Small Town, Philip K. Dick
Small Town, Philip K. Dick
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Small Town

Author: Philip K. Dick

Narrator: Scott Miller

Unabridged: 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Scott Miller

Published: 05/16/2022


Synopsis

Small Town by Philip K. Dick - The theme of "the man who played God" has been used many ways in many stories, but never with more tense and chilling effect than in this tight little yarn by the very able Mr. Dick. You'll like it, we're sure.Verne Haskel crept miserably up the front steps of his house, his overcoat dragging behind him. He was tired. Tired and discour­aged. And his feet ached. "My God," Madge exclaim­ed, as he closed the door and peeled off his coat and hat. "You home already?"Haskel dumped his briefcase and began untying his shoes. His body sagged. His face was drawn and gray."Say something!" "Dinner ready?""No, dinner isn't ready. What's wrong this time? Another fight with Larson?"Haskel stumped into the kitchen and filled a glass with warm water and soda. "Let's move," he said."Move?""Away from Woodland. To San Francisco. Anywhere." Haskel drank his soda, his middle-aged flabby body sup­ported by the gleaming sink. "I feel lousy. Maybe I ought to see Doc Barnes again. I wish this was Friday and to­morrow was Saturday.""What do you want for dinner?""Nothing. I don't know."

About Philip K. Dick

Over a writing career that spanned three decades, PHILIP K. DICK (1928–1982) published 36 science fiction novels and 121 short stories in which he explored the essence of what makes man human and the dangers of centralized power. Toward the end of his life, his work turned to deeply personal, metaphysical questions concerning the nature of God. Eleven novels and short stories have been adapted to film, notably Blade Runner (based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), Total Recall, Minority Report, and A Scanner Darkly, as well as television's The Man in the High Castle. The recipient of critical acclaim and numerous awards throughout his career, including the Hugo and John W. Campbell awards, Dick was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005, and between 2007 and 2009, the Library of America published a selection of his novels in three volumes. His work has been translated into more than twenty-five languages.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Bill

First published in Amazing (1954), Philip K. Dick’s “Small Town” features Verne Haskel, a Walter Mitty type character, but Dick’s story has none of James Thurber’s sweetness. Haskel, alienated both from wife and work, habitually takes refuge in the basement where he devotes himself to his hobby: the......more

Goodreads review by Patrick

Oh you know the story about a man and his trains, right, yes no maybe....me either. Now I do.......more

Goodreads review by Austin

If I had to give PKD some 2-star reviews, rather than my normal 4 or 5, this short story would be one on them. It felt lengthy, not too much of a twist, though it would be interesting to see if this story inspired the town replica of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice.......more

Goodreads review by Kumari

As other reviewers noted the "twist" isn't much of a twist for the modern reader. However, it is worth noting that this story predates The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits. In its time this was an intriguing story. I liked the twist. I give the story less than 5 stars because it felt longer than it ne......more