My point in starting this thread isn't precisely to jump-start a discussion of PKD's work, though I'll be happy if that follows, and will contribute accordingly. For reference, I think he's the best American writer of SF ever, and more than that, a purely fine and major fiction writer period (which would please him greatly, because that is always what he aspired to be).
But what I really want to do is tip off other PKD appreciators of a very fine and obscure scholarly summary and analysis of his work. It is titled simply, Philip K. Dick, written by a Douglas A Mackey, published in 1988 as one of a very good series called Twayne's United States Authors Series, from the University of Swansea, Wales. The edition I have was printed by a U.S. Publisher, G. K. Hall, in Boston. I found it on a clearance table at a Barnes & Noble five or six years ago, cost me about a dollar as I recall, brand new.
I've seen other volumes in the Twayne's series (which include similar works on Bradbury, Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Stephen King, Ursula LeGuin, and many others), all of which look excellent, but the Dick volume is simply wonderful. If you like Dick's work, try to find a copy of this thing. It breaks the stereotype of a "genre" author who deserves a lot more attention from the literati, and who ranks with Vonnegut in my mind as one of the great allegorical fabulists of recent years.
caw
But what I really want to do is tip off other PKD appreciators of a very fine and obscure scholarly summary and analysis of his work. It is titled simply, Philip K. Dick, written by a Douglas A Mackey, published in 1988 as one of a very good series called Twayne's United States Authors Series, from the University of Swansea, Wales. The edition I have was printed by a U.S. Publisher, G. K. Hall, in Boston. I found it on a clearance table at a Barnes & Noble five or six years ago, cost me about a dollar as I recall, brand new.
I've seen other volumes in the Twayne's series (which include similar works on Bradbury, Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Stephen King, Ursula LeGuin, and many others), all of which look excellent, but the Dick volume is simply wonderful. If you like Dick's work, try to find a copy of this thing. It breaks the stereotype of a "genre" author who deserves a lot more attention from the literati, and who ranks with Vonnegut in my mind as one of the great allegorical fabulists of recent years.
caw
