The Complete Short Stories

Philip K. Dick

Introduced by Jonathan Lethem

Limited to 750 hand-numbered copies

This collection of all 118 of Philip K. Dick’s pieces of short fiction, with 24 illustrations by 24 different artists, is a celebration of the freewheeling imagination of a science-fiction master. Introduced by Jonathan Lethem and presented in four volumes, this unique set is limited to just 750 hand-numbered copies. 

£495.00
£495.00

Following The Folio Society’s publication of some of Philip K. Dick’s most celebrated novels, including The Man in the High CastleUbik, A Scanner Darkly & Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the author’s estate approached the team with a new idea – an edition of all 118 pieces of short fiction. The result is The Complete Short Stories, a four-volume set celebrating the extraordinary creative output of a singular mind.  

Limited to 750 copies, this box set features a dizzying array of elements, from the two-part presentation box and bindings, designed by independent studio La Boca, to the carefully chosen endpapers and eye-popping colour scheme. Twenty-four illustrators were commissioned to create one image each for a Philip K. Dick short story chosen specially for them. A work of art on every level, The Complete Short Stories is the definitive edition – an essential set not only for science-fiction aficionados, but for anyone with a passion for illustrative art and 20th century literature.  

Limited to 750 hand-numbered copies 

Bindings designed by La Boca and bound in Duchesse cloth screen-printed with fluorescent inks  

24 illustrations in total by 24 artists, printed on Arctic Volume Ivory paper 

2,560 text pages in total 

Set in Mentor with Futura display 

Text printed on Abbey Pure FSC certified paper 

Title pages and contents printed in two colours 

Coloured page edges 

Ribbon markers 

Four volumes each 9¾" x 6¾" 

Presented in a two-part box designed by La Boca 

‘For everyone lost in the endlessly multiplicating realities of the modern world, remember: Philip K. Dick got there first’
  1. Terry Gilliam

Philip K. Dick was a true anomaly. One of the grandmasters of science fiction, his interest in the metaphysical and his irreverent questioning of the nature of reality won him admirers across literary and cult circles, while his work has been adapted for screen multiple times, from Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner to Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report. Nothing showcases his extraordinary imagination better than his short stories. Through these four volumes the reader is taken from the troubled landscapes of Mars to the psychological fallout of nuclear war. In his superb introductionexclusively revised for this edition, Jonathan Lethem examines how, taken together, Dick’s stories build a view of the universe that is both deeply paranoid and oddly joyful, lovingly constructed from the building blocks of science fiction.  

In one of his letters – included in the preface – Dick said of science fiction that ‘it must be intellectually stimulating to the reader; it must invade his mind and wake it up’. These invading ideas, of which Dick was a master, proliferate in his short stories, and this collection is a gateway to myriad new worlds. Tread carefully, for reality is thin here. Dick knew that better than most 

The Complete Short Stories is limited to 750 hand-numbered copies and presented in a special display box designed by independent studio La Boca. The bindings, endpapers, title pages, page edges – even the ribbon markers – are colour co-ordinated in a fabulous fluorescent rainbow. Each binding is emblazoned with an eye-catching symbol that is echoed on the relevant title page and spot-varnished on the two-part presentation box.  

The interior of the box itself is lined with two specially designed papers; a multi-coloured ‘glitch’ pattern, and a night sky sparkling with silver stars to reflect Dick’s fascination with the possibilities of space travel and technology. Every aspect of this astonishing production has been designed with care, precision, and an appreciation of the ground-breaking nature of Dick’s work. With six full-colour illustrations in each volume, exhibiting the skills of 24 extraordinary artists, including luminaries such as the award-winning Dave McKean and international star Georgia Hill, this is the definitive illustrated edition of an essential collection of work.  

The text of this edition follows that of the five-volume Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick published in the UK by Millennium in 1999–2000, with minor emendations. Jonathan Lethem’s fascinating introduction has been revised by the author from a piece originally published in 2002. 

