Philip K. Dick: In His Own Words

by Philip K. Dick, Gregg Rickman, Roger Zelazny (foreword)

The first of a three-book series on Dick based on a series of interviews with Dick in 1981 by Rickman. Dick discusses his writing techniques, his books, Bladerunner, and the work of other writers. Appendices include a checklist of books by and about Dick and the texts of two Dick letters.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

286 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

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

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been spending some days with my father in East Dundee, Illinois while his wife is away in Turkey. Life is slow here in his house, but the country alongside the Fox River is inviting, so I go on long walks if the weather is fine, explore in the car if it is not.

I picked up this little gem at the Elgin Public Library, just a few miles down the river from Dad's. As suburban libraries go, it's a fine place. Situated on the river, with outdoor seating available, it contains a cafe as well as a book sale room.

Rickman is a great fan of Dick's, an essay by him (contained within) having caught the author's attention enough to spark a friendship of sorts during 1981-82, the final months of Dick's life. This volume, the first of three, is mostly made up of transcripts of interviews, interviews which can be read effortlessly--barring the jolts occasioned by too-frequent typographical errors. Being a fan of Dick's myself and having read all of his short fiction and most of his longer works, I found his reflections about his books to be a pleasant trip down memory lane.

[David Agranoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review on the way. Lots of important details for serious Dickheads.

[Astral · Rating 5 out of 5]

The three book series that Gregg Rickman put out about K. dick are a must for any student of old Firebright.

This one is the first of the three extensive interviews that were done in 1982.
Followed by To the High Castle, a biography covers that covers Philips birth to the age of 32.
Last is Philip K. Dick : The Last Testament, a heavy hitting interview that cracks open Phil's head and really lets it out. A lot of insight into the idea Valis is in this.
AMAZING collection.

[Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book, which is an extensive interview with Philip K. Dick, from the author when it was first published. Unfortunately I never obtained the next two volumes of this three book series. This is a fascinating look at one of science-fiction's most unique authors. Very insightful.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard one for me to review. Gregg Rickman interviewed Philip K. Dick several times in the last few years before his death, and excerpts from those interviews make up most of this book. It's interesting to get Dick's perspective on his own books. My main problem is with the way the book is edited. The passages are generally quite short, and grouped together by subject, rather than chronolgoically. It makes for choppy reading. The information is valuable for readers with an interest in Dick's body of work, but there's not much sense of the flow of conversation, something which I did get from other similar Dick interview books (even Rickmann's later books, in fact). Rickmann was an inexperienced writer at the time, and I think this choppy feel is largely due to that inexperience with editing, pacing, etc.

[Jon]

I read the revised edition, very interesting. I'm wishing now I had my own copy for he footnotes and references to other works that Dick likes. Supposedly this interviewer had some of this other interviews with Dick published and this is actually the first in a series. I'm going to try to track down the others.[return][return]One warning, there's a pretty decent amount of spoilers although I only think there's a handful that could really destroy the book. Of course, in one or two cases I then realized I had read the actual books.[return][return]Also helps clears up some of his feelings towards Blade Runner.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast and easy read. I recommend it for the hard core PKD fan who wants to know more about this great writer/thinker. He's very unguarded in his responses, often criticizing other writers' work, although he hands out plenty of praise too. He provides thoughts on his novels - briefly, one by one. It's interesting to hear which of his own novels he considers inferior works and why. And of course, more interesting to read about the ones he is proud of.