SMALL TOWN

Credits Navigation philipdick.com Novels Short Stories References

Number	Writing Date	Pub. Date	Previous	Next	Notes
49	>Mar 23, 1953	May 1954	Planet For Transients	Souvenir	MS title: "Engineer" 5400 wds

FIRST PUBLICATION

Amazing, May 1954

HISTORY:

"Small Town" reached the SMLA on Mar 23, 1953 – the same day as the manuscript for "Planet For Transients." PKD had titled the manuscript "Engineer" but this was changed by the time of publication in Amazing Stories in May 1954.

Other than the USA and UK Amazings in 1954, "Small Town" was collected in THE GOLDEN MAN, edited by Mark Hurst and published in 1980. Then, as with so many of these early stories, it was forgotten until THE COLLECTED STORIES in 1987.

Here, from the "Story Notes’ to THE GOLDEN MAN is what PKD wrote about "Small Town":

Here the frustrations of a defeated small person -- small in terms of power, in particular power over others -- gradually become transformed into something sinister: the force of death. In rereading this story (which is of course a fantasy, not science fiction) I am impressed by the subtle change which takes place in the protagonist from Trod Upon to Treader. Verne Haskel initially appears as the prototype of the impotent human being, but this conceals a drive at his core self which is anything but weak. It is as if I am saying, The put-upon person may be very dangerous. Be careful as to how you misuse him; he may be a mask for thanatos: the antagonist of life; he may not secretly wish to rule; he may wish to destroy.

Have you ever wondered about those people who build and run huge train-sets layouts in their basements? Well, wonder no more. Here PKD explains all that’s going on. In the small town of Woodland everything is just super but in the larger world outside things are not so good.

"Small Town" rates ô ô ô

Other Magazine and Anthology appearances. More Cover Pix Here:

1954 Aug AMAZING, Vol.2 #5 {UK}

1967 Apr Amazing, Apr 1967

1980 THE GOLDEN MAN, Berkley, pb, 04288, 1980, ?, $2.25 (?) {Ed. Hurst}

1987 THE COLLECTED STORIES OF PKD

NOTES:

THE GOLDEN MAN story notes by PKD: "Small Town"

    Here the frustrations of a defeated small person -- small in terms of power, in particular power over others -- gradually become transformed into something sinister: the force of death. In rereading this story (which is of course a fantasy, not science fiction) I am impressed by the subtle change which takes place in the protagonist from Trod Upon to Treader. Verne Haskel initially appears as the prototype of the impotent human being, but this conceals a drive at his core self which is anything but weak. It is as if I am saying, The put-upon person may be very dangerous. Be careful as to how you misuse him; he may be a mask for thanatos: the antagonist of life; he may not secretly wish to rule; he may wish to destroy.

Collector’s Notes

Ken Lopez: "Small Town" in Amazing, May 1954 (1^st). FAIR. Signed by the author. Water damaged; covers dulled and pages wavy. Signature blurred. Intact but only about fair in wrappers. $75

Rudy’s Books: "Small Town" in Amazing, May 1954 (1^st). FINE. $15

Massoglia Books: "Small Town" in Amazing, May 1954 (1^st). ? $8

Credits    Navigation      philipdick.com     Novels    Short Stories     References

1954 Aug		AMAZING, Vol.2 #5 {UK}
1967 Apr		Amazing, Apr 1967
1980		THE GOLDEN MAN, Berkley, pb, 04288, 1980, ?, $2.25 (?) {Ed. Hurst}
1987		THE COLLECTED STORIES OF PKD