Philip K. Dick died 28 years ago

Science fiction author Philip K. Dick died 28 years ago. If you haven’t read any of his books and/or short stories, you are probably still familiar with his work. His writings have been adapted into such films as Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, Screamers and more. I’ve seen the movies Total Recall and Minority Report, but as usual, I enjoyed Dick’s writing a lot more than the Hollywood adaptation.

I’ll admit that I didn’t start reading Dick’s work until the last year or so. I became interested in him while I was exploring the boundaries of science fiction in my own writing, and began seeking out other sci-fi writers. I was also especially drawn to him as a person because of his the tragic life he lead.

Dick suffered from mental illness, drug addiction and lived in near-poverty for most of his life. Perhaps the most tragic part of his life was that his works received more attention and fame after his death than while he was living.

If you’ve never read any of Dick’s writing, your in luck. A selection of his early works are in the public domain. You can easily download them from the Project Gutenberg website.

Are you a fan of Philip K. Dick? If so, what is your favorite novel and/or short story? Share your comments below.

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