Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Stockholm : MånPocket, 1997 ;
Description
Imagine a time and space traveler from another planet. One that looks human and exemplifies the ideal world he comes from, a world free from human nature''''''''s greed and cruelty. That creature would be "prot," as he calls himself, the newest patient at the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute. Prot seems to know more than he should about faster-than-the-speed-of-light-travel. And besides drawing constellations as viewed from K-PAX, the name of his home planet, "prot" can describe its orbit around double suns in unpublished detail. Who is "prot" and where did he really come from? Why does he have the ability to cure severe mental cases? And to disappear at will? And to charm everyone he comes into contact with? Bizarre delusion or reality? Listen in as a psychiatrist who specializes in delusional behavior documents his sessions with the man from K-PAX.… (more)
Media reviews
Maxim
Inspired by Oliver Sacks' psychiatry-turned-philosophy classic, The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat, K-PAX explores the nature of truth, reality and our enduring need to believe.
Esquire
This gloriously off-beat comedy reads like a combination of Starman, Oliver Sacks and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
User reviews
LibraryThing member mccin68
Prot is picked up in a NY bus terminal and brought to a psychiatric ward because of his bizarre claims of being from another world. Dr. Brewer is the psychiatrist analyzing Prot trying to determine if he is suffering from a devasting psychiatric illness or is truely from another planet.
Show More
suspenseful, as the evidence mounts for both sides I felt unable to make a final judgement on Prot's origins. I picked up the book after watching the movie--i was suprised by how much i enjoyed it. The story moved quickly and was very engaging Found it to be much more psychological thriller than a straight sci fi. Show Less
LibraryThing member HvyMetalMG
Mix some science-fiction with the classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and you get K-PAX. A delightful story of a man claiming to be from another planet. Is he really an alien or mentally disturbed young man? Told through the notes of the doctor trying to uncover the truth, we learn more about
Show More
ourselves as a human race. Fun read. Show Less
LibraryThing member RyanPaine
Gene Brewer’s K-PAX is a mixture of a science-fiction, comedy and medical thriller. It questions our very existence. Perhaps we evolved from the fish? Why are we so stubbornly shitting in our own nest? And of course, is there intelligent life in space?
According to prot – pronounced like
K-PAX follows the treatment of prot and tries to make his crazy delusions funny. The case proves to be the strangest Dr. Brewer has ever encountered. Definitely strange, but not particularly funny. Prot is a smug, sarcastic and at times blatantly rude patient, which would surely be funny on the big screen. The development of K-PAX and prot’s treatment do go through a number of unexpected twists that keep the reader wondering. Together with a writing style that a smart child could easily read, this book provides a light, quirky tale that you could read in a few sittings.
As far as presenting us with questions about our existence goes, K-PAX is not particularly enlightening or in anyway the contribution to the world of science that Gene suggests it to be in his prologue. Before long the reader is presented with a lot of crazy ideas of a utopian society on K-PAX that are just silly. So if silly’s what you like K-PAX is great. If you have no imagination whatsoever, this might not be such a good choice for you.
This review was originally published in On Dit, the student newspaper of Adelaide University.
According to prot – pronounced like
Show More
‘goat’ – there is, on the planet K-PAX. His home planet where there’s no religion, government, war, death or work. You already want to go there don’t you? And so do all the patients at the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute where prot is being held and studied by Dr. Gene Brewer.K-PAX follows the treatment of prot and tries to make his crazy delusions funny. The case proves to be the strangest Dr. Brewer has ever encountered. Definitely strange, but not particularly funny. Prot is a smug, sarcastic and at times blatantly rude patient, which would surely be funny on the big screen. The development of K-PAX and prot’s treatment do go through a number of unexpected twists that keep the reader wondering. Together with a writing style that a smart child could easily read, this book provides a light, quirky tale that you could read in a few sittings.
As far as presenting us with questions about our existence goes, K-PAX is not particularly enlightening or in anyway the contribution to the world of science that Gene suggests it to be in his prologue. Before long the reader is presented with a lot of crazy ideas of a utopian society on K-PAX that are just silly. So if silly’s what you like K-PAX is great. If you have no imagination whatsoever, this might not be such a good choice for you.
This review was originally published in On Dit, the student newspaper of Adelaide University.
Show Less
LibraryThing member aethercowboy
He calls himself prot. It rhymes with goat, and is never capitalized. He claims to be from the world called K-PAX, which is apparently not just some radio or television station on the west coast.
Gene Brewer, the psychologist analyzing this man recently admitted to the ward, splits his time between
But with each session, prot's story becomes more and more believable, and the other patients in the ward are starting to believe him.
Brewer and a journalist named Giselle find out about prot's alter ego, and make Brewer thing that prot is an imaginative sufferer of multiple personality disorder, until prot does something that he just can't explain.
Part of a series of four books as well as supplemental material, this book would probably be best enjoyed by readers of psycho-analytical fiction, or those into pop science fiction. If didn't like the movie, chances are you wouldn't like the book either, though I assure you: the book is better.
Gene Brewer, the psychologist analyzing this man recently admitted to the ward, splits his time between
Show More
listening to prot go on about his extraterrestrial life and trying to find out exactly who this John Doe is.But with each session, prot's story becomes more and more believable, and the other patients in the ward are starting to believe him.
Brewer and a journalist named Giselle find out about prot's alter ego, and make Brewer thing that prot is an imaginative sufferer of multiple personality disorder, until prot does something that he just can't explain.
