Divine Invasions: A Life of Philip K. Dick is Lawrence Sutin's landmark biography, widely regarded as the definitive account of Dick's life. The book is dedicated to Sutin's parents, Jack and Rochelle Sutin, and opens with acknowledgments that illuminate the challenges of writing a comprehensive Dick biography.
Sutin describes the project as an adventure beyond initial expectations, noting that those who regard Dick's explorations of reality as mere metaphysical quibbling have never undertaken to write a full account of his life. He credits his agent, Dorothy Pittman, who diligently marketed the proposal when industry insiders declared a Dick biography commercially impossible, and his editor, Michael Pietsch, who took the risk of purchasing the book. Paul Williams, literary executor of the Dick Estate, provided full cooperation with the sole concern that the truth be told. Anne Dick is also acknowledged as a key source.
At 554 pages, the biography draws on extensive interviews, archival research, and Dick's own writings to reconstruct a life marked by extraordinary creative productivity, personal turmoil, philosophical obsession, and mystical experience. Sutin's work established the biographical framework within which virtually all subsequent Dick scholarship has operated, and his careful, sympathetic treatment of both Dick's literary achievements and personal difficulties set the standard for Dick biography.