The Futurological Congress
The Futurological Congress is a satirical tale by Stanisław Lem, first published in Polish in 1971 by Wydawnictwo Literackie, Kraków, in the collection Bezsenność. Ijon Tichy finds a seemingly ideal future that proves an illusion. Seabury Press issued Michael Kandel's translation in 1974.
- Editions tracked
- 3
- First edition
- Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1971
- First published
- Wydawnictwo Literackie, Kraków, 1971
- First UK edition
- Secker & Warburg, 1975
The first edition of The Futurological Congress by Stanisław Lem was published in Kraków by Wydawnictwo Literackie in 1971. We track 3 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Wydawnictwo Literackie1971 Other I own The Futurological Congress, Wydawnictwo Literackie 1971 Log in to want this
Later and other editions
- Seabury Press1974 Hardback I own The Futurological Congress, Seabury Press 1974 Log in to want this
- Secker & Warburg1975 Hardback I own The Futurological Congress, Secker & Warburg 1975 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- The Congress film, 2013
Setting and characters
- Characters
- Ijon Tichy
- Genre
- black comedy, science fiction
Read next
- Followed by
- Observation on the Spot
In print
- Editions recorded
- 25 on Open Library, 10 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 14 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Stanisław Lem
Questions about The Futurological Congress
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Know what you are looking at
How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Futurological Congress?
The first edition of The Futurological Congress by Stanisław Lem was published in Kraków by Wydawnictwo Literackie in 1971.
How many editions of The Futurological Congress are there?
We track 3 editions of The Futurological Congress, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has The Futurological Congress been adapted?
Yes, including The Congress (film, 2013), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after The Futurological Congress?
In order, it is followed by Observation on the Spot, according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- Lem, Stanisław, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 2026 (sf-encyclopedia.com)
- The Futurological Congress, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- The Futurological Congress editions, Open Library (openlibrary.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 28 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.