The Hanging Stranger by Philip K. Dick

“The Hanging Stranger” is a 1953 science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick. It is about the one man in Pikeville who notices a dead stranger hanging from a lamp post in the middle of town.

Non-Spoiler Summary In A Nutshell:

After spending the day digging out his basement Ed Loyce heads over to his TV sales store. Along the way he sees a dead stranger swinging from a lamp post in the center of town. Creepy! But no one else really seems to care, and that makes Ed even more frustrated. When a couple of police officers finally bring Ed in he begins to realize what is really happening in town – and it isn’t pleasant!

He passed the park and concentrated on the dark bundle. It wasn’t a dummy. And if it was a display it was a strange kind. The hackles on his neck rose and he swallowed uneasily. Sweat slid out on his face and hands.

It was a body. A human body.

My Two Cents:

• The good:

• Ah… Philip K. Dick’s short stories are fun to read! If you enjoy stories that pit strange mind-altering aliens against unsuspecting humans then you’ll love “The Hanging Stranger” .
• The whole idea of the hanging stranger – why he was there and what he did – was pretty amazing.

• The bad:

• This is an old sci-fi story, and as such it has some out-dated phrases and descriptions. Nothing too bad, but just keep in mind that it was written in 1953!

Fact Sheet:
• Page Count: 12

Where you can find “The Hanging Stranger”:

• This short story first appeared in the December 1953 issue of Science Fiction Adventures.
• “The Hanging Stranger” is included in the superb collection The Philip K. Dick Reader.
• I was able to read a free online version of this story at the Google Book Search web site.

Some Interesting Links:

• You can read a short biography of Philip K. Dick on his official website.

Craving More Stories?
If you enjoyed this story then you might also like The Father-Thing, about a boy who suspects that his father has been replaced by an alien, also by Philip K. Dick.

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