259 pages
English language
Published Jan. 30, 1992 by Vintage Books.
The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. Published and set in 1962, the novel takes place fifteen years after a different end to World War II, and depicts intrigues between the victorious Axis Powers—primarily, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany—as they rule over the Southern and Western United States. The Man in the High Castle won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963. Reported inspirations include Ward Moore's alternate Civil War history, Bring the Jubilee (1953), classic World War II histories and the I Ching (referred to in the novel). There is a "novel within the novel", an alternate history within the alternate history where the Allies defeat the Axis (though in a manner distinct from the real-life events of the war). In 2015, the book was adapted as a multi-season TV series, with Dick's daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, as …
The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. Published and set in 1962, the novel takes place fifteen years after a different end to World War II, and depicts intrigues between the victorious Axis Powers—primarily, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany—as they rule over the Southern and Western United States. The Man in the High Castle won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963. Reported inspirations include Ward Moore's alternate Civil War history, Bring the Jubilee (1953), classic World War II histories and the I Ching (referred to in the novel). There is a "novel within the novel", an alternate history within the alternate history where the Allies defeat the Axis (though in a manner distinct from the real-life events of the war). In 2015, the book was adapted as a multi-season TV series, with Dick's daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, as a producer.
In awe. Strange to stumble upon this masterpiece so late in life.
While I ponder and probably after a reread, there may be more to say. For now: helluva read.
Jeg har ikke sett TV-serien (enda), og jeg visste ikke at den var basert på ei bok før jeg så den i en bruktbutikk. Boka forteller (den kontrafaktiske) historien om da Tyskland og Japan vant andre verdenskrig, og vi følger en gjeng ulike personligheter i USA - som nå er delt mellom Tyskland og Japan. Ett aspekt ved boka er skildringa av denne alternative virkeligheten, og det er unektelig spennende å få et innblikk i hva som kunne ha vært. Men boka bruker overraskende lite tid på dette, og fokuserer heller på dramatikken i livet til et knippe figurer som er mer indirekte knyttet til storpolitikken. Og det fungerer bra. Ellers: Jeg likte godt hvordan "boka-i-boka" blir utforska, men er ikke særlig imponert av orakel-opplegget.
Boring...
Philip K. dick explores an alternate history where the Axis powers won WWII and as usual through it asks a fundamental question pertaining to the nature of reality. This time his question seemed to be: "What is history?".
Now this is a real Matryoshka doll of a book, a book within a book within a book. Pay attention to those books, they are the real protagonists the actual people are nothing but a set dressing for this messed up world. Well, most of them are.
This should be interesting reading for every Philip K. Dick fan.
This is one of those books where a rating isn't enough to explain how I felt about it. It's not that it's a bad book, it's just that even trying to willfully disregard the 60's era racism it left me feeling icky.
Now, don't get me wrong. In an alternate history book where the Nazis won WWII it would be shocking if there wasn't any mention of racism. It's just that Philip K. Dick never really makes any point about that racism, he just has his characters act and talk completely racist and therefore makes them very unlikeable. None of the characters were well-rounded, even the two Jewish characters who were really underutilized and one-dimensional.
I did like how the one female character went from being a whiny damsel in distress to taking agency in a dramatic way, even if she did have to lose her mind and act like …
This is one of those books where a rating isn't enough to explain how I felt about it. It's not that it's a bad book, it's just that even trying to willfully disregard the 60's era racism it left me feeling icky.
Now, don't get me wrong. In an alternate history book where the Nazis won WWII it would be shocking if there wasn't any mention of racism. It's just that Philip K. Dick never really makes any point about that racism, he just has his characters act and talk completely racist and therefore makes them very unlikeable. None of the characters were well-rounded, even the two Jewish characters who were really underutilized and one-dimensional.
I did like how the one female character went from being a whiny damsel in distress to taking agency in a dramatic way, even if she did have to lose her mind and act like a lost little girl to do it.
And I really liked Tagomi's inner monologue, how he described his emotional and physical state all the time. There was some really nice language in this book and, as you'd expect with PKD, some interesting philosophical discussions.
I have a really hard time with Philip K. Dick because I really really want to like his work but what I've read of him so far has left me pretty cold. He clearly had a brilliant mind and I enjoy experiencing his weird view of the world, but his characters are always too underdeveloped and cartoonishly bigoted that I just can't. I can excuse a lot based on PKD being a product of his time but not everything. The lack of empathy and emotional connection he had with his non-white and female characters always comes through even when he's trying to be "woke".
But I'll keep reading a few more of his "classics" just in case I'm missing something.
