The Search for Philip K. Dick

by Dick, Anne R.

  Top science fiction agent Virginia Kidd liked Search and tried to place it. After her initial reading, she said, “So that’s what really happened? We’d heard so many things.” I was surprised that people would be talking about my relationship with Phil back in Pennsylvania. Virginia was sure my book was going to go over in a big way, and that I would be giving talks and signing books all over the country. She sent it to all the top houses, but that was in the mid-eighties before there was so much interest in Philip K. Dick. There were some literary politics involved, too, and my credibility was put into question. Discouraged and disgusted, I gave up. Then in 1992, Professor Sam Umland, who taught a course on PKD at the University of Nebraska, worked with me on a revision and arranged for the publication of Search by Mellen Press. It is still publishing a hundred-year library edition priced at $119.

  Virginia Kidd gave a manuscript of Search to Tom Disch, a close friend of hers, and he and I began an occasional correspondence that some years later after the death of his partner turned into a friendly e-mail interchange lasting until his death by suicide on July 4, 2008. He was very angry at Phil because Phil had turned him in to the FBI, but he thought Philip K. Dick was the best writer there was. Along with himself, Phil was one of the only two writers Tom admired.

  I met my best friend, Miguel Díaz Fernádez of Segovia, Spain, via the Mellen edition of this book when he wrote me January 25, 2000, regarding his Ph.D. dissertation on PKD. We have been e-mailing and phoning for ten years.

  In 2001, Darryl Mason, a talented Australian writer, came from England and stayed with me off and on for much of the summer to work on his biography of Phil for a contract with Albion Press. Too bad he never finished it. Phil is too much for some people.

  An Argentine documentary crew came here in 2006 to do a documentary about Philip K. Dick and stayed with me the weekend they filmed in this area. In the evenings, we drank Argentine wine and had dinner in front of an open fire. I still correspond with two of them: the sound man, Sebastien Lipsicz, who was recently working with Francis Ford Coppola, and the director of the PKD documentary project, Dario Schwartzstein, who next went off to Basel, Switzerland, to video interview Dr. Albert Hoffman, the inventor of LSD, now 101 years old.

  Tony Grisoni, who wrote the script for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and other avant-garde independent films, came from London and stayed with me two days in the summer of 2006 while doing research for a biopic about PKD.

  There are three biopics in the works and a German biography has already come out.

  Now Phil is world-famous and the world has become “Dickian” or maybe “Phildickian.” Twelve of his books have been or are being published in the Library of America—he’s been literarily canonized. His books are outselling many other American great authors: Melville, Hawthorne, Henry James, Thomas Jefferson. Meanwhile, almost no one here in Point Reyes Station has ever heard of Philip K. Dick.

  If you go to the New York Times book page and scroll down the slot that says “Authors,” you will find Philip K. Dick’s name in the most distinguished literary company of today’s world. Click on him, and several pages of articles come up.

  Michael Dirda of the Washington Post referred to Phil in an article for that publication as one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. Time magazine puts Phil’s Ubik in their list of the one hundred most significant novels written since 1923.

  Then there are the movies: Total Recall with our governor, Arnold (a new version is coming out, too); Blade Runner, now a classic, with Harrison Ford; Minority Report, by Steven Spielberg with Tom Cruise; Paycheck, by Ang Lee with Ben Affleck. Some lesser-known films are Screamers, Imposter, A Scanner Darkly, Next, and the French film Barjo.

  Phil’s old house is still here in Point Reyes Station and looks almost the same as when he and Kleo moved there in the fall of 1958. The white picket fence has been replaced by a natural wood fence with no pickets, but I couldn’t climb over it anyway now.

  Only a few people who knew Phil still live here. I see Sue Baty once in a while, and we play Boggle. Judge Baty, who married Philip and Nancy, is still around. Occasionally, I see Inez Storer at the Bovine Bakery. Missy Patterson works at the Point Reyes Light (the Baywood Press in Phil’s novels).

