The Man in the High Castle
The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. Published and set in 1962, the novel takes place fifteen years after an alternative ending to World War II, and concerns intrigues between the victorious Axis Powers—primarily, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany—as they rule over the former United States, as well as daily life under the resulting totalitarian rule. The Man in the High Castle won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963. Beginning in 2015, the book was adapted as a multi-season TV series, with Dick's daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, serving as one of the show's producers. Reported inspirations include Ward Moore's alternate Civil War history, Bring the Jubilee (1953), various classic World War II histories, and the I Ching (referred to in the novel). The novel features a "novel within the novel" comprising an alternate history within this alternate history wherein the Allies defeat the Axis (though in a manner distinct from the actual historical outcome).
Also by Philip K. Dick
What you might want to know about The Man in the High Castle
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
It is 1962 and the Axis powers won. The Reich runs the East Coast, the Japanese occupy the Pacific States, and a writer in the Rockies has published a banned novel imagining an Allied victory. A San Francisco antiques dealer, his ex-wife, and a Japanese trade officer are pulled together.
Yes. Amazon Prime Video produced four seasons of The Man in the High Castle from 2015 to 2019. The show diverges significantly from the novel after the first season.
Yes. The Man in the High Castle won the 1963 Hugo Award for Best Novel. It is widely considered Philip K. Dick's most important novel alongside Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Ubik.
The Man in the High Castle was written by Philip K. Dick, published in 1962 by Gollancz.
The Man in the High Castle is 259 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Man in the High Castle takes most readers 4 to 6 hours to finish.
The Man in the High Castle is a standalone novel by Philip K. Dick, not part of a series.
The Man in the High Castle is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
