was hmmmm, well as i see it, Lem just used random, somewhat connected notes and just brought them together in form of characters. Plot is barely there, all i can see is exploration of ideas. Young doctor arrives in hospital for mentally ill, and then meets various people. Without saying too much, that's basically what it is. One was quite humorous 'There are writers that don't actually write, just swim in the sea of possibilities/ideas, without realising that they have to narrow them down.' Humorous yes...