Solaris by Stanislaw Lem - Book Chat

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem was originally published in Poland in 1961. The english language edition I read was translated by Bill Johnston and was published in 2017.
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Other works mentioned:
Definitely Maybe by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky
Solaris (movies) one directed by Andrei Tarkovsky from 1972 and one directed by Steven Soderburgh from 2002.
Moby Dick as Philosophy by Mark Anderson

[@RSEFX]

Excellent job of talking about the book while preserving all of its mysteries and conceptual leaps. I'm not sure if it matters, but it might be interesting to note that the station Kelvin enters is a space station (yes?---at least that's how I remember it after not having read the book again for some 45 years), so that the scientists (and we the reader) observe Solaris from above. I think you'd enjoy the 2 film versions, but be prepared that the Russian 1972 version concentrates very much on the human aspect---the soul and memory's lasting impact on us, more so than some of the "wilder" aspects of the book. It's quite a lovely and haunting film, if very long and slow. Hypnotic might be a good word to describe it. (Btw, there was also a Russian TV version done in the 60's.)

[@chiefshep5885]

Lem is my favorie author with Solaris being my favorite book of all time. It's absolutely amazing and I feel like you did it justice. Also, I'm happy you read the Bill Johnston version. Great review, thank you.

[@oliwiazadlo9824]

I love to read a book and then hear out some interpretations. SO HAPPY to find your video. Btw I love the covers

[@piotrbis8867]

I've read Solaris recently (again after many years) and now I read another Lem's novel ,,The Invincible" from 1964. As Wikipedia says it is one of the first novels to explore the ideas of microrobots, smartdust, artificial swarm intelligence, and "necroevolution" (a term suggested by Lem for the evolution of non-living matter). Very good novel and quite different than Solaris.I think it's worth reading. Greetings from Poland.

[@EarnestlyEston]

Thanks for the recommendation! I've been meaning to read more Lem and have put The Invincible on my reading list for next year.

[@thetooginator153]

I recommend “His Master’s Voice” by Lem. Like Lem, I think the concept that we might not understand aliens AT ALL is really interesting. It is VERY difficult for humans to comprehend that an alien (like the one in Solaris) may not have any wants or needs. The alien does things that imply consciousness, but the characters have no idea what the alien wants - or if the alien “wants” anything at all. If humans make contact with aliens some day, we might not understand them at all (and vice-versa). We might just have to settle for knowing they exist, and nothing more.

[@EarnestlyEston]

Just looked this one up and it sounds fantastic!! Thanks so much for the recommendation.

[@thetooginator153]

@@EarnestlyEston - Sure thing! “His Master’s Voice” is a little slow at times, but it’s worth it! If you liked “Solaris”, you’ll like “His Master’s Voice”. As you can imagine, I would really enjoy watching a video of your impression of “His Master’s Voice”. BTW - I’m just a few months older than you, so, have a great 60th!

[@dafarce]

Really enjoyed, as always. Seriously, I could see this (as you described it) as an opera! This book is on my Kindle wish list -- will def begin reading soon. Thanks!

[@EarnestlyEston]

Solaris would make a completely awesome opera! Wish I could finance someone to write it :)

[@icreateworlds]

One of my all time favorite scifi books since i first read it when i was 13 back in 1983. I actually love both movies for different reasons although none of them fully addapt the book. The bits that addapts are excellent in both movies but both movies are totally different. Theres a lot of atmosphere from the book intact in both movies. I grew to love tarkovsky version despite being so challenging to watch if you dont know what youll get into. The sodorbergh version is also really good. The book is a lot more detailled and the ending is different in a way. I think both movies retain that alien feel from the book very well. If you watch it make sure you watch both on bluray. Trust me it makes a huge difference from dvd. Awesome book, great movies in their own way.

[@thetooginator153]

Luis Peres - I agree with you about the book and both movies.

[@acruelreadersthesis5868]

I don’t know whether you’re any fan of anime, but having recently watched Neon Genesis Evangelion-twice-and watched your discussion of this novel (it even sounds like the two have similar themes), I’m now itching to read some more science fiction! Might have to wait till next year, though, what with all the unread books I now own 😊 Wonderful video! I need to catch up on your book chats!

[@EarnestlyEston]

I have watched a bit of anime but will definitely check out Neon Genesis Evangelion especially if it's in any way similar to Solaris! Thanks for the comment and I'm behind the times but I see you've changed your channel name. I've fallen a bit behind in my reading and booktube activity but need to catch up on your videos as well.

[@nehukybis]

I'm very fond of Stanislaw Lem, and this is by far and away his most famous book- but I've never managed to get through it. I think it's because his ideas and settings are more interesting than his characters or his plots, so I'd rather read collections of his short stories- the Cyberiad, Pirx the Pilot. or The Star Diaries. Solaris was a short story worth of ideas padded to novel length with extraneous detail. And you wouldn't know it from Solaris, but he's a really funny guy. His short story collections almost read like PG Wodehouse in space.

