Short stories

This collection gathers twenty-one short stories by Philip K. Dick, drawn from across his whole career. They are science fiction, and they keep returning to two questions: what counts as real, and what makes a person human.

Several stories are singled out. In "The Days of Perky Pat," people pass their time playing with dolls that live an idyllic life the Earth's actual inhabitants can no longer have. In "Autofac," a community has to fight machines that mean no harm in order to take back control of its own life.

"Adjustment Team" follows a man who has stepped out of his own time by mistake, and asks what becomes of him. "I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon" follows one man whose reality may be nothing but a nightmare.

Two of the best-known pieces are here as well. "The Minority Report" is the basis for the Steven Spielberg film, and another story in the collection is the basis for the film Total Recall.

Expect short, self-contained pieces with a dry sense of humor and an uneasy outlook. The collection suits readers new to Dick who want a broad sample, and those who know the films and want the original stories behind them.