When Roger and Virginia Lindhal enroll their son Gregg in Mrs. Alt’s Los Padres Valley School in the mountains of Southern California, their marriage is already in deep trouble. Then the Lindhals meet Chic and Liz Bonner, whose two sons also board at Mrs. Alt’s school. The meeting is a catalyst for a complicated series of emotions and traumas, set against the backdrop of suburban Los Angeles in the early fifties. The buildup of emotional intensity and the finely observed characterizations are hallmarks of Philip K. Dick’s work.
This is a realistic novel filled with details of everyday life and skillfully told from three points of view. It is powerful, eloquent, and gripping.
Industry Reviews
"Dick was...one of the genuine visionaries that North American fiction has produced in this century." --L.A. Weekly"This work is radically different from the famous science fiction author's past successes. It is a mood piece, a somber study of two young couples...a curious, oddly compelling book....Turning each page...the reader feels an odd suspense and a reluctance to abandon these four unpredictable but somehow endearing people." --Booklist on Puttering About in a Small Land"Dick here writes plainly about life in California, the vagaries of love, and the struggle, sometimes spiritual, to survive....These are real people Dick is writing about, the kind of morally complicated people you might find in any nearby store, and they each have their own dramas." --Rain Taxi on In Milton Lumky Territory"[Dick] reworks the territory of soured domesticity (a la Richard Yates and John Updike) in a working-class milieu anticipating Raymond Carver. Decades later, his oeuvre (like Philip Roth's) is lovingly enshrined in our national pantheon." --Los Angeles Times on Voices from the Street Dick was one of the genuine visionaries that North American fiction has produced in this century. "L.A. Weekly" This work is radically different from the famous science fiction author's past successes. It is a mood piece, a somber study of two young couples a curious, oddly compelling book .Turning each page the reader feels an odd suspense and a reluctance to abandon these four unpredictable but somehow endearing people. "Booklist on Puttering About in a Small Land" Dick here writes plainly about life in California, the vagaries of love, and the struggle, sometimes spiritual, to survive. These are real people Dick is writing about, the kind of morally complicated people you might find in any nearby store, and they each have their own dramas. "Rain Taxi on In Milton Lumky Territory" [Dick] reworks the territory of soured domesticity (a la Richard Yates and John Updike) in a working-class milieu anticipating Raymond Carver. Decades later, his oeuvre (like Philip Roth's) is lovingly enshrined in our national pantheon. "Los Angeles Times on Voices from the Street"" "Dick was...one of the genuine visionaries that North American fiction has produced in this century.""--L.A. Weekly ""This work is radically different from the famous science fiction""author's past successes. It is a mood piece, a somber study of two""young couples...a curious, oddly compelling book....Turning each""page...the reader feels an odd suspense and a reluctance to""abandon these four unpredictable but somehow endearing people.""--Booklist "on "Puttering About in a Small Land ""Dick here writes plainly about life in California, the vagaries of""love, and the struggle, sometimes spiritual, to survive....These are""real people Dick is writing about, the kind of morally complicated""people you might find in any nearby store, and they each have""their own dramas.""--Rain Taxi "on "In Milton Lumky Territory ""[Dick] reworks the territory of soured domesticity (a la Richard""Yates and John Updike) in a working-class milieu anticipating""Raymond Carver. Decades later, his oeuvre (like Philip Roth's) is""lovingly enshrined in our national pantheon.""--Los Angeles Times "on "Voices from the Street" "Dick was...one of the genuine visionaries that North American fiction has produced in this century.""-L.A. Weekly ""This work is radically different from the famous science fiction" "author's past successes. It is a mood piece, a somber study of two" "young couples...a curious, oddly compelling book....Turning each" "page...the reader feels an odd suspense and a reluctance to" "abandon these four unpredictable but somehow endearing people.""-Booklist "on "Puttering About in a Small Land ""Dick here writes plainly about life in California, the vagaries of" "love, and the struggle, sometimes spiritual, to survive....These are" "real people Dick is writing about, the kind of morally complicated" "people you might find in any nearby store, and they each have" "their own dramas.""-Rain Taxi "on "In Milton Lumky Territory ""[Dick] reworks the territory of soured domesticity (
