Humpty Dumpty in Oakland

Publisher Marketing:"A fascinating glimpse into how Dick's uniquely warped perspective evolved." "Entertainment Weekly" (Grade: A) "Humpty Dumpty in Oakland" is a tragedy, a dark comedy, and vintage Philip K. Dick. Al Miller is a self-proclaimed nobody, a used-car salesman with a lot full of junkers. His elderly landlord, Jim Fergessen, has decided to retire and has just cashed in on his property, which includes the lot that Al rents next to Fergessen s garage. Chris Harman is a record-company owner who has relied on Fergessen s for years to fix his Cadillac. When he hears about Jim Fergessen s sudden retirement fund, he tells him about a new realty development that Harman swears is a surefire path to easy wealth. Fergessen sees his chance to finally be a real businessman, well-to-do and respected like Harman. Al is convinced that Harman is a crook out to fleece Fergessen. Even if he doesn t particularly like Fergessen, Al is not going to stand by and watch him get cheated. Only Al s not very good at this, either. Maybe he s not even right. "It would be a shame to miss this . We all know that easy money rarely is, but it's a lesson worth reading about again." "The Kansas City Star" "This paranoid and ambiguity-filled exploration into the psyche of the small businessman showcases not only Dick's wild imagination and sardonic wit but also, and most notably, his mastery at intertwining perception with reality." "Publishers Weekly"" Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 08/06/2007 pg. 167 (EAN 9780765316905, Hardcover) Booklist 09/01/2007 pg. 54 (EAN 9780765316905, Hardcover) Entertainment Weekly 10/05/2007 pg. 75 (EAN 9780765316905, Hardcover) Library Journal 12/15/2007 pg. 171 (EAN 9780765316905, Hardcover) Contributor Bio:  Dick, Philip K Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) was an American science-fiction novelist, short-story writer and essayist. A contemporary of Ursula K. Le Guin, Dick's first short story, "Beyond Lies the Wub," was published shortly after his high-school graduation. Many of Dick's works drew upon his personal experiences with drug abuse, addressing topics such as paranoia and schizophrenia, transcendental experiences and alternate reality, and the childhood death of his twin sister is reflected through the recurring theme of the "phantom twin" in many of his novels. Despite ongoing financial troubles and issues with the IRS, Dick had a prolific writing career, winning both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award multiple times. Some of his most famous novels and stories--A Scanner Darkly, "The Minority Report," "Paycheck," and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (adapted into the film Blade Runner)--have been adapted for film. Dick died in 1982.