Admittedly, because of my love of Kubrick's adaptation. Thanks for the review. All I can say in response is that I feel the film's more absurd leaps can be forgiven when the story and its setting are taken as psychological parable; but apparently this works better in the original form, from what you say. Anyway I'm glad to know the book is worth reading as its own work and not just the inspiration for one of my favorite movies.