Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928 – March 2, 1982) was an American science fiction writer. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime. His fiction explored varied philosophical and social themes, and featured recurrent elements such as alternate realities, simulacra, monopolistic corporations, drug abuse, authoritarian governments, and altered states of consciousness, and often explored topics such as the nature of reality, perception, human nature, and identity.
Born in Chicago, Dick moved to the San Francisco Bay Area with his family at a young age. He began publishing science fiction stories in 1952, at age 23. He found little commercial success until his alternative history novel The Man in the High Castle (1962) earned him acclaim, including a Hugo Award for Best Novel, when he was 33. He followed with science fiction novels such as Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) and Ubik (1969). His 1974 novel Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.
Throughout his career, Dick’s writing style evolved, reflecting his personal struggles with mental health, including episodes of paranoia and hallucinations. These experiences often found their way into his works, adding an additional layer of introspection and existentialism.
Despite receiving critical acclaim, Dick struggled financially for much of his life. His works were not always commercially successful during his lifetime, and he faced numerous setbacks. However, his unique storytelling and intellectual depth continued to resonate with a dedicated group of readers and fellow authors who recognized his genius.
Following a series of religious experiences in 1974, Dick’s work engaged more explicitly with issues of theology, metaphysics, and the nature of reality, as in novels A Scanner Darkly (1977) and VALIS (1981). A collection of his speculative nonfiction writing on these themes was published posthumously as The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick (2011). He died in 1982 in Santa Ana, California, at the age of 53, due to complications from a stroke.
Philip K. Dick’s posthumous influence has been widespread, extending beyond literary circles into Hollywood filmmaking. Popular films based on his works include Blade Runner (1982), Total Recall (adapted twice: in 1990 and in 2012), Minority Report (2002), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and The Adjustment Bureau (2011). Beginning in 2015, Amazon produced the multi-season television adaptation The Man in the High Castle, based on Dick’s 1962 novel; and in 2017 Channel 4 began producing the ongoing anthology series Electric Dreams, based on various Dick stories. In 2005, Time magazine named Ubik (1969) one of the hundred greatest English-language novels published since 1923. In 2007, Dick became the first science fiction writer included in The Library of America series.
Since his passing, Dick’s influence has only grown, and his work continues to inspire and captivate readers worldwide. His impact on the science fiction genre is immeasurable, and his explorations of the human condition and the nature of reality remain relevant and thought-provoking to this day.
Philip K. Dick’s body of work stands as a testament to his literary genius and his ability to blend imaginative storytelling with profound philosophical inquiries. His contributions have left an indelible mark on the science fiction genre and continue to engage readers with their timeless themes and enduring relevance.
Philip K. Dick – First Edition Identification Points
Note: This list only includes works published prior to 1977.
| Year | Title | Publisher | First edition/printing identification points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | THE BEST OF PHILIP K. DICK | New York: Ballantine Books, [1977] | Wrappers. First Edition: March 1977 on © page.Ballantine 25359 ($1.95). |
| 1973 | THE BOOK OF PHILIP K. DICK | New York: DAW Books, Inc., [1973] | Wrappers. First printing, February 1973 on © page. Also, First Printing [through] Tenth Printing set in ten lines following the dedication on © page. DAW: sf Books No. 44 UQ1044 (95c). Reissued as THETURNING WHEEL AND OTHER STORIES. |
| 1964 | CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1964] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-309 (40c). |
| 1975 | CONFESSIONS OF A CRAP ARTIST | New York: Entwhistle Books, 1975 | Two bindings, priority as listed:
|
| 1957 | THE COSMIC PUPPETS | New York: Ace Books, [1957] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double Novel Books D-249 (35c). Bound with SARGASSO OF SPACE by Andrew North. |
| 1967 | COUNTER-CLOCK WORLD | [New York]: Published by Berkley Pub. Corp, [1967] | Wrappers. February, 1967 on © page. Berkley X1372 (60c). ALSO: London, Sydney and Tor onto: White Lion Publishers Limited, [1977]. Boards. First published in Great Britain ... 1977 on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1966 | THE CRACK IN SPACE | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1966] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-377 (40c). Later collected in A PHILIP K. DICK OMNIBUS. |
| 1976 | DEUS IRAE | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1976 | Boards. First edition so stated on © page. With ROGER ZELAZNY. |
| 1968 | DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1968 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1965 | DR. BLOODMONEY OR HOW WE GOT ALONG AFTER THE BOMB | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1965] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-337 (40c). ALSO: Boston: Gregg Press, 1977. First Printing, June 1977 on © page. First hardcover edition. Notes: (1) Photographically reproduced from the 1965 Ace Books edition. (2) Not issued in dust jacket. |
| 1960 | DR. FUTURITY | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1960] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double Novel Books D-421 (35c). Bound with SLAVERS OF SPACE by John Brunner. Later collected in A PHILIP K. DICK OMNIBUS. |
| 1957 | EYE IN THE SKY | New York: Ace Books, [1957] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double-Size Books D-211 (35c). |
| 1974 | FLOW MY TEARS, THE POLICEMAN SAID | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1974 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1969 | GALACTIC POT-HEALER | [New York]: Published by Berkley Pub. Corp, [1969] | Wrappers. June, 1969 on © page. A Berkley Medallion Book X1705 (60c). ALSO: New York: BerkleyPub.Corp, [1970]. Boards. No statement of printing on © page. Code OSL on page 145. First hardcover edition. Note: Issued by the Science Fiction Book Club. |