[@pimpontherun1968]

I’m in a high school book club, is there any bad scenes in this book? I want to read it but I wouldn’t want to present it and later find that there is an inappropriate scene

[@EarnestlyEston]

I'm not sure what you would consider inappropriate exactly in this context but here isn't anything that is particularly graphic as far as violence or sexuality.

[@thuntz29]

How come I didn’t know about your channel? 😲 Subscribed! 😊 I haven’t read the book but it’s on my tbr. Came here because of RichardsonReads

[@vmasing1965]

Yes, it has 2 movie versions--a true masterpiece and a Hollywood version.

[@EarnestlyEston]

I still haven't seen either movie version! I know... it's terrible. I need to settle down and watch the masterpiece version soon :)

[@vmasing1965]

@@EarnestlyEston Yeah that's definitely a good idea. :) There's 3 kinds of movie directors: Sloppy amateurs, good professionals, then there's whole lot of nothing in-between, and finally you have Andrei Tarkovsky. I have never been hypnotized by anything or anyone, but when I first saw "Stalker" my gf had to walk me home like I was drunk. It hit me so hard I think I was literally hypnotized for 30 minutes after it ended... So be careful! :)

[@trombone7]

Russian version of Solaris : kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqbXfnt3mqiZgrc Watch it while you can. Don't forget to turn on English captions.

[@gjb5864]

surprised you not seen tarkovsky film most people seen that movie then get into stanislaw lem its one of best european films ever made ..

[@EarnestlyEston]

I don't know how I've missed seeing it! However, that will soon change. I will be participating in a Book to Film club over the next year and one of the selections is Solaris and the Tarkovsky film. Of course, I've already read the book (but may do a re-read).

[@MattBargain]

I really loved the book but the well praised 1972 movie adaption was unwatchable for me.

[@Newtorin]

I like your way of thought! Currently listening to Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon, that is how I found your channel as you got one of the only videos about this book. Keep up the good work!👍

[@EarnestlyEston]

Thanks so much for the comment! Have you finished Star Maker? What did you think of it?

[@Newtorin]

Star Maker - amazing work. The book really expands my perception of my body, mind and this reality as whole.

[@maya_svk]

thank you for the videos! i really enjoy listening to your opinion and thoughts. btw i also love "solaris" as a mysterious and creepy story but really wise and thoughtful one.

[@EarnestlyEston]

Thanks for the comment! I thought it was genius how the author managed to create the mysterious and alien atmosphere in the book. It's definitely a classic science fiction in my opinion :)

[@pegthebookprizeaddict579]

Wow, you are a reading machine these days🤪. I am suddenly wanting to read some Sci Fi and you have some great suggestions here. Looking forward to that next video and your free reading announcement!🙋‍♀️👍📚

[@EarnestlyEston]

I'm actually more behind on videos than reading quickly. I have one more book chat to do which I should get to tomorrow and then I'll be caught up! Now that I'm at the halfway mark for my priority reading list I think I will go ahead and have 3 interruption reads for April. Since I used 1 interruption earlier this year to read the last of the Three Body Trilogy by Cixin Liu that will be 4 out of my allowable 5 : )

[@azelda7483]

Thanks for video. By the end of the movie (i mean tarkovsky version) I felt so empty and for a while, I could not understand the final scene.Actually I am still thinking about it,I wish I could watch your comments about film:)

[@EarnestlyEston]

I haven't watched the film version yet but I hope to soon. I have heard that the Tarkovsky version is the best so that's the one I will watch. I'll check back in when I've had a chance to watch it :)

[@Yesica1993]

I remember the title because of the movie. I am not a Clooney fan, so I never watched it. I had no idea it was even a book, much less a classic. And sure enough, as soon as I tried to get it at my city's libraries, they don't have it. Sheesh! You'd think I lived in some small town, not Chicago!

[@EarnestlyEston]

Wow, it's hard to believe the Chicago library doesn't have Solaris! What a shame... if I had the money I'd make sure libraries had all the good stuff!

[@Yesica1993]

I love libraries in principle. Since I've been watching Book Tube, I've been trying to utilize them more often. But I can't tell you how many times they have let me down lately. Crazy!

[@EarnestlyEston]

I hear ya! I was browsing audio books at my library today and there were waits of weeks on everything I searched for. Maybe it's a budgeting thing.

[@Yesica1993]

It could be. I requested an inter-library loan, so perhaps another city has it. It's got to be somewhere, right? LOL!

[@lovefunnyflicks]

Any idea where the english audiobook is to be found.

[@EarnestlyEston]

I don't know, but I'm sure it must be fairly widely available.

[@mriza1237]

Bill Johnston is my uncle

[@laalbujhakkar]

This book is not about aliens or space or planets, this book is about a dream.

[@oskarsjurans8023]

Like for your video. However, intelligent ocean is not the main idea of the story, imho. The main question is about human being. Who Harry was ? Was she an human? Was she an person? Knowing by her self about hes fake. Was elimination of her an murder or not? What makes human? Lem is so deep always.

[@EarnestlyEston]

These are excellent points and I agree the question of what is human is central to the story. Thanks for sharing your ideas!