Humpty Dumpty in Oakland

Written by Philip K. Dick

Narrated by David de Vries

"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

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: May 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781531835422

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.