One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

by Ken Kesey

Chief Bromden, half American-Indian, whom the authorities believe is deaf and dumb, tells the story of a mental institution ruled by Big Nurse on behalf of the all-powerful Combine. Into this terrifying grey world comes McMurphy, a brawling gambling man, who wages total war on behalf of his cowed fellow-inmates. What follows is at once hilarious and heroic, tragic and ultimately liberating. Since its first publication in 1962, Ken Kesey's astonishing first novel has achieved the status of a contemporary classic. "Kesey can be funny, he can be lyrical, he can do dialogue, and he can write a muscular narrative. In fact there's not much better come out of America in the sixties...If you haven't already read this book, do so. If youhave, read it again" - Douglas Eadie, "Scotsman".

• ISBN10: 0330235648
• ISBN13: 9780330235648
• Publish Date: 15 August 1980 (first published 1 January 1962)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 28 November 2005
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Imprint: Picador
• Edition: New edition
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[celinenyx]

Tragic, funny, sad, endearing. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a great book. The story is set in a mental hospital, and after having seen the movie, I was surprised that it was written from Chief's point of view. This large Native American man who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia has convinced the doctors in the hospital that he is deaf and mute. One day, McMurphy, a loud, smoking, laughing, brawny man is admitted to the ward, and he engages into a power struggle with the dominating Nurse Ratched.

The story is written amazingly well - the perfect combination of hallucinatory commentary and subtle characterisation. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest deserves to be a classic because of its writing alone, but it also offers and interesting view on individualism in a time of collectivism. While I don't necessarily agree with all the points made in this novel, it's fascinating reading.

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

A classic tale into the human mind; I was quite fond on the movie but the book was way different and much more interesting. A dark and at times humorous look into a Psychiatric hospital and the institution processes used in this asylum. This was a story of the fine balance between treatment and processes; there is a balance between healing the mind and just controlling the patients.

I was very interested in the way these patients lived and how their healing process was disrupted at times by the doctors and nurses. I’m not an expert with mental health but I think I gained an insight into just how fragile the human mind can be. This book was really enjoyable and would recommend it to anyone interested in psychology.

It takes a lot for me to be unsettled. This book left me feeling ill. I finished it but I was seriously debating giving up. It was unbelievably sad and horrific in its content and even now I still feel utterly devastated. It could be that that's not a good reason to judge a book "worst book ever" but as far as I'm concerned reading should be enjoyable whether that's pure "light reading" or because the book educates and challenges you. This book just made me sick.