Mainstream Novels

Early in his writing career, Philip K. Dick aspired to establish himself as a mainstream novelist alongside his work in science fiction. His nine surviving mainstream novels were written between 1950 and 1960, before the publication of many of his best-known science-fiction works. Only Confessions of a Crap Artist (1975) appeared during his lifetime. The others were published after his death, beginning with The Man Whose Teeth Were All Exactly Alike (1984) and ending with Voices from the Street (2007). Several additional manuscripts have been lost.

Set largely in the everyday world of mid-century America, these novels explore troubled marriages, frustrated ambitions, working life, and the search for belonging. Their small-business owners, shop assistants, artists, and outsiders reveal Dick’s close attention to ordinary people under pressure—an interest that also runs through his science fiction. This section traces the publication histories of these lesser-known works through their editions, translations, and cover art.