The Shifting Realities of PK Dick

Part One. Autobiographical Writings

The writings in this section have been grouped together by the fact that their content focuses exclusively or primarily on Dick's life. It will be obvious to the reader, however, that many of the writings included in other sections of this volume contain autobiographical elements as well. In his writings, Dick frequently drew upon events in his life to elucidate his ideas, and, in like manner, drew upon the ideas that most fascinated him at any given time to elucidate past events.

The two selections from the mainstream novel Gather Yourselves Together (1949) vividly portray the psyche of the young and innocent protagonist Carl, who bears a close resemblance to the young Philip K. Dick. These are certainly not autobiographical passages, but they nonetheless offer insight into the modes of thought and feeling of the apprentice writer coming of age. This novel was published in a limited edition by WCS Books in 1994.

"Introducing the Author" was first published (with an accompanying photograph of Dick) on the inside front cover of Imagination: Stories of Science and Fantasy (February 1953).

"Biographical Material on Philip K. Dick" (1968) was apparently prepared for the use of one of Dick's publishers. It is published here for the first time.

"Self Portrait" was first published, according to Paul Williams, "in mid- or late 1968 for a Danish magazine or fanzine edited by Jannick Storm." It first appeared in English in the Philip K. Dick Society (PKDS) Newsletter (edited by Williams), No. 2, December 1983.

"Notes Made Late at Night by a Weary SF Writer," written in 1968, was first published in Eternity Science Fiction, Old Series, No. 1, July 1972. It was reprinted in the PKDS Newsletter, Nos. 22-23, December 1989.

The two autobiographical sketches -- each titled "Biographical Material on Philip K. Dick" and written in 1972 and 1973, respectively -- are published here for the first time.

"Memories Found in a Bill from a Small Animal Vet" first appeared in The Real World, No. 5, February-March 1976.

"The Short, Happy Life of a Science Fiction Writer" first appeared in Scintillation, Vol. 3, No. 3, June 1976.

"Strange Memories of Death," written in 1979, first appeared in Interzone, Summer 1984, and was republished in the Dick essay-story collection I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon, edited by Mark Hurst and Paul Williams.

The 1980 epistolatory exchange with critic Frank Bertrand -- titled (in Dick's typed transcript) "Philip K. Dick on Philosophy: A Brief Interview" -- was first published in Niekas, No. 36, in 1988. The version published here comes from the typed transcript in the possession of the Dick Estate.