Preface by the Author • Introduction by Jonathan Lethem  

VOLUME 1 

Stability • Roog • The Little Movement • Beyond Lies the Wub • The Gun • The Skull • The Defenders • Mr Spaceship • Piper in the Woods • The Infinites • The Preserving Machine • Expendable • The Variable Man • The Indefatigable Frog • The Crystal Crypt • The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford • The Builder • Meddler • Paycheck • The Great C • Out in the Garden • The King of the Elves • Colony • Prize Ship • Nanny • The Cookie Lady • Beyond the Door • Second Variety • Jon’s World 

 

VOLUME 2  

The Cosmic Poachers • Progeny  • Some Kinds of Life • Martians Come in Clouds • The Commuter • The World She Wanted • A Surface Raid • Project: Earth • The Trouble with Bubbles • Breakfast at Twilight • A Present for Pat • The Hood Maker • Of Withered Apples • Human Is • Adjustment Team • The Impossible Planet • Impostor • James P. Crow • Planet for Transients • Small Town • Souvenir • Survey Team • Prominent Author • Fair Game • The Hanging Stranger • The Eyes Have It • The Golden Man • The Turning Wheel • The Last of the Masters • The Father-Thing • Strange Eden • Tony and the Beetles • Null-O • To Serve the Master • Exhibit Piece 

 

VOLUME 3  

The Crawlers • Sales Pitch • Shell Game • Upon the Dull Earth • Foster, You’re Dead • Pay for the Printer • War Veteran • The Chromium Fence • Misadjustment • A World of Talent • Psi-Man Heal My Child! • Autofac • Service Call • Captive Market • The Mold of Yancy • The Minority Report • Recall Mechanism • The Unreconstructed M • Explorers We • War Game • If There Were No Benny Cemoli • Novelty Act • Waterspider  What the Dead Men Say  

 

VOLUME 4  

Orpheus with Clay Feet • The Days of Perky Pat • Stand-By • What’ll We Do with Ragland Park? • Oh, To Be a Blobel• The Little Black Box • The War with the Fnools • A Game of Unchance • Precious Artifact • Retreat Syndrome • A Terran Odyssey • Your Appointment Will Be Yesterday • Holy Quarrel • We Can Remember It for You Wholesale • Not By Its Cover • Return Match • Faith of Our Fathers • The Story to End All Stories for Harlan Ellison’s Anthology Dangerous Visions • The Electric Ant • Cadbury, The Beaver Who Lacked • A Little Something for Us Tempunauts • The Pre-Persons • The Eye of the Sibyl • The Day Mr Computer Fell Out of Its Tree • The Exit Door Leads In • Chains of Air, Web of Aether • Strange Memories of Death • I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon • Rautavaara’s Case • The Alien Mind 

Afterthought by the Author • Notes  

In a unique project for Folio, 24 different artists were commissioned to create new pieces for The Complete Short Stories. With such a variety of artists, the illustrations produced for this set span a wide spectrum of styles, approaches and mediums. The artists include celebrated Folio favourites, such as Dave McKean, who provided the eerie image for one of Dick’s best-known stories, ‘The Minority Report’, and illustrators influenced by films, fine art and comic books. Anna Mill’s use of light and perspective in ‘The Unreconstructed M’ summons a deliciously retro noir atmosphere, while Kristian Hammerstad’s image for ‘Oh, To Be a Blobel!’ makes full use of classic comic-book art to capture the humour of the story. Chris Thornley’s past work includes posters for the films Blade Runner and 2001: Space Odyssey, and his passion for science fiction is unmistakable in his image for ‘Second Variety’, a smoky, doom-laden vision of a post-apocalyptic landscape. Each artwork is a step into a new world, making this, the first illustrated edition of The Complete Short Stories, an irresistible visual feast. 

Philip K. Dick was born in Chicago in 1928. At around the age of 12, Dick read his first science-fiction magazine, which led to a lifelong engagement with the genre. After a brief stint at the University of Berkeley in 1949, he worked in a record store, Art Music Company. He wrote full-time from 1951, when he sold his first short story, and went on to produce 44 novels and five collections of short stories. Dick struggled to achieve mainstream success – his non-science-fiction novels being returned by his agent in 1963 – but received enormous acclaim in the science-fiction world for his works exploring metaphysics, theology and politics. His best-known novels include The Man in the High Castle (1962; Folio Society, 2015), which won the Hugo Award in 1963; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968; Folio Society, 2017); and  Ubik (1969; Folio Society, 2019). Folio's collections of his short stories include The Complete Short Stories (Folio Society, 2021) and Selected Short Stories (Folio Society, 2022). Married five times, Dick died in 1982.

Jonathan Lethem is the New York Times best-selling author of 14 novels, including Motherless Brooklyn (1999), winner of the National Book Critics Circle award, The Fortress of Solitude (2003) and, most recently, The Arrest (2020). He has also published two novellas, Omegaa graphic novel, collections of essays and numerous anthologies. A recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, Lethem has been published in The New YorkerRolling Stoneand the New York Times, among other publications. 

La Boca is an independent design studio established in 2002 and specialising in illustration and image-making. They strive to create emotional connections through their work and value any part they can play in contributing to popular culture. They have worked with a wide spectrum of international clients on projects ranging from limited-edition record sleeves through to full-scale campaigns drawing on almost every type of media. 

