'The Man in the High Castle' Philip K. Dick

The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick (4.5)

As a fan of PKD, this is a re-read for me. I enjoyed it even more than the first time, not surprising, as this is one of his most accessible stories. Based on an alternative past in which the Axis powers won WWII and divided the Allied forces between them. Japan rules the western US and Germany has much of Europe and Africa. Written in 1962, it has many post-WWII anger scenarios such as the Germans targeting and obliterating the Africans in much the same way they did the Jewish people. Interestingly, the Japanese are treated as somewhat more gracious winners, though just barely. They covet items of past Americana and antique shops become popular. As the story unfolds, PKD dips into the meta-world as it becomes clear that a resistance is forming based on a book written about an alternate future in which the Allies won! Clever and thought provoking as usual, this is one of his best.