The Futurological Congress is one of the best by master storyteller Stanislaw Lem. A tale of social politics and absurdist humor, this is a worthy read.
Intrepid space explorer Ijon Tichy kept a series of memoirs. This gem tells the tale of Tichy's attendance at the Eigth Futurological Congress, in Costa Rica. The fantastic conference is interrupted by just the sort of thing postulated by the attendees, a coup d'etat! Injured and put into stasis, when Tichy is awoken years later he gets to see which futurists were right about what.
It is easy to forget when and where Lem's stories were written. While picture perfect for 1971 Poland, the methods of population control employed in The Futurological Congress run parallel to stories we're seeing in America today.
I also love his cover art.
The Futurological Congress: From the Memoirs of Ijon Tichy by Stanislaw Lem