‘The Defenders’ illustrated by Chris Malbon 
Chris Malbon is a commercial and editorial illustrator based in Bristol, UK. He is comfortable working with pens and paint as well as digitally. 

‘The Infinites’ illustrated by Georgia Hill 
Georgia Hill is an Australian multidisciplinary artist specialising in type-based artworks that combine bold black and white textures and lettering within experimental compositions.  

‘The Crystal Crypt’ illustrated by Anna Millais 
Anna Millais is an illustrator and bibliophile based in London, UK. She works mainly in pencil and ink and works predominantly by handfinishing with digital techniques. 

‘Paycheck’ illustrated by Jeremy Wilson 
Jeremy Wilson lives and works in Richmond, USA. He seeks to perfect his images through design and negative space. 

‘Colony’ illustrated by Raisa Álava 
Raisa Álava is based in Bilbao, Spain, and works in drawing, engraving, silkscreen, illustration and ceramics.  

‘Second Variety’ illustrated by Chris Thornley 
Raid71, also known by his alter ego Chris Thornley, works as a graphic designer and illustrator. His retro illustration style uses detailed line work. 

‘The Commuter’ illustrated by Hilary Clarcq 
Hilary Clarcq is based in Colorado, USA. An illustrator and gallery artist, she creates oil paintings that are often surreal and dreamlike.  

‘Adjustment Team’ illustrated by Viktor Hachmang 
Victor Hachmang is a Dutch designer, illustrator and comics artist who has published a number of experimental comic books and graphic novels 

‘Impostor’ illustrated by Simon Prades 
Simon Prades is an illustrator living in Saarbrücken, GermanyHe works with both analogue and digital techniques. 

‘The Hanging Stranger’ illustrated by George Wylesol 
George Wylesol is an illustratordesigner, writer and educator currently living in Baltimore, USA, and teaching illustration at Towson University and MICA.  

‘The Golden Man’ illustrated by Gerrel A. K. Saunders 
Gerrel A. K. Saunders is an illustrator and designer from the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago.  

‘Exhibit Piece’ illustrated by Tavis Coburn 
Tavis Coburn’s unique style is inspired by 1940s comic-book art, the Russian avant-garde movement and printed materials from the 1950s and 1960s.  

‘Sales Pitch’ illustrated by Charles Chaisson 
Charles Chaisson is an illustrator living in Brooklyn, NY, USACharles uses mixed media, incorporating pencil drawing, acrylic paint and digital painting.  

‘Foster, You’re Dead’ illustrated by Alice Tye 
Alice Tye is a London-based illustrator and painter working in oil paints. She also uses digital techniques. 

‘Autofac’ illustrated by Damien Jeon 
Damien Jeon is a Seoul-based illustrator whose work combines both analogue and digital techniques. 

‘The Minority Report’ illustrated by Dave McKean
Dave McKean is an illustrator, author, photographer and designer who has worked in theatre, galleries, music and the film industry.  

‘The Unreconstructed M’ illustrated by Anna Mill 
Anna Mill is a London based artist, designer and author whose architectural background informs her illustration work. 

‘War Game’ illustrated by Audrey Benjaminsen 
Audrey Benjaminsen is a multimedia illustrator and instructor based in Michigan, USA. She works in a mixture of traditional and digital techniques. 

‘Oh, To Be a Blobel!’ illustrated by Kristian Hammerstad 
Kristian Hammerstad is an illustrator based in Oslo, Norway. He works on drawn projects and also makes comics. 

‘A Game of Unchance’ illustrated by Ashley Mackenzie 
Ashley Mackenzie is a Canadian artist and illustrator based in Alberta, CanadaShe primarily works digitally and loves the challenge of creating engaging conceptual illustrations. 

‘We Can Remember It for You Wholesale’ illustrated by Katherine Lam 
Katherine Lam is an illustrator based in New York, USA. She loves the illustration of environment and likes to play with shadows in her work. 

‘Return Match’ illustrated by Yehrin Tong 
Yehrin Tong is a London based illustrator. Her work is a detailed and hypnotic exploration into mathematical, abstract pattern and optical illusions.  

‘The Electric Ant’ illustrated by Greg Ruth 
Greg Ruth works in a number of mediums including ink, graphite paint and digital formsHe currently lives and works in Western Massachusetts, USA. 

‘Chains of Air, Web of Aether’ illustrated by Corey Brickley 
Corey Brickley is a freelance illustrator and designer living and working in Philadelphia, USA. He uses 3D, texture and Wacom-based painting to create surreal and graphic juxtapositions.  

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