2008-2009 Updates
January
January 18, 2009 — For the Philip K. Dick Collector
Yandro #171 (1967) Contains a letter of PKD.
Yandro was a science fiction fanzine published from 1953-1986 by Buck and Juanita Coulson. Over that period, they published 259 issues, the final issue not being distributed until 1991. Yandro's content covered a broad spectrum of topics and the 'zine won the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine in 1965. (source: NationMaster encyclopedia
Word cloud of Philip K. Dick novels titles
This image was created at (and belongs to) http://www.wordle.net/. It was generated using all the titles of the books by Philip K. Dick presented on the site. The size of the word is proportional to the number time it is repeated thus to the number of editions of the book available and, in the case of the word "Man", to how many time it is used in the titles of the novels.
January 18, 2009 — For the Philip K.Dick Scholar
Philip K. Dick: Canonical Writer of the Digital Age (Studies in Major Literary Authors), Routledge, December 3, 2008, 177 pages, $95.00, hardcover.
Content : a 20-page biography of the author, Martian Time Slip: "The Mindset of Otherness", Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: "Mechanical Universe and Its Discontent", A maze of Death: "Life Is A Dream, But Is It Better That Way?", A Scanner Darkly: "The Reel Identity", The Search of Truth as an Antidote for Suffering in Valis" and a bibliography.
February
February 4, 2009— New Edition of Future Imperfect
Future Imperfect: Philip K. Dick at the Movies (Bison Books, March 2009) by Jason Vest. 248 pages, $17.85, paperback (this is the second edition of this book).
Among the films adapted from novels and stories by Philip K. Dick are Blade Runner, Confessions d'un Barjo, Minority Report, and most recently Richard Linklatter's A Scanner Darkly. Eight substantial criticisms illustrate how and how well each film expands, extrapolates and departs from Dick's singular vision.
Available at Amazon.com for only $14
March
March 29, 2009 — A new book for the PKD Scholar
The Postmodern Humanism of Philip K. Dick –Scarecrow Press, March 28, 2009.
Jason Vest argues that PKD adapts the conventions of science fiction and postmodernism to reflect humanist concerns about the difficulties of maintaining identity, agency, and autonomy in the latter half of the twentieth century. By comparing his writing to that of Kafka, Borges, and Calvino, The Postmodernism Humanism of Philip K. Dick demonstrates that Dick's fiction is a fascinating barometer of postmodern American life, even as it participates in an international tradition of visionary literature. Buy now.
March 29, 2009 — Philip K. Dick on Kindle
A number of short stories, most of his major science fiction novels, and other Philip K. Dick books are available in a Kindle format
April
April 10, 2009 — Music: Study for Philip K. Dick by the Pope of Electronic Music.
Study for Philip K. Dick — by Klaus Schulze, in "La Vie Electronique" (2009).
Member of Tangerine Dream in 1969, founder of Ash Ra Tempel in 1970 before starting a solo career as an electronic music soloist, Klaus Schulze is the founder of modern electronic music. His meditative soundscapes played a major influential role in the development of New Age music. His masterpieces (Moondawn, Mirage or Timewind) remain unrivaled today. Study for Philip K. Dick was written between 1972 and 1975 (around the time when Flow My Tears The Policeman Said was published) first released in 1995, and is now released in an album entitled "La Vie Electronique 2". Study for Philip K. Dick can be purchased from Amazon and all his music is available from emusic (see banner in sidebar). I have been a fan of Schulze since the 70's and his music is makes great company when updating this website late at night.
April 27, 2009 — Comic Books: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, BOOM! Studios2009. Starting in June BOOM! Studios will publish 24 issues of this comic book adaptation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The entire novel will be turned into a comic book format using the actual text of the book. See press release. Pages from the books can be seen here.
May
May 4, 2009 — Another Ph.D. thesis on PKD.
How Much Does Chaos Scare You? by Aaron Barlow. Lulu.com (9 Nov 2005). A series of essays on the writing and ideas of Philip K. Dick presented in eight chapters. This in-depth look at the philosophies behind Dick's SF and mainstream novels is based on Barlow's 1988 doctoral dissertation at the University of Iowa.
May 4, 2009 — Two Issues of an Old Fanzine
Uncle Jam #50, 1981 and #57, 1982 (Interviews).
July
July 28, 2009 — Uncle Jam Quaterly
Uncle Jam Quaterly, Vol 90, #14, Summer 1987. Talks about a new PKD book (could be Mary and the Giant).