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Title: The Philip K. Dick Reader by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0-8065-1856-1 Publisher: Citadel Press Pub. Date: 01 March, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.53 (19 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A Pocketful of Miracles
Comment: There's a great line in the short story "Paycheck" that goes: "Rethrick was here all right. And apparently the trinkets were going to see him through. One for every crisis. A pocketful of miracles, from someone who knew the future!" The same could be said of Philip K. Dick's short stories as a whole. For none of the stories in this collection did Philip K. Dick earn more than 250 dollars. "Paycheck" the movie (as of writing this review) has grossed over $53,000,000 worldwide. A pocketful of miracles, indeed.
Philip K. Dick may have been the best _idea_ fiction writer who ever lived. His ideas for plots are at once pulpish, deeply metaphysical, and as original as any 20th century writer, and the stories in The Philip K. Dick Reader are as good an introduction to Dick as any other collection I've been able to find. Here you'll find the original stories that inspired Total Recall, Screamers, Paycheck, The Minority Report, and part of the fun in reading this collection comes with seeing the differences between what Philip K. Dick originally wrote and what was realized on film. But there are many quality stories here, too, that haven't been filmed. A few of them include:
"Strange Eden" -- a wonderfully imagined, eerie story of a space pilot who finds an alluring woman on a peaceful, Eden-like planet where nothing is as it seems.
"Sales Pitch" -- a hilarious story about an automatic sales robot that drives a man over the edge. I couldn't help but think about the 20+ emails I receive each day trying to sell me stuff, on-line pop-up windows, and, to me, the story seems prophetic.
"Exhibit Piece" -- the quintessential Philip K. Dick story; a futuristic museum curator stumbles into a 20th century exhibit only to find that it is utterly real to him. The emotion that Dick employs when the George Miller's co-workers at the museum don't believe his story was heartrending to read.
"Foster, You're Dead" -- turns a satirical eye to the nuclear paranoia of the 50s and 60s, a time when people actually bought bomb shelters for their homes the way you might buy a TV or new washer machine.
The highlight of this collection, though, are the stories "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale," "Second Variety," "Paycheck,", and "The Minority Report," which have each been made into highly successful movies. These stories are flat-out as good as any science fiction stories out there. Dick wrote of hugely metaphysical ideas in a language that was prosaic and fun, and he placed his ideas in plots that combined mystery and intrigue as well as any science fiction writer before or since. I highly recommend "The Philip K. Dick Reader" to any short story fan as well as to anyone looking for a solid introduction to the fiction of Philip K. Dick. It is a great collection, one of those rare few you'll come to time and time again. It truly is a pocketful of miracles!
Stacey
Rating: 5
Summary: One of the Best Books I Own
Comment: If you are new to Philip K. Dick, this is your book.
If you are interested in reading the original stories that have adapted into major blockbuster movies "Screamers" (Second Variety), "Total Recall" (We Can Remember It For You Wholesale), "Minority Report" (The Minority Report), and "Paycheck" (Paycheck), this book's for you.
I was introduced to Philip K. Dick after I had seen "Minority Report" in theatres; I loved it so much I saw it twice. It is easily the best movie I have ever seen.
So I looked around for the short story. They released it as a single book, although it's a very short story, but it was a waste of my good earned money.
My school librarian found this at a bookstore after I had asked if she had it in. She bought it, I payed her, and I couldn't be more happier with this book.
I have read a few, "Fair Game", "The Hanging Stranger" (my favorite), "Paycheck", and a couple of others. I could read them again and again. This book is entertaining, sick, twisted, weird, and fun to read. There's something for everyone who is a science fiction fan. Personally, I prefer stories like "The Hanging Stranger" and "Paycheck", which has been adapted into a Ben Affleck flick (I would've much rather prefered Colin Farrell from "Minority Report", but oh well) being released this Christmas.
Buy it. It's worth it.
Rating: 5
Summary: Idea-driven Science Fiction
Comment: PKD was one of those rare writers who captivated you w/ his "What if?" scenarios rather than w/ unique characters or tight plotting. You find yourself frantically turning the pages to find what mind-blowing extrapolation PKD will throw at you next, instead of what happens to the characters.
Because of this, I think his short fiction is in many ways more enjoyable than his novels. His novels, although creative and imaginative masterpieces, tend to peter out plot-wise towards the end. His short stories are more focused, and thus less likely to stray from the path. This volume also saves the best for last, "We Can Remember...", "Minority Report", "Paycheck", and "Second Variety", and the opening stories are probably the weakest, "Fair Game" and "The Hanging Stranger". Yet even these two stories play off of PKD's paranoia and ironic metaphysics. The Matrix, Being John Malcovich, heck post-70s X-Men all found precedence in the creativity of PKD.
PKD will put new thoughts in your head, show you things you couldn't show yourself -- that's what fiction should do. Highly Recommended.
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Title: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0345404475 Publisher: Del Rey Pub. Date: 28 May, 1996 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (The Collected Short Stories of Philip K. Dick, Vol. 2) by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0806512091 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: November, 1990 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Man in the High Castle by PHILIP K. DICK ISBN: 0679740678 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 30 June, 1992 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Ubik by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0679736646 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 03 December, 1991 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Second Variety: And Other Classic Stories (The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick, Vol. 3) by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0806512261 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: May, 1991 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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