Audiobook from Brilliance AudioNarrated by Dan John MillerLength: 8 hours, 22 minutesPublished in 1972, Dick uses the premise of a "future" (the book takes place in Dick's imagined 1982) where programming is advanced enough to allow programming the appearance of sentience into androids to provide a treatise on mental health and mental healthcare.In short, Louie Rosen and his partner Maury run a business making and selling electronic organs. One day, however, Maury decides to make an android of Edwin Stanton, Lincoln's Secretary of War. When he reveals it to Louie, he also reveals that his schizophrenic daughter, Priss, played a large role in developing the personality for it. The Stanton simulacrum is quite successful, and they make another, this time of Abraham Lincoln. They get the idea to pitch it to an investor, Barrows, to capitulate on Americans' love for the Civil War (which at the time it was written, was nearing its centennial). Unfortunately, as Barrows and the crew spend more time with the Lincoln, they find that it is moody and seems manic. While this may be historically accurate, it could also be a projection of Priss's beliefs about Lincoln into the programming. Where the Stanton android is personable, logical, and "normal," the Lincoln is anything but. Eventually, Barrows decides to pass on the investment and instead make his own (which he will use as first settlers for a moon colony--an idea I would have preferred to read about). Priss ends up infatuated with Barrows and follows him back to Seattle. Louie, while talking to the Lincoln, seems to have also developed mental instability and runs to Seattle to bring Priss back. She shoots him down and he ends up committed. The story ends when Louie "gets over" his issues and is discharged to go about his normal life. This was a book about ideas. Dick obviously had feelings about the state (and stigma) of mental health issues in the 60's, both with regards to diagnosis and treatment. He almost seems to imply that we're all mentally unstable/have our moments of instability...but he takes it to another level as to suggest that the state-run facilities do nothing to help people. Rather, the state-run facilities can actually make people worse.In the end, this was a book of a lot of thoughts, not a lot of actions. There was a lot more dialogue an "thinking" than there was stuff actually happening; it was quite cerebral. This isn't the kind of book I'm normally into...and in fact, as the book wore on, I found it hard to want to listen and hard to keep focused. I liked the idea of sentient androids, of "souls" built from research into real people...but it's not for me. And probably not for everybody. But if you like "ideas" books, then it may be for you.The narration itself was...interesting. Miller's voice is somewhat flat, which can be good in an audiobook like this; he certainly didn't try to project too much character into most of the voices. However, he did use different tones for female voices as compared to male voices. In that respect, it was somewhat grating; his female voice was almost pandering and was somewhat creepy. It made some "sexual" scenes between Priss and Louie extra-creepy. That said, it also helped to make me really believe that Priss was mentally ill...It's hard to believe, but this is the first PKD I've ever read. I've also never watched Bladerunner in its entirety. I don't know if the rest of his stories are like this, so cerebral. If they are, I may skip them. I was lured in by the robots...and kind of turned off by everything else.
I agree with most people on the aspect of this book slightly losing its main focus, or the feeling of it losing its focus.Or maybe this is just a common interpretation?PKD was too advanced to simply forget how he was going to ultimately blend in all the elements. That's what I feel. I am confident enough in him to believe that he knew exactly what he was doing. At least in terms of plot, and the overall story blueprint.'We Can Build You' was not as impeccable as perhaps 'VALIS' or 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' (which I've read), yet it presents a richness that is typically embedded in PKD's work.It was as comical as any of the novels I've read of his; I hardly laugh aloud when I read books. Not to mention, the unexpected outcomes in the later stages of the novel are quite stimulating and metaphysically poignant.As ridiculous as those circumstances may be in reality, he offers a logical explanation as to why Louis obsessed with Pris, and the subsequent breakdown of his rationality.So, when I look at the big picture of 'We Can Build You', I see characters motivated by a spark; these 'simulacra' which seem promising to deliver a new range of possibilities for technological and commercialsuccess. You can detect judgmental errors on behalf of the proponents of the 'simulacra' who get knee deep in proprietary issues and who give way to a higher power (Sam Burrows) without even considering the stakes.What once was a commercial endeavor becomes an exploited failure, and eventually an act of sabotage to revert things to how they once were.All the while, our narrator--Louis Rosen--is becoming increasingly obsessed with a woman who irritated him to begin with. A complete paradox taking shape--a man growing to love what he once resented. Yet, Pris even foreshadows this obsession midway through the novel with her analogy of yellowjackets digging their way out of a sand trap.The further I read into this novel, I felt it became increasingly stimulating. I have labeled just a few notable aspects, yet the novel is so rich in detail and profoundness.'We Can Build You' is not perfect, and it's plot line does not amount to anything epic or suspenseful. It is a hidden gem that may only appeal to those familiar with Philip K. Dick, or anyone who want to arouse their senses. The onset may deceive what the ultimate focus or centrality to the story is, yet it is never a bad thing to not conform to anything the reader expects.8/10 or 4 stars
What do You think about We Can Build You (1994)?
