One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
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4.5 • 810 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
An international bestseller and the basis for the hugely successful film, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of the defining works of the 1960s.
In this classic novel, Ken Kesey’s hero is Randle Patrick McMurphy, a boisterous, brawling, fun-loving rebel who swaggers into the world of a mental hospital and takes over. A lusty, life-affirming fighter, McMurphy rallies the other patients around him by challenging the dictatorship of Nurse Ratched. He promotes gambling in the ward, smuggles in wine and women, and openly defies the rules at every turn. But this defiance, which starts as a sport, soon develops into a grim struggle, an all-out war between two relentless opponents: Nurse Ratched, backed by the full power of authority, and McMurphy, who has only his own indomitable will. What happens when Nurse Ratched uses her ultimate weapon against McMurphy provides the story’s shocking climax.
“BRILLIANT!”—Time
“A SMASHING ACHIEVEMENT...A TRULY ORIGINAL NOVEL!”—Mark Schorer
“Mr. Kesey has created a world that is convincing, alive and glowing within its own boundaries...His is a large, robust talent, and he has written a large, robust book.”—Saturday Review
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
One of the pivotal books of the 1960s, this skewering of life in a mental ward remains as haunting and darkly funny today as it was when it was first published almost 60 years ago. Led by Randle McMurphy, a group of unruly patients chafe against the tyrannical reign of Nurse Ratched in a struggle that’s touching, funny, and chilling. After reading Ken Kesey’s novel, check out the award-winning movie it inspired. Released in 1975, the film features a career-defining performance by Jack Nicholson as the roguish McMurphy.
Customer Reviews
See AllIncredible
I’m not someone who reads very often, and I tried this book based on a suggestion from a friend. It’s such a great story and I’d recommend it to just about anyone.
Many Layers
Amazing writing that weaves a story that at time seems far-fetched until we realize that it is entirely possible. At the same time the story integrates important lessons in human behavior and mental illness. Highly recommended.
Not so much better than the movie, but different.
A great read from beginning to end. I watched the movie several years back so I knew the broad strokes of the story but there are significant differences, mainly the narrator, that I didn't anticipate. The movie is a great, and the book is better in the sense that it adds emotional depth and hooks into you harder. Well worth your time.