| 1963 | THE GAME-PLAYERS OF TITAN | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1963] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-251 (40c). ALSO: London, New York, Sydney and Toronto: White Lion Publishers Limited, [1974]. Boards. White Lion edition, 1974 on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1967 | THE GANYMEDE TAKEOVER | New York: Ace Books, Inc, [1967] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book G-637 (50c). With RAY NELSON. |
| 1955 | A HANDFUL OF DARKNESS | London Melbourne Sydney Auckland Bombay Cape Town New York Toronto: Rich and Cowan, [1955] | Two bindings priority as listed: (A) Blue boards lettered in silver; (B) Orange boards lettered in black. First published - 1955 on © page. Note: A later dust jacket listing Dick's WORLD OF CHANCE has been observed on both bindings. |
| 1962 | THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE | New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1962] | No statement of printing on © page. Code D36 at base of page 239. |
| 1956 | THE MAN WHO JAPED | New York: Ace Books, [1956] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double Novel Books D-l93 (35c). Bound with THE SPACE-BORN by E. C. Tubb. |
| 1964 | MARTIAN TIME-SLIP | New York: Ballantine Books, [1964] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. An Original Ballantine Science Fiction Novel U2191 (50c). ALSO: [London]: New English Library, [1976]. Boards. This edition first published in Great Britain ... in 1976 on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1970 | A MAZE OF DEATH | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1970 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1966 | NOW WAIT FOR LAST YEAR | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1966 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1970 | OUR FRIENDS FROM FROLIX 8 | New York: AcePub.Corp, [1970] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book 6440c (60c). ALSO: New York: Ace Books, [1971]. Boards. No statement of printing on © page. Code B3 on page 184. First hardcover edition. Note: Issued by the Science Fiction Book Chib. |
| 1964 | THE PENULTIMATE TRUTH | New York: Belmont Books, [1964] | Wrappers. September 1964 on © page. Belmont 92-603 (50c). ALSO: London: Jonathan Cape, [1967]. Boards. First published in Great Britain 1967 on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1970 | A PHILIP K. DICK OMNIBUS | London: Sidgwick & Jackson, [1970] | Boards. No statement of printing on © page. Reprint. Collects THE CRACK IN SPACE, THE UNTELEPORTED MAN, and DR. FUTURITY. Note: First hardcover publication for all titles. |
| 1969 | THE PRESERVING MACHINE | New York: Ace Pub. Corp, [1969] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. An Ace Science Fiction Special 67800 (95c). ALSO: New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1970]. Boards. No statement of printing on © page. Code 48K on page 309. First hardcover edition. Note: Issued by the Science Fiction Book Club. ALSO: London: Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1971. Boards. No statement of printing on © page. Drops one story, "What the Dead Men Say." |
| 1977 | A SCANNER DARKLY | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1977 | Boards. First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1964 | THE SIMULACRA | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1964] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-301 (40c). ALSO: London: Eyre Methuen, [1977]. Boards. First published in Great Britain 1977 ... on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1955 | SOLAR LOTTERY | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1955] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double Novel Books D-103 (35c). Bound with THE BIG JUMP by Leigh Brackett. Issued later in Great Britain with unauthorized editorial changes as WORLD OF CHANCE. ALSO: Boston: Gregg Press, 1976. First Printing, June 1976 on © page. First U.S. hardcover edition. Notes: (1) Photographically reproduced from the 1955 Ace Books edition. (2) Not issued in dust jacket. |
| 1965 | THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1965 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1959 | TIME OUT OF JOINT | Philadelphia New York: J. B. Lippincott Company, [1959] | Boards. First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1977 | THE TURNING WHEEL AND OTHER STORIES | [London]: Coronet Books, [1977] | Wrappers. Coronet Edition 1977 on © page. Coronet 218290 (80p). Issued earlier in the U.S. as THE BOOK OF PHILIPK. DICK. |
| 1969 | UBIK | Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1969 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1966 | THE UNTELEPORTED MAN | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1966] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double G-602 (50c). Bound with THE MIND MONSTERS by Howard L. Cory. Later collected in A PHILIP K. DICK OMNIBUS. |
| 1957 | THE VARIABLE MAN AND OTHER STORIES | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1957] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double-Size Books D-261 (35c). |
| 1960 | VULCAN'S HAMMER | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1960] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double Novel Books D-457 (35c). Bound with THE SKY NAPPERS by John Brunner. |
| 1972 | WE CAN BUILD YOU | New York: DAW Books, Inc., [1972] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. DAW: sf Books No. 14 UQ1014 (950). Note: Later printings state First printing, July 1972 and carry the publisher's printing code on the © page. |
| 1956 | THE WORLD JONES MADE | New York: Ace Books, [1956] | Wrappers. No statement of printing oh © page. Ace Double Novel Books D-150 (35c). Bound with AGENT OF THE UNKNOWN by Margaret St. Clair. ALSO:London.: Sidgwick & Jackson, [1968]. Boards. This edition published 1968 on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1956 | WORLD OF CHANCE | London Melbourne Sydney Auckland Bombay Johannesburg New York Toronto: Rich and Cowan, [1956] | Boards. First published 1956 on © page. Unauthorized editorial changes. Issued earlier in the U.S. with author's preferred text as SOLAR LOTTERY. |
| 1967 | THEZAPGUN | New York: Pyramid Books, [1967] | Wrappers. First printing January, 1967 on © page. Pyramid Science Fiction R-1569 (50c). |
Philip K. Dick – First Printing Dust Jacket Identification Points
Gallery of First state Dust Jackets of Philip K. Dick’s works. Only includes the first appearance in book form. Either the UK or US edition and does not include later printings.
Reference:
- Wikipedia
- L. W. Currey, Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors: A Bibliography of First Printings of Their Fiction and Selected Nonfiction.
