S. L. M.

Born in Lviv in 1921, he became one of the most widely read and translated science fiction writers in the world. He wrote novels, short stories, and essays that ranged across philosophy, futurology, satire, and literary criticism.

His best-known works include Solaris, as well as stories featuring characters like Ijon Tichy and Pirx the Pilot. Rather than treating science fiction as simple adventure, he often used it to examine intelligence, communication, bureaucracy, and the strange consequences of technological progress.

He spent much of his life in Poland and continued writing influential fiction and nonfiction for decades. Even now, his work stands out for being imaginative, funny, and thoughtful all at once.