When I first began reading 'Nobody I Know', I could not help but think of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey. Kesey's book about the state of psychiatric facilities and treatment in the early '60s became a major motion picture; the book was, and is still on lists of all time great books. There is still plenty of social commentary generated by readings of the text.

As I got further into 'Nobody I Know' I began to think that Gaynard made Kesey's book look like a comic book. Kesey was an orderly in a psychiatric facility before or while writing the book, so maybe he was just not exposed to the true treatment of the patients. Perhaps as an orderly, he primarily saw the interactions of the patients with the nursing staff (Nurse Ratched) and less so with the medical staff. Nevertheless, it is a classic for broaching the subject of the treatment of mental illness, but Gaynard deftly takes this to the next level.

In 'Nobody I Know' the interaction is focused on the psychiatrist O'Neill and one particular patient whose identity is not clear - he is referred to as Patient XYJ in O'Neill's publications, but there there is also lots of discussion between the two as to whether XYJ is the Christian or Moslem Jesus. O'Neill, for his part, keeps reverting back to his time with the CIA and his current agenda of exploiting XYJ for his personal and professional gain - the volumes of papers he has written about the case.

The book explores the relationship between O'Neill and XYJ and in particular, XYJ's identity - is he the Christian or Moslem Jesus, or Patsy Burke (who makes an appearance) or just XYJ. XYJ has an estate of some value that is managed by a daughter, for he does seem to have some skill as a sculptor which he also shows in the "Black House" (psych facility) by making 'paper pisse' artifacts by urinating on O'Neill's papers. All very extreme, and again, I think that Gaynard has skillfully pushed the boundary of the discussion of the treatment of the mentally ill way past was Kesey did in the early '60s.

There is an appropriate climax in 'Nobody I Know' of a confrontation between XYJ, other patients (the HRU) and O'Neill. The story plays out in the church on the Black House facility as you would expect, but you will have to read the book to see how it ends. Suffice it to say that Gaynard makes a clear statement about how the mental ill are viewed, treated and are used, by society and the government.

Kesey's book was lauded for exposing the treatment of the mentally ill in the '60s. Gaynard takes this to a whole new level by exploring the depths of one particular doctor-patient relationship. You must read the book - and stay with it through the tough parts - to get to the ending where Gaynard makes an important statement about government treatment of the mentally ill. I hope this book receives the wide visibility it deserves. ( )