One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

50th Anniversary Edition

By: Ken Kesey, Robert Faggen - introduction

Narrated by: John C. Reilly

Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

A 50th-anniversary edition of Ken Kesey's searing American classic.

Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has left an indelible mark on the literature of our time. Turning conventional notions of sanity and insanity on their heads, the novel tells the unforgettable story of a mental ward and its inhabitants, especially tyrannical Big Nurse Ratched and Randle Patrick McMurphy, the brawling, fun-loving new inmate who resolves to oppose her. We see the story through the eyes of Chief Bromden, the seemingly mute half-Indian patient who witnesses and understands McMurphy's heroic attempt to do battle with the powers that keep them all imprisoned.

Hailed upon its publication as a "glittering parable of good and evil" (The New York Times Book Review) and a "roar of protest against middlebrow society's Rules and the invisible Rulers who enforce them" (Time), Kesey's powerful book went on to sell millions of copies and remains as bracing and insightful today as when it was first released. This new deluxe audio edition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the original publication of the novel on February 1, 1962, and will be a must have for any literature lover.

©1990 Ken Kesey (P)2012 Penguin Audiobooks

Classic

This performance was very well done!! John C Reilly's reading perfectly fits the odd perspective of Chief, while enveloping the random behavior of McMurphy.

Excellent

I really enjoyed John C Reilly's performance in this book. He did a great job, and the story is really good as well.

a western

The book is a Cowboy & Indian Western: The story of the cowboy saint (MacMurphy) & the Indian poet (Chief Broom) and should be told in a Western around-the-campfire spirit, and not a British accent with a very unrealistic/non-emphathetic stutter.

Wow!

Where does One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is one of those books that stays with you, inspiring you to hear/read it again for fresh incites.

What does John C. Reilly bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

John C. Reilly is an amazingly talented person: singing, dancing, comedy, drama, broadway & movies. He does it all with such effortlessness. I found it easy to slip into the characters as he performed them.

Any additional comments?

I read this book the first time in my early twenties. I raged and cried for over a week feeling the injustice of the individual crushed by "The Man". As an older man with a family and lots of life experience, I find the insult almost as painful. Yet, I see more sides to the situations and accommodate some of the mutually contradictory events more readily. I also appreciate the writing differently than the younger me. At its heart, this remains a powerful visceral read for me.

John C. Reilly is great

I've seen the movie about 1000 times and I've read the book before. John C. Reilly is great. Just seeing his name combined with the title, I knew he would be RP McMurphy, and he was. He also didn't amazing job with Cheswick and Harding and especially the black boys. I was in a trance and could not wait to listen on my way to and from work.

John Reilly is incredible

I hadn't read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in years, but it popped up as a featured book on audible with John Reilly as the reader and I couldn't resist. I'm so glad to have had the experience of listening to Mr. Reilly's fine performance of this fantastic book. I was completely and totally immersed in his world and my commute absolutely flew by. Even if you've read the book and seen the movie several times, do yourself a favor and download this audio version. You'll love it.

Surprise Ending!

Any additional comments?

No, I don't mean I was surprised by the book's ending. I'd seen the movie, which is fantastic. And the book, of course, is even more fantastic. But herein lies the surprise: all the while, listening to this narrator I thought, "Wow. He is so talented! This guy is really going places..." And then, as the book comes to a close, he says, "This has been One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and I'm John C. Reilly." Ohhhhh! I had no idea! And I'm actually glad I failed to pay attention to the narrator's name and didn't recognize his voice throughout the whole book, as it allowed me to hear only his wonderful interpretation of the beloved characters' voices. And then, once I knew, I thought, "No WONDER! It's John C. Reilly! He's already BEEN places... great places. And this is another one of those places." :)

so much better than expected!

wow, I cannot believe it took me so long to listen to this book, it is definitely one of my favorites now. reader did an amazing job!

Sweet, Uplifting and Fucked up

Great story about a conman who shows up at an asylum and helps the patients more than the systems set up to help them by teaching how to laugh and enjoy life.

John C. Reilly gives a fantastic performance, each character is distinct and he was has the appropriate tone for whatever is happening in the story.

Flying Far Above the Cuckoo's Nest

So I downloaded this book because I work a lot and needed to read it for school and I was blown away. John C. Reilly absolutely nails every single character in the book from his charismatic McMurphy to his controlling Nurse Ratched. Within minutes I was captivated by the book and finished it long before I needed to. If you are a sucker for good readers than look no further than this.

As for the story of the book it has a few twists and turns that caught me off guard but it could of been improved in a few places.

Overall great reader and great story!