Name: Return From the Stars (The mit Press)
Price: 373.00 ZAR
Availability: InStock
Author: Stanislaw Lem
ISBN: 9780262538480

portada Return From the Stars (The mit Press)

Type

Physical Book

Author

Stanislaw Lem

Preface by

Simon Ings

Publisher

MIT Press

Year

2020

Language

English

Pages

312

Format

Paperback

Dimensions

20.1 x 13.5 x 2.3 cm

Weight

0.32 kg.

ISBN13

9780262538480

Synopsis "Return From the Stars (The mit Press) "

An astronaut returns to Earth after a ten-year mission and finds a society that he barely recognizes.Stanislaw Lem's Return from the Stars recounts the experiences of Hal Bregg, an astronaut who returns from an exploratory mission that lasted ten years--although because of time dilation, 127 years have passed on Earth. Bregg finds a society that he hardly recognizes, in which danger has been eradicated. Children are "betrizated" to remove all aggression and violence--a process that also removes all impulse to take risks and explore. The people of Earth view Bregg and his crew as "resuscitated Neanderthals," and pressure them to undergo betrization. Bregg has serious difficulty in navigating the new social mores.While Lem's depiction of a risk-free society is bleak, he does not portray Bregg and his fellow astronauts as heroes. Indeed, faced with no opposition to his aggression, Bregg behaves abominably. He is faced with a choice: leave Earth again and hope to return to a different society in several hundred years, or stay on Earth and learn to be content. With Return from the Stars, Lem shows the shifting boundaries between utopia and dystopia.

Stanislaw Lem

(Author)

View Author's Page

Stanisław Lem (1921-2006) was a prominent Polish writer in science fiction literature. Born in Lviv, he developed a prolific literary career that explored themes such as cybernetics, communication, and the human condition. His work is characterized by a deep philosophical sense and, at times, a humorous tone.

Among his most recognized works are Solaris (1961), The Cyberiad (1965), and The Futurological Congress (1971), all in the science fiction genre. Additionally, he wrote essays like Summa Technologiae (1964), where he reflects on the future of technology. His literary legacy has significantly influenced contemporary science fiction.

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