A review by paperknotbooks
The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories by Philip K. Dick

3.0

I made a video review to highlight the highs and lows of this short story collection. In summary: the base concept behind every story is genius, but PKD could use some heavy editing. The stories lack substance in world building, dialogue, characterization, and he could do with fewer adverbs. He was a “tell, don’t show” level writer. For specifics, I summarize the stories the way I perceived them below, and took an average for the overall collection:

Autofac, 4-⭐️: technology will eat all your resources... so watch out.
Service Call, 2-⭐️: wtf is a “squibble?” I’m picturing a government mandated mind control cow, for some reason.
Captive Market, 3.5-⭐️: space(?) monopoly.
The Mold of Yancy, 4-⭐️: suggestive programming, 101.
The Minority Report, 4-⭐️: we KNOW you’re gonna do it.
Recall Mechanism, 2.5-⭐️: so... it’s a lamp?
The Unreconstructed M, 3.5-⭐️: how to frame people.
Explorers We, 2-⭐️: clones?
War Game, 2.5-⭐️: how market research works, but with toys to groom kids to become soldiers.
If There Were No Benny Cemoli, 2-⭐️: the title speaks for itself. Honestly, can barely recall this story.
Novelty Act, 3-⭐️: “Talent Search” + (what I visualize as) a Teletubbie + mind control.
Waterspider, 3-⭐️: For some reason (I don’t recall), we time travel because of a sci-fi story. {meta}
What The Dead Men Say, 4-⭐️: Purgatory= talking to oneself endlessly.
Orpheus With Clay Feet, 2.5-⭐️: the reason >this book< exists for me/you to read. {meta}
The Days of Perky Pat, 3(?)-⭐️: Second Life, but with Skipper & Barbie.
Stand-By, 2.5-⭐️: what would happen if Donald Trump were PotUS, but in SPACE.
What’ll We Do With Ragland Park, 3-⭐️: air-headed psychic country singer.
Oh, To Be A Blobel!, 3-⭐️: that episode of Family Guy where Peter wishes for no bones.