The Golden Man: Short Story

By Philip K. Dick

The DCA is a government agency tasked with tracking down humans born with superhuman mutations, all of whom are considered a threat to the continued survival of the human race. But even seasoned veterans of the DCA worry that one day they will encounter a mutant that they cannot best—the mutant who will be the first of an entirely new species that will replace Homo sapiens as the dominant species on the planet.

Philip K. Dick was an American science-fiction novelist, short-story writer and essayist. His first short story, “Beyond Lies the Wub,” was published shortly after his high school graduation. Some of his most famous short stories were adapted for film, including “The Minority Report,” “Paycheck,” “Second Variety” (adapted into the film Screamers) and “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” (adapted into the film Total Recall).

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• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Dec 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781443442800

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.

Book preview

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THE GOLDEN MAN

Philip K. Dick

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CONTENTS

The Golden Man

About the Author

About the Series

Copyright

About the Publisher

The Golden Man

Is it always hot like this? the salesman demanded. He addressed everybody at the lunch counter and in the shabby booths against the wall. A middle-aged fat man with a good-natured smile, rumpled gray suit, sweat-stained white shirt, a drooping bowtie, and a Panama hat.

Only in the summer, the waitress answered.

None of the others stirred. The teenage boy and girl in one of the booths, eyes fixed intently on each other. Two workmen, sleeves rolled up, arms dark and hairy, eating bean soup and rolls. A lean, weathered farmer. An elderly businessman in a blue-serge suit, vest and pocket watch. A dark rat-faced cab driver drinking coffee. A tired woman who had come in to get off her feet and put down her bundles.

The salesman got out a package of cigarettes. He glanced curiously around the dingy café, lit up, leaned his arms on the counter, and said to the man next to him: What’s the name of this town?

The man grunted. Walnut Creek.

The salesman sipped at his coke for a while, cigarette held loosely between plump white fingers. Presently he reached in his coat and brought out a leather wallet. For a long time he leafed thoughtfully through cards and papers, bits of notes, ticket stubs, endless odds and ends, soiled fragments—and finally a photograph.

He grinned at the photograph, and then began to chuckle, a low moist rasp. Look at this, he said to the man beside him.

The man went on reading his newspaper.

Hey, look at this. The salesman nudged him with his elbow and pushed the photograph at him. How’s that strike you?

Annoyed, the man glanced briefly at the photograph. It showed a nude woman, from the waist up. Perhaps thirty-five years old. Face turned away. Body white and flabby. With eight breasts.

Ever seen anything like that? the salesman chuckled, his little red eyes dancing. His face broke into lewd smiles and again he nudged the man.

I’ve seen that before. Disgusted, the man resumed reading his newspaper.

The salesman noticed the lean old farmer was looking at the picture. He passed it genially over to him. How’s that strike you, pop? Pretty good stuff, eh?

The farmer examined the picture solemnly. He turned it over, studied the creased back, took a second look at the front, then tossed it to the salesman. It slid from the counter, turned over a couple of times, and fell to the floor face up.

The salesman picked it up and brushed it off. Carefully, almost tenderly, he restored it to his wallet. The waitress’ eyes flickered as she caught a glimpse of it.

Damn nice, the salesman observed, with a wink. Wouldn’t you say so?

The waitress shrugged indifferently. I don’t know. I saw a lot of them around Denver. A whole colony.

That’s where this was taken. Denver DCA Camp.

Any still alive? the farmer asked.

The salesman laughed harshly. You kidding? He made a short, sharp swipe with his hand. Not anymore.

They were all listening. Even the high school kids in the booth had stopped holding hands and were sitting up straight, eyes wide with fascination.

"Saw a funny kind down

Reviews for The Golden Man

[zetetic23 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting collection of old stories. For fans only I think.

[bnielsen_30 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Indeholder "Mark Hurst: Foreword", "Philip K. Dick: Introduction", "The Golden Man", "Return Match", "The King of the Elves", "The Mold of Yancy", "Not By Its Cover", "The Little Black Box", "The Unreconstructed M", "The War with the Fnools", "The Last of the Masters", "Meddler", "A Game of Unchance", "Sales Pitch", "Precious Artifact", "Small Town", "The Pre-Persons", "Philip K. Dick: Afterword"."Mark Hurst: Foreword" handler om ???"Philip K. Dick: Introduction" handler om ???"The Golden Man" handler om ???"Return Match" handler om ???"The King of the Elves" handler om tankpasseren Shadrach Jones bliver opsøgt af elvere og bliver deres nye konge efter et drabeligt slag med troldene og deres konge."The Mold of Yancy" handler om ???"Not By Its Cover" handler om at bøger indbundet i wubskind ændrer indhold."The Little Black Box" handler om en Empathy Box som sætter en i forbindelse med en Jesus figur undervejs mod den sikre død."The Unreconstructed M" handler om ???"The War with the Fnools" handler om krig mod nogle væsener der ville være svære at skelne hvis de ikke kom i helt ens bundter ca 80 cm høje."The Last of the Masters" handler om ???"Meddler" handler om at Berkowsky får ret i en forudsigelse om at det er dumt at lave om på fremtiden da Hasten får nogle dræbersommerfugle med tilbage fra fremtiden."A Game of Unchance" handler om en omrejsende udenjordisk forlystelsespark der med vilje taber nogle små robotter til en lille ussel koloni."Sales Pitch" handler om ???"Precious Artifact" handler om en rekonstruktionsingeniør fra Mars der efter krigen mellem Proxima og Jorden ikke er sikker på hvem der vandt men en lille robotkat hjælper."Small Town" handler om ???"The Pre-Persons" handler om ???"Philip K. Dick: Afterword" handler om ???Glimrende noveller. Jeg er en stor wub-fan, så "Not By Its Cover" er min favorit i denne samling.

[pastorbob_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Golden Man is the Short Story which lies behind the Nicholas Cage Film, Next.