  Phil was a unique super-being who made my life wonderful for a while and then terrible for a while. Recently, when I revised the early chapters of Search for Philip K. Dick, I enjoyed those happy times again, a period when Phil wrote many of the books that made him world-famous.

  INDEX

  Ace Books 48, 175

  Ackerman, Gerry 234–235, 239–240, 245

  agoraphobia 11, 190, 254–255

  Allen, Bob 43, 84

  Amazing Science Fiction 37, 168, 234

  amphetamines (see also “Beans”) 104, 116, 123, 131–132, 136, 144, 156–157, 183, 254, 257

  Apostolides, Kleo, see Dick, Kleo

  Apostolides, Dr. 250, 253–254

  Archer, Edna Matilda see Kindred, Edna Archer

  Art Music 31, 232, 242, 249, 254

  asthma 229, 231, 238

  Astounding Science Fiction 37, 234

  autism 257, 246

  Bach, Johann Sebastian 40, 46, 179, 230, 236

  Bailey, Mike 155–156, 162

  Barbour, Connie 243, 248–249

  Baty, Judge David 132, 269

  Baty, Sue 93, 132, 269

  Baywood Press 16, 41, 61, 84, 96, 269

  “beans” (see also amphetamines) 144–145, 150–151

  Bhagavadgita 66

  Beckett, Samuel 38, 250, 254

  Beethoven, Ludwig von 46, 64, 230, 232, 236

  Bennett, Chuck 243, 249

  Berkeley 23, 27, 31, 35, 39, 43, 46–47, 51, 57, 59, 61, 65, 68, 71–74, 76–77, 85, 97, 99, 102, 104–105, 112, 131, 205, 207, 219, 222–225, 227–8, 232–4, 241, 243–244, 246–247, 249–250, 252, 255, 258, 260–261, 264

  Berkeley High School 31, 50, 57, 74, 79, 84, 94–95, 115, 130, 227, 233–239

  Berner, David 159–162

  Binswanger, Ludwig 79

  Blake, William 17

  Blaylock, Jim 164, 171, 185, 204, 206

  Book of the Golden Flower, The 60, 66

  Borges, Jorge Luis 17

  Borman, Martin 65

  Boucher, Anthony 251

  Bradbury, Ray 171

  Bradley, Marion Zimmer 112, 123–124

  Breen, Walter 112

  Buber, Martin 125

  Busby, F. M. 155

  Busby, Nita 164, 177

  Busby, Tessa see Dick, Tessa

  CIA 16, 121, 142–143, 147, 150, 168

  California Preparatory Academy 229–231

  Captain Video 58, 255

  Carla 145

  Carr, Carol 117, 137–138, 163

  Carr, Terry 137–138

  cats 27, 39, 48, 78, 96, 99, 105, 114, 121, 130, 140, 145, 178, 183–184, 188, 194–196, 216, 250

  Characters

  Abendsen 70

  Archer, Angel 205

  Arnie 80

  Arctor, Bob 83, 141

  Austurias, Mr. 84

  Barefoot, Johnny 116

  Bloodmoney, Dr. 43, 65, 79, 84–85, 233, 245, 264, 271

  Bluthgeld, Dr. See Bloodmoney, Dr.

