The great Philip K. Dick wrote about the human condition as well as any speculative fiction writer of the 20th century, and I am incredibly lucky that this story of his is out of copyright.

This was originally published in 1953. It’s about racism and colonialism, about how the participants in a war see themselves and each other.

In a lot of ways, it’s about the original sin of America, a sin we have not yet reckoned with, to our great shame, with disastrous results for people of color and Native Americans.

But it’s also a fun science fiction story about a kid who just wants to play with his friends, and what happens instead.

I talk a LOT before this one. I have a lot of thoughts in my head and I’m feeling a lot of feelings, so it may not be my best work. But it’s honest, and we could use that right now, I think.

www.gutenberg.org/files/40964/40964-h/40964-h.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_and_the_Beetles