Editor Reviews:

Amazon.com Review:
His religions, psychoses, divorces, and drug use aside, Philip K. Dick changed the face of American science fiction with his mind-bending writing. There may be readers who have only heard of him as the mind behind Blade Runner (based on his novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?). But even casual PKD fans should take a look at these 24 short stories, among them, "Second Variety," from which the movie Screamers was made, and "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," basis of the Schwarzenegger film Total Recall. Other standouts include "The Turning Wheel," "The Last of the Masters," "Tony and the Beetles," and "The Minority Report." Readers will recognize PKD's trademark themes: capitalism and the American dream run amok, a disquieting loss of ability to distinguish friends from enemies, and humans versus machines.

Since Philip K. Dick's heyday, and thanks in large part to his influence, the contemporary science fiction short story has evolved into a form more self-reflective and psychologically complex. This is a wonderful development, to be sure. But don't regard the older stories in this collection as dated. Instead, enjoy the peppery punch: PKD's stories provide plenty of plot twists and surprise endings. --Bonnie Bouman

Rating : - Solid collection of some of Dick's more popular stories including some made into films
The advertisement touts "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" and "The Minority Report" short stories both of which became the basis for popular films. Second Variety ("Screamers") and "Paycheck" both became films with mixed success as well.There are an additional assortment of Dick delights in a variety of flavors from paranoid to alternate realities. Other stories include some terrific ones as well and some so-so stories but all are pretty much from Dick's golden age-Fair Game; The Hanging Stranger; The Eyes have it; The Golden Man; The Turning Wheel; The Last of the Masters; The Father-Thing; Strange Eden; Tony and the Beetles; Null-O; To Serve the Master; Exhibit Piece; The Crawlers; Sales Pitch; Shell Game; Upon the Dull Earth; Foster, you're dead; Pay for the Printer; War Veteran; The Chromium Fence.

This is a pretty good short story collection that allows those who have only experienced Dick through the movies to try him out and see if he appeals to them. Keep in mind, however, that Dick's stories were written anywhere from the early 60's to the late 70's (he died just before "Blade Runner" premiered which was based on his novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"). It's a pity that he passed away before he got the recognition he deserved as a writer. Dick's writing style isn't lyrical like Sturgeon's nor is it in the hard science realm of an Issac Asimov but his themes focus on what makes us human--is it our memories? What if our memories are duplicated? Is the person that has those experiences and memory the same person? Of course one of Dick's favorite themes continued to be the nature of reality.

Dick's work has been raided by other writers for themes in films and for other novels over the years. The TV show "Lost" for example deals with themes that are typical of Dick's work. I'd also suggest the novels UBIK, Flow My Tears The Policeman Said (Winner of the John W. Campbell Award), the first alternate timeline/reality novel The Man in the High Castle, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrich, Martian Time Slip and a later mainstream novel The Transmigration of Timothy Archer.