K-PAX: gene brewer

already read (link).

this one was a little bit ruined by the movie, which i saw first. kevin spacey did a fantastic job as prot, and the movie was in all pretty true to the book -- i guess the only thing that bothers me about reading the book is the fact that i knew already how it would end.

the book was a great read for me, as i really enjoy dipping into recreational scientific and mathematical literature. the information about the theoretical planet K-PAX (near the agape and satori stars, as we've named them) was presented in a way that was at once pleasant and accessible to someone who would be interested, regardless of the reader's personal educational level in the field of astronomy. all scientific and medical data in the book is presented in such a way. there were a couple of times were i felt the narrator dumbing the data down for the reader, but it wasn't something i felt compelled to blame on the actual writer -- the narrator had that sort of air about him, so it was in character.

the book is fun but covers a pretty serious theme: a closer look at humanity, at what makes each of us human, and whether or not we are "alone" in the universe. the book asks the reader to stretch his or her imagination, to second guess what defines reality, and to really interpret all the joy and wonder that can be found in the world.

a very enjoyable read.