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A review by __apf__
Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick by Philip K. Dick
4.0
I started this book to learn more about today's world. I have seen Philip K. Dick's influence in modern-day writing and media, and I wanted to learn more. The book serves this purpose well, showcasing his most famous works from the 50s and 60s alongside later works that provide breadth. I now feel like I understand PKD.
To my surprise, this collection of stories also taught me about yesterday's world. PKD's stories reflect the culture and fears of mid-century America (cold war, nuclear powers, communism, authority). I can almost feel the feeling of the mid-century, in a way that I never did before.
The drawback of PKD is that he remains a product of his time. Across 2o+ stories, all are narrated by men and there are extremely few women characters. The women characters that do exist are love interests for the male characters and have few spoken lines; they tend to hop right in bed with the male characters for little to no reason. This is disappointing to me as a modern female reader. However, PKD's writing is much easier for me to read than a contemporary like Heinlein.
To my surprise, this collection of stories also taught me about yesterday's world. PKD's stories reflect the culture and fears of mid-century America (cold war, nuclear powers, communism, authority). I can almost feel the feeling of the mid-century, in a way that I never did before.
The drawback of PKD is that he remains a product of his time. Across 2o+ stories, all are narrated by men and there are extremely few women characters. The women characters that do exist are love interests for the male characters and have few spoken lines; they tend to hop right in bed with the male characters for little to no reason. This is disappointing to me as a modern female reader. However, PKD's writing is much easier for me to read than a contemporary like Heinlein.