expand")
• "Bajka o maszynie cyfrowej, co ze smokiem walczyła" ("Tale of the Computer That Fought a Dragon"); also included into the 1991 Polish edition of the Cyberiad ^[2]
• "Doradcy króla Hydropsa"/"The Advisers of King Hydrops"
• "Przyjaciel Automateusza"/"Automatthew's Friend"
• "Król Globares i mędrcy"/"King Globares and the Sages"
• "Bajka o królu Murdasie"/"The Tale of King Murdas"

Additionally the 1993 collection Pożytek ze smoka contained the short story "Zagadka" ("Riddle"), written in 1980, a discussion of Father Cynkan, M.D. (Doctor Magneticus) and Father Chlorjan about the apocryphal possibility of non-ferrous life and how such beings could reproduce, without any design documentation.^[3]

The son of a doctor, Lem studied medicine at Lvov Medical Institute (now Lviv State Medical University) during 1940–41, but his education was interrupted by the German occupation during World War II. After the Soviet Union recaptured the city in 1944 he resumed his studies. By 1946 Lvov had been annexed by Ukraine, and Lem moved to Kraków, Poland, to continue his education at Jagiellonian University. Although he eventually received a certificate of completion of medical studies, he did not take the final medical exams for fear of ending up like many of his friends—with a lifetime commission in the Polish army.

Beginning in 1946, Lem’s first novel, Człowiek z Marsa (“The Man from Mars”), was serialized in the Polish magazine Nowy Świat Przygód (“New World of Adventures”). While working as a scientific research assistant between 1947 and 1950, Lem also published poems, short stories, and scientific essays. An early work—Szpital Przemienienia (1955; Hospital of the Transfiguration)—written in 1948 as a full-length novel, was initially suppressed by Communist Party censors. Two years later Lem was commissioned by a publisher to write a work of science fiction; it became his first published book, Astronauci (1951; “The Astronauts”), and convinced him to become a full-time writer. Later adapted for an East German film, Astronauci (like his other early works) contains elements of conventional Socialist Realism; Lem later criticized these novels as socially simplistic.

The period of reform known as the “Polish October” of 1956 produced greater freedom of speech in Poland, and Lem blossomed as a serious international science fiction author, writing some 17 books in the next dozen years. Although certain themes recur in all his works, his fiction can be divided into two major groups. The first includes his traditional science fiction, with its vividly imagined fantasies of technological advances, space travel, and alien worlds, such as Eden (1959; Eng. trans. Eden), Powrót z gwiazd (1961; Return from the Stars), Solaris (1961; Eng. trans. Solaris), Niezwyciężony (1964; The Invincible), Głos pana (1968; His Master’s Voice), and Opowieści o pilocie Pirxie (1968; Tales of Pirx the Pilot). The second group contains dark allegorical tales, or fables, such as Dzienniki gwiazdowe (1957; The Star Diaries), Pamiętnik znaleziony w wannie (1961; Memoirs Found in a Bathtub), and Cyberiada (1965; The Cyberiad).

Lem’s renown rests primarily on three works. Solaris is a deeply philosophical work about contact with an utterly alien intelligence—a planet-girdling, sentient ocean. The book was adapted for film by Soviet director Andrey Tarkovsky and won a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1972; a second adaptation, directed by Steven Soderbergh of the United States, was released in 2002. His Master’s Voice is another classic of traditional science fiction themes. It concerns an all-out effort by scientists to decode, or understand, what appears to be a message from the stars. In an early chapter, Lem inserts a critique of the science fiction genre: the main character, a Pentagon scientist, begins to read science fiction for inspiration, but he is soon bored and disillusioned by its monotonous plots and unimaginative stories. Lem’s third great book is The Cyberiad (subtitled Fables for the Cybernetic Age). Read on one level, it is a collection of comic tales about two intelligent robots who travel about the galaxy solving engineering problems; a deeper reading reveals a wealth of profound insights into the human condition. CITED FROM https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stanislaw-Lem

To learn more, you may visit  STANISLAW LEM  SITE

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