Any Dick experts out there?
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When it comes to Hemmingway or Kurasowa, I could tell you a great deal about the voice, style and feelings of the author, where they go in general with their subjects. However, I haven't started to tackle the big Phillip K.
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<BR>I've only heard strange things about his style and voice. Anyone out there who can give me a rough intro to the man who spawned the idea for the movie we are all so infatuated with? Anything would help. I would start reading now, but I'm overseas, not such a big Dick selection over here.
"A Scanner Darkly" is the Dick's most personal work, which contains many autobiographical moments.
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<BR>Basically, it's about a fellowship of junkies, who live in dystopic, almost fascist version of the US, in the year 1994 (that's already the past for us, see <IMG SRC="/forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">).
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<BR>In this situation, the main hero, an addict and eventual drug dealer named Bob Arctor finds it out to be safe to work as an agent for the narcotics police section. He is forced to spy on his best friends and also - on himself. On the other self of his. But... is he and his other self the same person anymore?
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<BR>Very tragic and excellently wrote book about degenerartion of both society and individual personality.
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<BR>You will laugh on it as you will feel depressed.
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<BR>_________________
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<BR><BR><BR><font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: BR796164 on 2002-10-30 00:50 ]</font>
I agree with BR796164, ASD is a brilliant work, especially when you consider that prior to that novel PKD had almost seemed to advocate (or at least have no problem with) the taking of drugs. I would also recommend 'The Man in the High Castle' and 'Valis'. High Castle has always stuck in my mind through Dicks analysis, via his characters, of the Nazi mentality. He puts it in such a way as to totally remove any idea that the Third Reich triumphant would hold a sinister attraction. And it will introduce you (if you have not yet discovered it) to the Book of Changes.
<BR>As for Valis, when I first read this book I was quite prepared to accept it as autobiographical, and some of it bears resemblances to A Scanner Darkly, but this is mysticism and, for me, Dick writing at his best. Don't let me put you off (and I'm no expert!) but Valis brought back to me the 'Sense of Wonder' that is pretty rare these days. If you are still new to PKD by the time you read this, I envy you.
<BR>Cheers
[addsig]
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The Future Is Old
Sorry I need to stop chuckling over the topic title before I can write....
I personaly have read very little PKD...mostly DADoES and the collection of shorts that has "we can remember it for you for wholesale"(the influence for total recall)...actually I think I may have read more about him than of him. I know he was a speed junkie to make himself productive in writing, and as his writing progressed he became more and more paranoid...he apearantly struggled with it untill the day he died. He was not only paranoid about others trying to controll or take addvantage of him but also of his own mind taking his humanity away from him for a mechanical self to take over. Almost every story I read of his his very confusing and turns you in circles making you very dizzy with plot twists that often don't seem to mean anything. I often think of him as I grow up and I am more and more dependant on habits and routines and less and less sensually connected to my environment and the moment of time I am in.
I personaly have read very little PKD...mostly DADoES and the collection of shorts that has "we can remember it for you for wholesale"(the influence for total recall)...actually I think I may have read more about him than of him. I know he was a speed junkie to make himself productive in writing, and as his writing progressed he became more and more paranoid...he apearantly struggled with it untill the day he died. He was not only paranoid about others trying to controll or take addvantage of him but also of his own mind taking his humanity away from him for a mechanical self to take over. Almost every story I read of his his very confusing and turns you in circles making you very dizzy with plot twists that often don't seem to mean anything. I often think of him as I grow up and I am more and more dependant on habits and routines and less and less sensually connected to my environment and the moment of time I am in.
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