One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a novel written by Oregon author Ken Kesey. Ken Kesey, author of Sometimes a Great Notion illustrating the grim reality of rural or Oregonian life, along with short story collections, Demon Song and Sailor Song, depicting 1950 and 1960s literary anti-heroes from the beat generation; Neal Cassady, Alan Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac. He was also the main character of Tom Wolfe’s novel The Electric Acid Kool-Aid Test depicting the radical hippy culture of 1960s Berkley, California.
The basic premise is that a “sane” person, McMurphy, enters a mental institution, to avoid jail time, and is made, and/or deemed “crazy”. The book is filled with religious allusions to Jesus Christ, depicting the group of mental health patients as martyrs, and apostles following their Christ-like leader, McMurphy. In the end, the book plays out as a social allegory depicting how the mad times of 1960’s with social upheaval pertaining to the Vietnam Conflict that was sending 18-year-olds off to a foreign war that had a devastating impact to youth psychology. The book comments on PTSD and drug addiction as a misunderstood social and cultural reaction to the stressors of war. The novel is a pleasant read. Rich in characterizations, plot and its pacing is short of superb. This is one of the best books I have ever read. The ending is such a pleasant surprise, and the title comes to fruition like a poetic prophecy. I laughed and cried and have not seen the movie. I fear nothing can live up to the perfection that unravels in this book.
Two thumbs way up! This is a must read!!
