Solaris, Stanislaw Lem
First American edition, first printing and the first edition in English of Lem's philosophical science fiction masterpiece. Translated from French by Joanna Kilmartin and Steve Cox. The novel follows a crew of scientists on a research station as they attempt to understand an extraterrestrial intelligence, which takes the form of a vast ocean on the planet Solaris. Combining "profound philosophical speculation with the structure of traditional action-adventure SF, embodied in a clear, vivid writing style " this is a major work by any measure (Anatomy of Wonder, 1995). Basis for three filmed adaptations, the most successful of which was Andrei Tarkovsky's iconic 1972 film.
New York: Walker and Company, 1970. Publisher's white boards, spine lettered in black; pp. (vi), 216. A very good copy in a very good, unclipped dust jacket. Binding remains sturdy with a trace of a lean, light shelfwear and toning to board edges with a few small bumps. Internally clean. Jacket shows general shelfwear and rubbing with a few ships, spine toned. Presents well in archival mylar.