{"product_id":"the-variable-man-and-other-stories-9780486852140","title":"The Variable Man and Other Stories","description":"A seminal figure of twentieth-century science fiction, Philip K. Dick ponders the very nature of humanity in this anthology of five gripping short stories and novellas that were first published in early 1950s pulp magazines. Written during the Cold War, \"The Defenders\" presents a tale of robotic warfare. \"Foster, You're Dead\" criticizes consumerism and the Cold War, when the military-industrial complex shifted responsibility for self-defense to families by selling bomb shelters. \"Piper in the Woods\" is a clever short story concerning the erosion of reality. A military psychologist is tasked with solving the mystery of why military personnel are behaving like plants upon their return from an asteroid. \"Second Variety\" is prescient in its anticipation of the hazards of self-evolving robots that can operate independently of one another. In \"The Variable Man,\" Earth relies on computer technology and a time traveler to predict their chances of victory in a fight against aliens. This collection is an excellent introduction to one of the most original minds of the modern era.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=AUTH-10419671\"\u003ePhilip K. Dick\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Dover Publications\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/13\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 176\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.30lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780486852140\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0486852148\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBISAC Categories:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-FIC\"\u003eFiction\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-FIC028120\"\u003eScience Fiction | Humorous\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-FIC\"\u003eFiction\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-FIC028130\"\u003eScience Fiction | Space Exploration\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis title is not returnable\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dover Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44715303207149,"sku":"9780486852140","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/8097\/6621\/products\/img_775df163-8ae2-4b19-81c0-adc3ff0c2519.jpg?v=1704122529","url":"https:\/\/sureshotbooks.com\/products\/the-variable-man-and-other-stories-9780486852140","provider":"SureShot Books Publishing LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}