  Bohlen, Dr. Jack 59, 79–80

  Bohlen, Sylvia 80

  Bundy, Bob 63

  Childan, Robert 70

  Dangerfield, Walt 85

  Denkmal, Dr. 94

  Irmgard 136

  Esterhazy, Blanche 81

  Fat, Horselover 196

  Febbs, Surly G. 95

  Fergesson, Jim 85

  Flores, John 43

  Frauenzimmer, Maury 63

  Frauenzimmer, Pris 61, 63

  Freid, Pete 95, 265

  Frink, Frank 70

  Frink, Juliana 70, 265

  Gloria (Knudson) 196, 197

  Hambro, Claudia 28, 46

  Hardy, Dean and Ella 85

  Harrington, Hoppy 85, 233

&n
bsp; Hnatt, Emily 53, 93, 103

  Hnatt, Richard 53

  Horstowski, Dr. 64

  Hume, Charley 31, 53, 55

  Hume, Fay 55–57, 179

  Isidore, Jack 50, 55, 179

  Kasoura, Betty 70

  Keller, Bonny 65, 84

  Keller, George 84

  Kongrosian, Richard 92

  Lotta 131

  McConchie, Stuart 85

  Mayerson, Barney 103–104

  Rybys 183

  Powderdry, Lars 95

  Pris 136

  Proxers 105

  Rosen, Leo 57, 63

  Rosen, Louis 63, 64

  Sarapis, Louis 116

  Sharp, Kathy Egmont 116

  Stockstill, Dr. 84

  Straud, Orion 84

  Sweetscent, Kathy 95–96

  Sweetscent, Dr. Eric 95–96

  Tagomi 70, 265

  Terance, Dr. 43

  Topchev, Lilo 95

  Tree, Mr. See Bloodmoney,

  Vepp, Dr. Jack E. 43

  Christensen, Bill 64, 77, 87–91, 101

  Christian Science 39

  “Cindy” 15, 141, 143–145, 148, 150, 152–153, 156, 161, 168

  Civil War 38, 68

  claustrophobia 244

  “Clint” 145–150, 152

  Coleridge, Samuel Taylor 52

  comics and comic books 38, 95

  Communism 40, 225, 242–243

  Daniels, Dick 227, 232–238

  Davidson, Avram 111

  Davidson, Grania 111–114, 117–124, 142–143, 151

  Davis, Grania see Davidson, Grania

  Desert Fathers 66

  Diamond, Anne 114–115, 126

  Diamond, Bernard 115

  Dianetics 258

  Dick, Bessie Mack 214

  Dick, Christopher Kenneth 172, 178, 181, 183, 185, 187, 205

  Dick, Dorothy Kindred 47–48, 59, 65, 77, 79, 88, 101–102, 105, 131, 136, 142, 151, 155,

  170, 172, 198, 212–225, 227–229, 233, 237, 239, 242–243, 245, 253–254, 258–261

  Dick, Edgar 15, 202, 213–216, 218–223, 228, 253, 258

  Dick, Isolde Hackett (Isa) 129, 134, 148, 171, 220

  Dick, Jane Charlotte 47, 209, 213–214

  Dick, Kleo 15, 25–29, 32–35, 46, 113, 123, 129, 173, 187, 198, 206, 222, 243, 246,

  248–261, 269

  Dick, Laura Archer 59–62, 69, 76–77, 96, 121, 133, 139, 141, 152, 172–174, 184,

  188–189, 193–194, 196–198, 200–208, 218, 220, 265

  Dick, Tessa 15, 163–164, 168–172, 175–179, 181, 183, 185, 187–188, 190, 203, 205, 207

  Dickens, Charles 17, 49

  Disneyland 16, 62, 170, 174

  divorce 16–17, 35, 40, 83, 104–105, 114–118, 126, 132, 158, 170, 177, 206, 222, 235,

  246, 250

  dogs, 27, 45, 73, 77, 94, 96, 118, 132–133, 136, 145, 148, 220

  “Don” 143, 145–147

  Doyle, Janet 76, 258

  Dr. A 31–35, 86–93, 106, 114–115, 138, 150

  Dr. J 92–94, 99, 102, 115, 122, 125

  Dr. S 90–92

  Drake, Sir Francis 42

  drugs 26, 87, 93–95, 101, 104, 123–124, 131, 136, 141–144, 147, 149, 157, 165, 183–184,

