This Crowded Earth

Author: Robert Bloch

First line: The telescreen lit up promptly at eight a.m.

Why you should read this book: Harry Collins lives in an untenable future, one where overcrowding threatens the very structure of society and government cover-ups hide the extent of the damage from clueless citizens. But when Harry can't take the pressure anymore, his attempt to escape leads him to the heart of the biggest conspiracy the world has ever known, or else the most radical solution it could imagine. Spanning decades and multiple points of view, Bloch works out his future history for a human race that needs a bridge between rampant consumerism and growth and unchecked destruction and degradation.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You can't wrap your head around the idea of 1997 being a futuristic time, and even if you can, you can't wrap your head around a future Earth where women are seen as breeding sows.