'Solaris' is the undisputed pinnacle of Stanislav Lem's work, a work that influenced the development of 20th-century science fiction, including Russian fantasy. The novel has been adapted for film twice, and has been adapted into radio plays, stage plays—and even a ballet!
So, what is Solaris? A boundless, thinking ocean pursuing goals incomprehensible to man, a subtle tuning fork transforming human emotions into material form? A psychologist's nightmare come true, or a spiritual healer? More than 50 years have passed since the book's publication, and its readers continue to ask questions whose answers cannot be found without looking into their own hearts.