  186, 188, 257, 267

  Duncan, Robert 239–240

  Durkheim, Emile 39

  Eichmann, Adolf 65

  Ellison, Harlan 199–200

  Encyclopedia Britannica 37, 52, 63, 105

  ESP 197

  FBI 16, 121, 147, 150, 152, 164, 168, 241, 252–253, 268

  Feinstein, Janet see Doyle, Janet

  Finney, Jack 258

  Flannery, Pat 238–239

  flying saucers 28, 46, 76, 156

  Freud, Sigmund 38, 130

  Friedan, Betty 74

  Fullerton, CA 152, 155, 160, 163–164, 169, 171, 175, 177

  “Fuzzy” 138–139, 170

  Galen, Russ 182, 267

  games 28–29, 81, 235

  Garfield Junior High School 228–229, 231

  Gegenearth 40

  German 39, 68, 94, 175, 201, 214–215, 235, 238, 246–247, 249, 268–269

  Ghirardelli, Inez 243

  Gilbert, David 199

  Gilbert, W. S., and Sullivan, Arthur 47, 244

  Gildersleeve, John 71, 241, 244, 250, 255

  Gold, Herb 256

  Gomez, Joe 45

  Grand Prix du Festival 189

  Graveson, Alys 81, 132, 136, 138

  Gryphon 26

  Guy, Maury (Iskandar) 63, 70, 85, 87, 131, 259–261

  Hackett, Maren 97, 123, 130–132, 134, 206

  Hackett, Nancy 15, 95, 97, 123–125, 129–139, 141–142, 145, 148, 170, 172–173, 187,

  189, 197, 206, 269

  Halevy, Al 117, 123

  Hall, Avis 23, 35, 261

  Handel, George Frideric 46

  Handelsman, Anne 30, 35–36, 57–58

  Handelsman, Maury 30, 35–36, 57–58, 63, 80

  Harcourt Brace 58–59

  Haydn, Franz Joseph 132, 236

  Hesse, Herman 27

  Hirsch, Jerry 259

  Hirsch, Marge 259

  Hnatt, Angelina 256

  Hnatt, Mike 31, 53

  Hoglind, Sue 164, 166

  Hollis, Herb 25, 232–233, 242, 251, 254

  Hollis, Pat 232, 238, 242, 254

  homosexuality 102, 239, 244–246

  horses 45, 133, 155–157, 169, 185, 189, 216, 220, 252

  Hovel 64, 100–101, 115

  Hudner, Dorothy see Dick, Dorothy Kindred

  Hudner, Joe 47–48, 59, 77, 88, 131, 136, 142, 149, 151, 218, 233, 253–254, 258–260

  Hudner, Lynne 73, 101, 105, 117, 127, 135, 138, 142, 172, 198, 216–217, 222, 235, 250,

  253–254, 258

  Hudner, Marion 216, 233, 253

  Hudner, Neil 47, 149, 151, 172, 217, 254, 258

  Hugo Award 12, 96, 148

  Hynes, Lorraine 61, 68, 100

  hypertension 172, 183, 205

  I Ching 66, 77, 87, 111, 148

  Inferno 26, 30

  Iskandar see Guy, Maury (Iskandar)

  James, William 247

  Jamis 156–161

  Jeter, K. W. 164, 168, 185, 187, 203

  jewelry 12–13, 61, 68–69, 85, 88, 122, 125, 133, 173, 198, 204, 271

  “Jim” 145

  Johnson, Samuel 38

  Jones, James 26

  Joyce, James 27, 159, 250, 269

  Jung, Carl 65–66, 163

  KGB 16, 186, 197

  KPFA 40, 84, 242, 255, 259

  Kafka, Franz 17, 27, 38

  Kaiser Hospital 59–60

  Kennedy, John F. 62, 96

  Kindred, Earl Grant 215–216, 223–224

  Kindred, Edna Archer 213–216, 223–224, 230, 233, 261

  Kindred, Dorothy Grant see Dick, Dorothy Kindred

  King, Martin L. 62

  Koehler, George 227, 235

  Kresy, Jerry 28, 51, 69, 73, 80, 138, 261

  Kresy, June 34, 51, 87, 93, 261

  Landor, Walter 43, 95

  Lanferman, Walter 95, 238

  Langley Porter Clinic 90–93, 124, 239, 243, 260

  Lee, Gwen 164

  Leibnitz, Gottfried 39

  Levy, Linda 15, 164–168

  Lincoln 16, 38, 62–64

  literary novels 26, 38, 49, 57, 59, 63, 65, 125, 179, 205, 246, 250–251, 257, 260, 269

