DoctorWho42 (talk | contribs) m →Reference: Correcting tag. |
Antepenultimate (talk | contribs) Added infobox w/ first edition cover, moved later edition cover further down in article, reorginization of article's contents, Hugo and Nebula award nominations added. |
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{{infobox Book | <!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels]] or [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Books]] --> |
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| name = Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said |
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| title_orig = |
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| translator = |
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| image = [[Image:FlowMyTearsThePolicemanSaid(1stEd).jpg|200px]] |
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| image_caption = Cover of first edition (hardcover) |
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| author = [[Philip K. Dick]] |
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| illustrator = |
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| country = [[United States]] |
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| language = [[English language|English]] |
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| series = |
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| genre = [[Science fiction]] [[novel]] |
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| publisher = [[Doubleday]] |
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| release_date = 1974 |
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| english_release_date = |
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| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover]] & [[Paperback]]) |
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| pages = 231 pp |
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| isbn = ISBN 0-783-89583-6 |
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| preceded_by = |
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| followed_by = |
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}} |
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'''''Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said''''' is a [[1974]] [[science fiction]] [[novel]] by [[Philip K. Dick]] in which Jason Taverner, who is a Six (a genetically improved superhuman) as well as a singer and [[television]] star, lives in a future American [[police state]]. It was awarded first prize in the [[Campbell award (best novel)|John W. Campbell Award]]s for the best [[science fiction]] novel of the year in [[1975]]. It was also nominated for a [[Nebula Award]] in 1974 and a [[Hugo Award]] in 1975. |
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⚫ | Soon after writing this, Dick experienced a series of coincidences in his own life, which he was intrigued by and wrote about in the essay ''How to Build a Universe that Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later,'' included as the introduction to his short story collection ''[[I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon]].'' |
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== Plot introduction == |
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{{spoiler}} |
{{spoiler}} |
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Jason Taverner wakes up one day into a world where he is unknown — and without any existence in the records of the State. As an ex-[[celebrity]] and an ex-[[citizen]], he has real problems. |
Jason Taverner wakes up one day into a world where he is unknown — and without any existence in the records of the State. As an ex-[[celebrity]] and an ex-[[citizen]], he has real problems. |
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The themes of celebrity, genetic enhancement, altered reality and drugs are interwoven with more homely themes to create a novel that works not only as science fiction, but also as literature. |
The themes of celebrity, genetic enhancement, altered reality and drugs are interwoven with more homely themes to create a novel that works not only as science fiction, but also as literature. |
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{{endspoiler}} |
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=== Origin of title === |
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''Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said'' was awarded first prize in the [[Campbell award (best novel)|John W. Campbell Award]]s for the best [[science fiction]] novel of the year in [[1975]]. |
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:''Flow, my tears, fall from your springs,'' |
:''Flow, my tears, fall from your springs,'' |
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== References to ''Flow My Tears'' == |
== References to ''Flow My Tears'' == |
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[[Image:Flowmytears-v-200.jpg|right|thumb|Cover of 1993 [[Vintage (publisher)|Vintage]] paperback edition]] |
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*[[Gary Numan]], in his song "Listen to the Sirens" (from his band's self-titled debut album [[Tubeway Army]]), clearly makes a reference to the novel with the opening lyrics, "Flow my tears, the new police song". |
*[[Gary Numan]], in his song "Listen to the Sirens" (from his band's self-titled debut album [[Tubeway Army]]), clearly makes a reference to the novel with the opening lyrics, "Flow my tears, the new police song". |
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*The rock band [[Liars]] recorded a song called "Flow My Tears, The Spider Said", which is the last track on their album, [[They Were Wrong, So We Drowned]]. |
*The rock band [[Liars]] recorded a song called "Flow My Tears, The Spider Said", which is the last track on their album, [[They Were Wrong, So We Drowned]]. |
Revision as of 04:36, 2 January 2007
![]() Cover of first edition (hardcover) | |
Author | Philip K. Dick |
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Language | English |
Genre | Science fiction novel |
Publisher | Doubleday |
Publication date | 1974 |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
Pages | 231 pp |
ISBN | ISBN 0-783-89583-6 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said is a 1974 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick in which Jason Taverner, who is a Six (a genetically improved superhuman) as well as a singer and television star, lives in a future American police state. It was awarded first prize in the John W. Campbell Awards for the best science fiction novel of the year in 1975. It was also nominated for a Nebula Award in 1974 and a Hugo Award in 1975.
Soon after writing this, Dick experienced a series of coincidences in his own life, which he was intrigued by and wrote about in the essay How to Build a Universe that Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later, included as the introduction to his short story collection I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon.
Plot introduction
Template:Spoiler Jason Taverner wakes up one day into a world where he is unknown — and without any existence in the records of the State. As an ex-celebrity and an ex-citizen, he has real problems.
Taverner's story is intertwined with those of Police General Felix Buckman, and Felix's sister Alys Buckman. Alys is a heavy user of reality-changing drugs, and the owner of the only Jason Taverner record in the new, altered, world.
The themes of celebrity, genetic enhancement, altered reality and drugs are interwoven with more homely themes to create a novel that works not only as science fiction, but also as literature. Template:Endspoiler
Origin of title
The title is a reference to Flow my tears, a piece by the 16th century composer John Dowland, setting to music a poem by an anonymous author (possibly Dowland himself). The poem begins:
- Flow, my tears, fall from your springs,
- Exiled for ever, let me mourn
- Where night's black bird her sad infamy sings,
- There let me live forlorn.
References to Flow My Tears
- Gary Numan, in his song "Listen to the Sirens" (from his band's self-titled debut album Tubeway Army), clearly makes a reference to the novel with the opening lyrics, "Flow my tears, the new police song".
- The rock band Liars recorded a song called "Flow My Tears, The Spider Said", which is the last track on their album, They Were Wrong, So We Drowned.
- The New Jersey grindcore group Discordance Axis base their song (from their second LP, Jouhou) of the same name on Dick's novel.
- There is a discussion of the book as well as Dick's later essay How to Build a Universe that Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later near the end of Richard Linklater's Waking Life.
- Coincedentally, Sting, the former frontman for the rock group "The Police," released an album in 2006 entitled, "Songs from the Labyrinth" a tribute to John Dowland. The album features Sting's version of "Flow my tears."
Film version
In February 1, 2004, Variety announced that Utopia Pictures & Television had acquired the rights to produce three of Philip K. Dick's works: Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said, VALIS and Radio Free Albemuth.[1]
Reference
- ^ "Variety.com - Utopia picks Dick works". Variety.com. 2004-02-01. Retrieved 2006-08-14.
- Philip K. Dick, Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said, ISBN 0-679-74066-X