The Essential Philip K. Dick - A nuclear-strength imagination powered his stupendous output. Here’s where to start. [NYT]

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[–]Guts 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Is it true he “knew stuff”?

[–]LarrySwinger2 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

He knew JFK's assassination was a conspiracy. He treats it in Radio Free Albemuth, published posthumously. But he did think Richard Nixon's removal from office was an organic thing, and equated Nixon to 666. He didn't realize Watergate was a deep event. PKD is mostly sci-fi and Gnostic metaphysics.

/u/Vulptex it's right up your alley by the way.

[–]tiny-brown-mug 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

If anyone remembers the sci-fi series "Fringe" from about 10-15 years ago, a lot of their entire narrative, and individual episodes were, I think, based heavily on his work and ideas. Really cool series.

[–]neolib[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What do you mean exactly? He was a weirdo, who did a lot of drugs at some point in his life, but also described some strange experiences he had while being (relatively?) sober (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick#Paranormal_experiences).

[–]ID10T 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Philip Dick is my favorite author. I think the book Blade Runner is adapted from "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" is the best book to start. Ubik may be my favorite of his. But Valis is a true masterpiece.

[–]weavilsatemyface 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The best way to enjoy Philip K Dick's writing is to smash your head against a brick wall until your brains start leaking out of your skull.

It is fair to say that a handful of his books have inspired good, even excellent, movies -- Screamers is not one of them! -- but by all the gods, Dick's writing is awful.