Philip K. Dick gehört zu denjenigen Autoren, deren Vorstellungskraft und Ideenreichtum die meine bei weitem übertreffen. Da, wo er hindenkt, und das, was er schreibt, liegt in dem Bereich, wo ich ohne seine Bücher niemals hinkommen würde. Dick hat einen so fabelhaften, detailierten Schreibstil, der mich vollends fasziniert. Egal, über was er schreibt - er hat sich auch bei diesem Roman "Die Lincoln Maschine" selbst übertroffen. In diesem Roman erzählt er die Geschichte von zwei Geschäftsleuten, Maury Rock und sein Partner Louis Rosen, aus dessen Sicht das ganze Buch aufgebaut ist. Die beiden kommen auf den abstrusen Gedanken, Kopien von historischen Figuren herzustellen und diese zu verkaufen. Was auf den einen erschreckend wirken mag, ist für den anderen eine brilliante Verkaufsidee - und in Null komma Nichts taucht in dieser zu Anfangs wirren Geschichte plötzlich Abraham Lincoln und zwei weitere Figuren aus seiner Zeitepoche auf. Tatsächlich hat die Kopie, von Dick auch Simulacrum oder Simulacra genannt, erschreckend ähnliche Züge mit dem echten Vorbild angenommen. Sogar die Nachdenklichkeit und die oftmals depressiven Züge des amerikanischen Präsidenten wurden perfekt in die Maschine eingebaut, die ihre Erbauer jeden Tag aufs neue fasziniert, erschreckt und gleichzeitig unterrichtet. Es geht so lange alles gut, bis Louis Rosen schizophrene Züge an sich entdeckt - seine Liebe zur Tochter von Maury Rock, der psychisch labilen Pris Frauenzimmer (die mich während des ganzen Buches sehr stark an die Pris aus seinem Werk und dem Film "Blade Runner" erinnert hat), entwickelt sich mehr und mehr zu einem Drama, das für Rosen in einer Klinik für Schizophreniekranke in Kansas endet. Selbst als Leser des Buches weiß man oft nicht, was nun Wahn oder Wirklichkeit ist. "Die Lincoln Maschine" ist kein bloßer Science-Fiction-Roman, indem es um einen einfach nachgebauten Menschen geht. Man kann sogar einiges daraus lernen: über die Menschheit Allgemein, über amerikanische Geschichte, und über Schizophrenie. "Die Lincoln Maschine" ist wirklich interessant und hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Ich hoffe das ich noch mehr Bücher von Philip K. Dick lesen und weiterhin verfolgen kann, was seinem genialen Geist entsprungen ist. Einfach nur faszinierend, für alle Fans seiner Romane!
—Eleonore Rigby
Dick shows his usual dazzling blend of vision and narrative energy in this novel. The ideas he is playing with and the manner with which he uses humanity and technology to play out these ideas is five star worthy.However, maybe due to the above, I can't help being 3 star disappointed upon finishing... I understand the demented manner with which the narrative focus is in play with the theme, but I really wanted more from the simulcra: I wanted them more up front in the story, and found myself wanting to skip through the relationship angst of Pris and Louis. I guess this is why I prefer Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which is kind of the same novel, in a way, but from another angle.I also enjoy the dated science-fiction speculations, such as the existence of domestic rocket travel and interplanetary colonisation along side the use of carbon paper on typewriters and public phones with books with everyones addresses in them...
—Jeremy
We Can Build You, by Philip K. Dick (who I usually love) has left me feeling betrayed. It's a sham; a bald-faced lie. The cover and descriptions whisper sweet tales of android presidents and moon settlements and questions about the nature of autonomy and humanity. If you build a perfect replica of a man, is it a man? Sadly, we'll never know, because the vast majority of this book is really about an old man becoming obsessed with the 18-year-old daughter of his business partner. It's about him refusing to see the myriad reasons why a young mentally ill woman is not the appropriate object of affection for a man who is at least old enough to be her father.The plot creeps along in fits and starts, and the most interesting aspects of the book--namely, the androids Lincoln and Stanton--repeatedly get sidelined by Dick's focus on mental illness and on Louis "falling in love" with Pris. The whole "romance" plot is particularly egregious given that there's literally nothing about her character or her interactions with Louis that would explain or justify the kind of interest he takes in her.A confusing mess of a story that feels like it's trying too hard to make Big Social Commentary, but focuses on dull unlikable characters. A rare miss for PKD.
—Roybot
