Stanislaw Lem: 1921-2006

Stanislaw Lem, 84, a Polish-born writer of "reality based" science fiction who tweaked Communist authorities and became one of the world's best-selling authors with books such as "Solaris" and "The Futurological Congress," died March 27 at a hospital in Krakow, Poland. He had a heart ailment.

Lem did not endear himself to his contemporaries, particularly in the US. But he wrote brilliantly, honestly, cleverly, originally.

If you're not familiar with his work, I can't think of a better introduction than by meeting two of my favorite Lem constructions, Trurl and Klapaucius.

[Photo: "Stanislaw Lem in 1966, courtesy of his secretary, Wojciech Zemek."]