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Philip K. Dick, a landmark conference

Forty years ago, Philip K. Dick, the American writer who became famous in Europe for his science fiction novels, passed away. He left us an immense legacy, including the Metz conference in 1977.

Philip K. Dick is the author of books that are very popular in France, such as The Man in the High Castle, Ubik, A Maze of Death, and many others that have been adapted for the cinema, such as Blade Runner, Total Recall, The Truman Show, Minority Report...

In September 1977, he was the guest of honour at the 2nd International Science Fiction Festival in Metz, which was also marked by the preview screening of Star Wars. Fascinated by parallel worlds, Philip K. Dick entitled his lecture on 24 September 1977 "If you think this world is bad, you should see some others". His audience was taken aback by his mysticism. He announced at the outset that he was going to talk about 'something that may not have existed' and that he was therefore 'free to say anything and everything'.

During the festival, he was of course interviewed by many journalists. The interview by Yves Breux discusses his situation as a science fiction writer in the United States compared to his popularity in France, and his difficulty, during the Nixon era, to live in a country where he felt hounded by the police.

Discover or rediscover his Metz lecture and interview.

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