Part of a series of four books as well as supplemental material, this book would probably be best enjoyed by readers of psycho-analytical fiction, or those into pop science fiction. If didn't like the movie, chances are you wouldn't like the book either, though I assure you: the book is better.
Show Less
LibraryThing member iftyzaidi
I read this after having already seen, and enjoyed, the movie, so there were no real surprises here. The story is pretty much the same as in the film, though a little more rounded out and with a slightly fuller cast of characters. We never really get to know the supporting cast well though, since
Show More
the book is written in the first person and deals primarily with Dr. Brewer's account of his sessions with prot. The writing is uncomplicated and utilitarian and makes for a light, enjoyable read, though nothing extraordinary. It did leave me looking forward to the next in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nodosaurus
This is a story of a man with multiple personality disorder. What makes it interesting, is that the personality dominantly portrayed in the book is from another planet and has vast insight into the human condition, as well as unexplainable and verifiable information on another world.
It isn't clear
I was drawn to this book after seeing the movie. Although I enjoyed the movie, it didn't quite feel complete. The movie was fairly accurate to the book, but left out some details and the final chapter. The book explores several interactions with other patients of the psychiatric ward than the movie does, and provides a few new twists. It is worth reading even if you're familiar with the movie.
*** Possible SPOILER ***
The book doesn't give a clear answer to the questions raised. Is that a spoiler. I understand there is a sequel (or two even) which may provide clearer conclusions.
It isn't clear
Show More
whether this is a psychology book or science fiction. The reader is intentionally left hanging over the decision, as ever new data point clearly in one direction or the other. I was drawn to this book after seeing the movie. Although I enjoyed the movie, it didn't quite feel complete. The movie was fairly accurate to the book, but left out some details and the final chapter. The book explores several interactions with other patients of the psychiatric ward than the movie does, and provides a few new twists. It is worth reading even if you're familiar with the movie.
*** Possible SPOILER ***
The book doesn't give a clear answer to the questions raised. Is that a spoiler. I understand there is a sequel (or two even) which may provide clearer conclusions.
Show Less
LibraryThing member hopefully86
Alien visitor or mental patient? You won't find out until the end. Mainly, this is a story about the relationship between doctor and patient on present-day Earth. The main character Prot is brilliant, funny, and innocent...you root for him no matter the outcome. The author does a great job posing
I saw the movie first, so was excited to learn the books are a series! I think the ideas are brilliant, but the execution is a bit lacking. I still give this book 5 stars, however, because reading after all is not about the details...but how much you enjoyed the journey. :)
Show More
social questions, and commenting on the general state of man. I saw the movie first, so was excited to learn the books are a series! I think the ideas are brilliant, but the execution is a bit lacking. I still give this book 5 stars, however, because reading after all is not about the details...but how much you enjoyed the journey. :)
Show Less
LibraryThing member areadingmachine
A genuinely delightful book. I read this after watching the Kevin Spacey movie partly because I was so impressed with Spacey's performance that I knew I'd have a character I loved popping around in my head. A wonderful tale about a man who believes he is from outer space, and seems to have the
I always enjoy the idea that 'crazy' people are not crazy at all but can see and understand something the rest of us cannot. This is one of those books.
Show More
intelligence and other worldly knowledge for it to be true, who spends his time at a mental hospital helping who he can.I always enjoy the idea that 'crazy' people are not crazy at all but can see and understand something the rest of us cannot. This is one of those books.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
I remember being disappointed by this, after enjoying the movie.... maybe I should reread it someday, I dunno...
LibraryThing member nx74defiant
I enjoyed the movie and the book.
I did get annoyed with Dr. Brewer's hang up about his father.
He hated that his father (who died while he was young) "forced" him to be a Doctor.
A man wanting his son to follow in his footsteps is not unusual.
I like what K-Pax had to say.
I did get annoyed with Dr. Brewer's hang up about his father.
He hated that his father (who died while he was young) "forced" him to be a Doctor.
A man wanting his son to follow in his footsteps is not unusual.
I like what K-Pax had to say.
LibraryThing member Carl_Alves
I originally saw the movie version of K-Pax, starring Kevin Spacey, which I enjoyed, so I figured I would read the novel on which it was based. In this novel, a patient with no identification is brought to the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute, where he is put under the care of a psychiatrist that
I mostly enjoyed the novel. It captured much of the mystery behind the Prot character that can be found in the movie. Specifically, is he an alien or is it all just in his head? For long portions of the book, it’s hard to figure out which is the case. The writing is competent and professional. There is less believability in the novel than in the movie, however. This was a solid novel and an interesting read.
Carl Alves – author of Blood Street
Show More
has the same name as the author. The patient calls himself Prot and claims he comes from the planet K-Pax, and will return on August 17. Prot is often witty and charming. He has an amazing amount of knowledge on subjects that lend credence to his claim that he is an alien. Brewer believes he has a multiple personality disorder and is trying hard to help him. Prot has a strange effect on people as evidenced when Brewer brings Prot home for a picnic.I mostly enjoyed the novel. It captured much of the mystery behind the Prot character that can be found in the movie. Specifically, is he an alien or is it all just in his head? For long portions of the book, it’s hard to figure out which is the case. The writing is competent and professional. There is less believability in the novel than in the movie, however. This was a solid novel and an interesting read.
Carl Alves – author of Blood Street
Show Less
LibraryThing member Paul_S
Everything is predictable. Comes across as didactic and pretentious.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1995
Physical description
238 p.; 18 cm
ISBN
9176433773 / 9789176433775