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Philip K. Dick

Born

in Chicago, Illinois, The United States

December 16, 1928

Died

March 02, 1982

Website

https://philipdick.com/

Genre

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Literature & Fiction, Nonfiction

Influences

Wells, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Richard S. Shaver, A.E. van Vogt, Borges, Ca ...more

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Philip Kindred Dick was a prolific American science fiction author whose work has had a lasting impact on literature, cinema, and popular culture. Known for his imaginative narratives and profound philosophical themes, Dick explored the nature of reality, the boundaries of human identity, and the impact of technology and authoritarianism on society. His stories often blurred the line between the real and the artificial, challenging readers to question their perceptions and beliefs.
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existenti Philip Kindred Dick was a prolific American science fiction author whose work has had a lasting impact on literature, cinema, and popular culture. Known for his imaginative narratives and profound philosophical themes, Dick explored the nature of reality, the boundaries of human identity, and the impact of technology and authoritarianism on society. His stories often blurred the line between the real and the artificial, challenging readers to question their perceptions and beliefs.
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a ...more

Combine Editions
Philip K. Dick’s books

Average rating: 3.93 · 1,519,108 ratings · 95,257 reviews · 1,934 distinct works • Similar authors

	Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 4.09 avg rating — 523,378 ratings — published 1968 — 371 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Man in the High Castle 3.59 avg rating — 239,763 ratings — published 1962 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ubik 4.11 avg rating — 125,827 ratings — published 1969 — 263 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Scanner Darkly 4.02 avg rating — 111,862 ratings — published 1977 — 178 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said 3.91 avg rating — 46,647 ratings — published 1974 — 144 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch 4.01 avg rating — 44,525 ratings — published 1965 — 168 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	VALIS 3.91 avg rating — 33,315 ratings — published 1981 — 106 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Minority Report 3.85 avg rating — 25,353 ratings — published 1956 — 70 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Time Out of Joint 3.87 avg rating — 17,278 ratings — published 1959 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick 4: The Minority Report 4.11 avg rating — 14,898 ratings — published 1987 — 60 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Philip K. Dick…

Series by Philip K. Dick

VALIS Trilogy (3 books)
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3.89 avg rating — 52,611 ratings

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (6 books)
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Philip K. Dick,

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4.04 avg rating — 8,540 ratings

¿Sueñan los androides con ovejas eléctricas? (3 books)
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Philip K. Dick (Writer),

Tony Parker (Illustrator)

3.93 avg rating — 2,113 ratings

Повне зібрання короткої прози (4 books)
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Philip K. Dick,

Філіп К. Дік,

Ганна Гнедкова (Перекладачка),

Євген Кириченко-Годунов (Перекладач)

4.42 avg rating — 262 ratings

Fantasy! Science fiction! Horror! Well, enough about the news headlines in 2026, let’s talk about books… As part of our ongoing summer...

Polls

JANUARY SCIENCE FICTION: This run-off poll decides which novel will be our January 2013 SF Book of the Month.

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

54 votes, 52.4%

The Prefect by Alastair Reynolds

49 votes, 47.6%

103 total votes

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Philip K. Dick’s Followers (22,913)

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Philip K. Dick

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