I picked up this novel because I enjoy the TV series. I have to say that there are very few parallels between the two. The TV series is more of a dystopian soap opera and the novel is more of a fatalistic, alternative history and discourse on humanity. Both are good but the TV Series is much broader, more detailed, and in-depth. There are numerous thematic threads that appear in the series but not in the novel; and vice versa. Of al the Philip K. Dick books I've tried (3) this one is the most readable and enjoyable.
One by one, you're introduced to a cavalcade of unlikable characters, waiting for an actual narrative to begin. It starts in the last 50 pages, with brutal descriptiveness, and stops abruptly shortly thereafter without providing much of any resolution.
After reading it, I felt more disappointed at the missed opportunity to tell an interesting story in the world that was built so laboriously than anything else.
One by one, you're introduced to a cavalcade of unlikable characters, waiting for an actual narrative to begin. It starts in the last 50 pages, with brutal descriptiveness, and stops abruptly shortly thereafter without providing much of any resolution.
After reading it, I felt more disappointed at the missed opportunity to tell an interesting story in the world that was built so laboriously than anything else.
Another awesome book by Philip K. Dick. It was really interesting how it demonstrated what it's like to have your culture looked down upon. It made me think a lot about how Americans treat other cultures.
[Vous pouvez lire mon avis sur mon blog, merci :)]
This won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for fans of Phillip K. Dick, you'll know what to expect and you won't be the least bit disappointed. if you've never read any of his books, then maybe it's time to take the plunge.
I read this book because I'd seen a couple of episodes of the TV series. Honestly, as usual, the book is better. They took a lot of liberties with the series (only way to stretch a relatively short book that long,) and the characters are sometimes quite different.
This is classic Phillip K. Dick. Dystopian alternative future. It's very conceptual, rather than character-driven, although a couple of the characters are better developed than the rest. Worth a read, for sure.
Borrowed this book from Geri, didn't really care for it.
The Man in the High Castle has been on my shelves unread for years yet I’m not sure I would have picked it up if it weren’t for book group. Josh had recently started it and given up and I’d seen the Amazon adaptation (which I enjoyed and would recommend even if you didn’t get on with the book).
I think it really helped having an idea of the characters before I started. I can see how most of my book group (and Josh) struggled to get into it. There’s quite a few different characters and it can seem like they are not really connected. The adaptation is pretty different from the book but the characters are essentially the same people.
The Grasshopper Lies Heavy is a book within a book. It is widely available in the Pacific States and the neutral Mountain States but banned in the Nazi ruled …
The Man in the High Castle has been on my shelves unread for years yet I’m not sure I would have picked it up if it weren’t for book group. Josh had recently started it and given up and I’d seen the Amazon adaptation (which I enjoyed and would recommend even if you didn’t get on with the book).
I think it really helped having an idea of the characters before I started. I can see how most of my book group (and Josh) struggled to get into it. There’s quite a few different characters and it can seem like they are not really connected. The adaptation is pretty different from the book but the characters are essentially the same people.
The Grasshopper Lies Heavy is a book within a book. It is widely available in the Pacific States and the neutral Mountain States but banned in the Nazi ruled East Coast. It tells the story of an alternate history where the Allies won the war, although it isn’t quite the real history either.
There’s not some grand story arc and it’s not particularly dramatic, instead it’s about the lives of everyday people living in a world run by Nazis and Japanese. Frank is a Jew hiding in plain sight with a skill for metalwork and a business idea. Julianna left Frank and San Francisco for the peace of Colorado yet she yearns for a bit of adventure.
Robert Childan is an antiques dealer, specialising in items of Americana for his high profile Japanese customers. He is desperate for recognition, seeing the Japanese as superior and wanting to be accepted into their world. I liked the fact that everyday American items were considered collector’s items now that they weren’t being made. The America that once was has become a novelty.
Mr Tagomi was the character whose story seemed to have been messed with the least in the adaptation. He is a high ranking Japanese trade official, a Buddhist who at times struggles to reconcile his religion with this world he lives in. He crosses paths with Childan when he seeks a gift for a visiting Swedish official, who he believes has come to discuss plastics.
Most of the characters in the story consult the I Ching at some point. I don’t really know much about Taoism but I read the introduction in my edition (after finishing the novel of course) and it made me think that this is rather a clever book even if I didn’t understand all of it. There’s this idea in Tao that the world we perceive is just a façade to another one, perhaps like alternate dimensions.
Philip K. Dick actually used the I Ching to guide him in the plotting of this book. When he got to the point where a character consulted the oracle, he would throw coins and consult the I Ching for answers, using them to decide what the characters would do next. This might also explain its wandering structure, which won’t be for everybody.
I believe I enjoyed this book much more than my fellow book group members but I had a better idea of what to expect having read him before and also being very aware the adaptation was quite different in terms of plotting.
It seems there could have been another chapter or two...
