The Penultimate Truth
The Penultimate Truth is a 1964 dystopian novel by Philip K. Dick. This is the first U.K. edition and also the first hardcover edition of this title that was originally published in paperback by Belmont. It is one of Dick's scarcest hardcover editions to find. Octavo, bound in purple paper boards with silver lettering on the spine.
Hardcover. First UK Edition, First Printing. New York: Jonathan Cape, 1967. Levack 32c. #10894.
Exceptional copy of this very scarce title, fine in near fine dust jacket with one small stain on front cover that only shows on verso.
The Penultimate Truth is a dystopian novel by Philip K. Dick that takes place in the future where the bulk of humanity lives underground in shelters known as "tanks." They believe that World War III is being fought above ground between two superpowers, West-Dem and Pac-Peop. The surface fighting is mostly performed by robots (called "leadies"), and the tankers are required to produce additional leadies for the ongoing war above. But the truth is the war ended many years ago, and the elites who live above have been divvying up the land and creating huge, lavish private villas (or "demesnes") for themselves.