  Lovecraft, H. P. 37–38, 76

  LSD 103, 124, 137, 268

  Lusby, Monica 246, 257

  Lusby, Vince 76, 85, 116, 224, 241–246, 249–252, 256–257

  Lusby, Virginia 76, 85, 116, 241–242

  Mad Magazine 38

  Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction 26, 37, 111, 251

  Magnavox record player 37, 46, 64, 114, 116, 235, 246–247

  Mailer, Norman 56, 79

  Mandrake the Magician 38

  Manson, Charles 146

  Marais and Miranda 46


  Marin General Hospital and Marin Medical Clinic 129, 136, 150

  Marlin, Jeannette 15, 245–246

  marriage 16, 30–31, 36, 41, 46, 73–74, 85–87, 91–92, 97, 100, 102, 105, 122, 130, 132, 135, 138, 172, 175, 193, 199, 241, 245, 253, 264

  Martians 75, 80, 103

  “Mary Lou” 145, 148, 168

  Maxfield, Dick 234, 245

  McLuhan, Marshall 159

  McMahon, Joanne 164–166

  McNelly, Professor Willis 152, 155, 160–161, 163–166, 171, 177

  Meemaw see

  Kindred, Edna Archer Mexico 35, 40, 77, 89, 111, 120, 258

  Miller, Henry 28, 243

  Milne, E. E. 38

  Mini, Kleo see Dick, Kleo

  Mini, Lois 43, 51, 72, 76–77, 241, 244

  Mini, Norman 43, 76, 173, 206, 241, 243, 249, 251

  Moore, Ward 68

  Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 95, 117, 230, 236

  mushrooms 41, 60, 71–72, 83, 103, 137

  music 29, 31, 46–47, 52, 54, 61, 84, 98, 132–133, 144–145, 159, 224–225, 229–230, 232, 236, 240, 242–246, 249–250, 254–256

  National Science Fiction Convention 121

  Nelson, Kirsten 15, 112–113, 117–121, 124, 130, 133, 136–137, 142, 170, 194, 197, 265

  Nelson, Ray 93, 112–113, 117, 120–121, 123–124, 136, 142, 152, 207, 255, 273

  Neurotica 26

  nervous breakdown 105, 137, 139, 190, 239

  Newcomb, Jack 117, 123–124, 130

  New-Path 141

  Nicholls, Eldon 233, 249

  Nixon, Richard M. 62

  Noseworthy, Frank 158

  obituary 209

  Oedipus Complex 30

  Oko, Adolph 42

  Oko, Gladys 42

  Orr, Robert 71

  paranoia 137, 188

  Partch, Harry 98

  Plattes, Dr. 43

  Point Reyes Station 12, 16, 23–27, 33, 36–37, 41–42, 56–57, 62, 72, 77, 80, 83, 91–92, 97, 100, 104–105, 113–116, 118, 124–127, 133–138, 141–142, 152, 172–175, 181, 186, 188, 193–194, 197–198, 204, 206–7, 209, 211, 221, 223, 227, 238, 249, 252, 255, 260, 264, 267, 269, 271

  proletarian writer 49, 59, 95

  Psychiatry 15, 26, 31–32, 35, 63, 79, 89–90, 92, 106, 115, 127, 130, 135, 149, 178–179, 181, 186, 217, 222, 227, 243, 260, 265

  Psychology 32, 38, 53, 79–80, 92, 102, 115–116, 130, 137–138, 156, 174, 181, 188, 196–197, 202, 217, 223–224, 239, 259–260