The Star Diaries by Stanislaw Lem (another Swedish author!) came into my life due to an observant patron recognizing my Star Trek tattoo as the nerd alert that it is and recommending it to me. [Hallelujah!] The book is organized into short stories touted as the numbered voyages of Ijon Tichy. [A/N: Don't be thrown by the fact they aren't in order. Read my note at the end of this review for a better understanding.] The beginning offers an introduction which has the reader questioning the 'validity' of Tichy as a narrator and the last voyage really solidifies that doubt. [We are given to believe that these chronicles are studied by dedicated scholars and that Tichy is a great explorer.] We follow Tichy as he makes his way across the universe on a solo trip which ultimately turns into a philosophical journey about the nature of being and how he fits into the grand picture of the universe. One particular story was a standout for me (and absolutely terrifying) featuring robot monks, wild furniture, and a type of humanity that was horrifying for Tichy (and the reader) to behold. (Really dig into the underlying message here.) Lem, like most good sci-fi writers, is looking at what it means to be human by tapping into our curiosity for all things that are decidedly alien or other. Tichy is our lens into a world that is as ever changing as the various voyages that he makes. I absolutely loved it. 10/10

A/N: A note at the back of the book explained that the voyages were written out of order because Lem wrote the book over the course of 20 years and his writing style changed somewhat across the span of the stories.

I just love this cover. [Source: Goodreads]

 

What's Up Next: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

 

What I'm Currently Reading: Inside Out: A Memoir by Demi Moore

At first blush, I didn't think I was cool enough to totally get this book. It starts off fast-paced and in your face. The humor is quite specialized...I don't know how else to describe it except 'hipster'. That doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it, however. One of my favorite booktubers (look it up), Ariel Bissett, kept talking about the graphic novel SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki and how much she loved it. She flipped through its pages and the artwork which is primarily in black and white really appealed to me. The story follows a group of high school seniors as they navigate their way through the pitfalls of youth...except they're in a school full of mutants and magicians. After a time you forget that it's unusual for a character to be able to change its shape at will or travel through space. It becomes more about the relationships between the characters. My three favorites were Frances, Marsha, and Cheddar. Their cynical worldview and sarcastic wit had me chuckling with glee while on the train. Frances is a performance artist whose expression changes little from panel to panel. Marsha is in love with her female best friend and instead of telling her derides her at every opportunity. Cheddar just wants to get out of high school and undermines his teachers every chance that he gets (like Bender in The Breakfast Club). There are poignant moments about the fleetingness (I Googled this and its a real word so there) of youth and the seeming insignificance that most teenagers (and adults) have felt at one time or another. I do want to warn those with sensitive sensibilities because there is vulgar language and dirty jokes but since this is about teenage angst I think it's to be expected. (When does that kind of humor cease to be funny? For me, it't still going quite strong.) Overall, a quick, witty read that I think will appeal to those with an ability to laugh at themselves.