A collection of writing about science fiction and fantasy from the 70s and early 80s. Lem is very cranky about the dismal state (in his mind) of science fiction, particularly American, writing up to that point. He thinks things entered practically a state of arrested development after H.G. Wells. Partly he blames the writers for not being bold enough to push the genre forward, but he also thinks the cultural disdain for science fiction, again especially in the US, shares a lot of the blame. Essentially, he argues, the genre is reduced to being a mass-produced, assembly-line product with little cultural cachet attached to it and no supporting structure of critical analysis you typically find with more highbrow literary output. I should add here, he also blames readers for accepting trash and not demanding higher quality work. It’s probably a little overheated, but if nothing else Lem is not one to mince words. Many of the titles let you know exactly what he’s thinking, e.g.:
“Philip K. Dick: A Visionary among Charlatans” & “Science Fiction: A Hopeless Case—with Exceptions”. 😂 Here he calls out PKD’s book Ubik and Le Guin’s novel The Left Hand of Darkness.
Two of the essays, one about Borges and the other about Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky Brothers, were my favourite. He’s certainly a fan of both but nonetheless, even there, he’s not afraid to criticize.
Probably not essential reading except for the die hard Lem fan.
