Voices from the Street

Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) was born in Chicago and lived most of his life in California. He was the author of forty-four published novels and more than 120 short stories. His work The Man in the High Castle was awarded the Hugo Award for science fiction in 1963. Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said received the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 1974. Dick's works have been honored with numerous other awards in the United States and abroad. His work is published in twenty-five countries. Nine of Dick's works have been adapted for film, including his book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner) and his short stories "We Can Remember It for You Whole- sale" (Total Recall) and "The Minority Report." Most recently, his novel A Scanner Darkly has been adapted for the screen. In 2007 the tenth film will be released, based on Dick's short story "The Golden Man." More are in the works.

Stuart Hadley is a young radio electronics salesman in early 1950s Oakland, California. He has what many would consider the ideal life: a nice house, a pretty wife, a decent job with prospects for advancement, but he still feels unfulfilled; something is missing from his life. Hadley is an angry young man--an artist, a dreamer, a screw-up. He tries to fill his void first with drinking and sex, and then with religious fanaticism, but nothing seems to be working, and it is driving him crazy. He reacts to the love of his wife and the kindness of his employer with anxiety and fear.