Rating: 
Summary: skip this one
Review: Possibly Lem's worst novel. A lot of bad ideas mixed with his obsessiveness led to the worst collection of short stories imaginable. Cheap humor, unimaginative and predictable storylines... a couple of stories were alright, but by the time I finished the book I'd forgotten about them; the 20th and 21st are just dreadful. Skip this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant and humorous science-fiction
Review: The Star Diaries by Stanislaw Lem are a fascinating combination of science fiction stories, cleverly disguised social criticism, and a unique sense of humor. It is one of the few books I never tire of reading, again and again.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful
Review: This by happy chance was the very first Lem book I read. It is by turns hilarious, deeply moving, and profound--but always entertaining. The voyage that says the most about the unthinking embrace of technological change, I think, is the eleventh voyage, the voyage to the renegade robot planet. After you finish this go directly to "Return From the Stars".
Rating:
Summary: a great book!
Review: this is one of the best books i have ever read, and one i can read again and again. the first story is so good i read it again and again before i got to the others. reads like a cross between douglas adams and woody allen.
Rating:
Summary: Way Cool
Review: This is one of the great collection of SciFi shorts of all time. Yes Joe, the 20th & 21st voyage drag on too long. But no one should miss the 7th & 28th voyages. Lem examined, with humor and insight, some futurological problem WAY ahead of his time.
Rating:
Summary: Truly Outstanding
Review: This is one of the very best collections of short SF, or short satire/humour, ever published. Besides being wickedly funny many of the pieces also provide some pretty deep food for thought. If you've never read Lem you are missing one of the most intelligent and unusual authors of the century.
Rating:
Summary: The funiest sci-fi
Review: This is the first sci-fi book I read -- I was ten. Ever since, I am looking for something that can live up to the expectations Lem created in the Star Diaries... I am still looking! My favourite voyage is 23, when he was dispatched to change, "streamline", they say :), the course of history. This is very suseptible to translations mistakes as it is mostly words-play, but the English translation is not that bad after all. A book just for those who like a different point of view...
Rating: 
Summary: Marvelous Space Romp
Review: Whether he is infiltrating a planet of rogue robots whose ire against humans shows little restraint or, debating theology with Dichotican monks, Ijon Tichy is almost always willing to go to the ends of the universe for new adventures. (I found it amusing that, in the novel, Baedecker's was still printing travel guides, even for the far reaches of space).
One time, however, his future self visits Tichy to enlist him in heading the THEOHIPPIP effort (this acronym stands for Teleotelechronistic-Historical Engineering to Optimize the Hyperputerized Implementation of Paleological Programming and Interplanetary Planning). Tichy is a bit reluctant to take on this monumental project of reworking history so that man will be a better human in the future. Using a chronocycle, those spearheading the undertaking would travel through time to set things right, so to speak. Tichy finally agrees, and there begins his frustration. Many of the historical engineers start using the project for their own grandiose schemes and things quickly run amok. For example, Harry Bosch, who was supposed to be working on perfecting intelligence in earthly species, decided instead to dabble in the formation of all manner of fantastical creatures whose brain power was getting nowhere fast. Ijon had little choice but to strand Harry, and others who had strayed from the goal, in past times. It is there that they used their imagination in other endeavors; Harry took to painting.
The above is just a small part of one of many adventures Ijon writes about in his space journal.
Stanislaw Lem covers many themes in this book and there is much to think about as varying species in the universe voice their views on all kinds of subjects. Every once in awhile, one of the stories might get a bit bogged down in ornate explanation. Then again, there are other moments when some things are left unexplained. But, when our intrepid star traveler has to leave a planet quickly in order to save his life, some things must fall by the wayside.
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