Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick

Most of us who lived in Philip K. Dick's era remember all too well the angst of nuclear holocaust and all the "what ifs" that accompanied these. The author manages to incorporate the fears and projections of his and my era and distill all in a remarkable collection of short stories. Of these stories two stand out: "The Days of Perky Pat" and "Precious Artifact." For those of us who remember the original Barbie Doll, "The Days of Perky Pat" is the Barbie Doll syndrome with an ironic twist; it is the adults who spent their days in an elaborate post holocaust role playing world. "Precious Artifact" rivals Rod Serling's best in its construction of an artificial world. Like the engineer, I prefer my cats to be alive, but perhaps this gives too much away. For all who enjoy the Beat Generation with a double jigger of science fiction Philip K. Dick stands out.

Of the collections of PDK short stories I've read, this is the best. The stories are dynamic and varied. This collection is an excellent way to get to know Phillip K. Dick. Anyone looking for a PKD collection, this is the one to buy, or check out from the library, or buy for your library.

Might someone please list the stories included in this volume? I really don't need editorial, just the titles. I can't exactly purchase something if I don't know what I'll be getting.

This is an incredible collection from one of the most widely recognized and revered voices in SF history. PKD is a writer whose vision and stories have been regurgitated onto the silver screen in films like TOTAL RECALL ("We Can Remember it for You Wholesale), THE MINORITY REPORT and IMPOSTER most recently. The basis for those films are in this book and offer much more than the filmed versions, to say the least.While the three stories above are strong on their own terms, others in this collection offer more evidence of Dick's greatness and vision of a world where no one can be trusted, especially yourself. On display are stories that range from Fantasy - KING OF THE ELVES, wherein a man takes in a travelling band of elves, Gothic Horror UPON THE DULL EARTH - in which a witch and her husband attempt to cross the boundaries of life and death. The down side of time travel in A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR US TEMPUNAUTS and peek behind the curtain of reality in FAITH OF OUR FATHERS. In RAUTAVAARA'S CASE, the basic tenets of Catholocism are tested and turned on a screw to the most ardent of believers. In some way all of the stories in the selection turn something on its rear, turn the world a few degrees on its axis and offer a glimpse at what could be. PKD shows us those things which we would rather not consider as the truth of a reality.There are 21 superb stories in this collection, each throwing a monkey-wrench into the perceptions of self, the world around you and the relationship between the two.