Sometimes a Great Notion

By: Ken Kesey

Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte

Length: 30 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

A literary icon sometimes seen as a bridge between the Beat Generation and the hippies, Ken Kesey scored an unexpected hit with his first novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. His successful follow-up, Sometimes a Great Notion, was also transformed into a major motion picture, directed by and starring Paul Newman.

Oregon’s Stamper family does what it can to survive a bitter strike dividing their tiny logging community. And as tensions rise, delicate family bonds begin to fray and unravel.

©1963, 1964 Ken Kesey (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Great book...

great book, very well written and narrated, long but worth hanging in there for the ending.

Can't get lost in it.

Would you try another book from Ken Kesey and/or Tom Stechschulte?

No not of Ken Kesey. I didn't like that the first person would switch between characters without announce that it did. I wouldn't know who "I" was for a while. Yes to Tom.

What other book might you compare Sometimes a Great Notion to and why?

It shares some things with East of Eden. The two rival brothers their differences.

What didn’t you like about Tom Stechschulte’s performance?

I wished that Tom Stechschulte would have made the voices of the two main characters more different to help tell who's talking/thinking.

Do you think Sometimes a Great Notion needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No I don't think it does. The world and place in the book isn't a place that I'd like to visit again for a good while. To store succeed in its goals and doesn't need to say more on these characteristics.

Good, albeit sometimes confusing listen.

I enjoyed Sometimes a Great Notion and would solidly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, descriptive story. It felt a bit long in places, while there were a few spots where I was left wanting more. The sheer number of characters is a bit overwhelming, but the narrator, Tom Stechschulte, did a masterful job in giving them distinct voices. I did have a problem keeping up a few times and had to do a little re-listening to stay on track. Overall, solid listen to a wild and imaginative story born in the heart of logging in the Pacific Northwest in the mid-1900's.

A grande Epoch that captures the heart and soul of a time in the Northwest.

Ken Kesey is to Oregon what Steinbeck is to California. This beautiful powerful wild wet and wonderful story cannot be diminished. Even so it is unfortunate that the reader often comes off as prissy. He should’ve spent more time learning the the correct pronunciation, at least the correct northwest pronunciation, of words such as slough and Alsea and less trying and failing to give voice to the many personalities found in the story. The words are powerful enough. Yet for all that one would be hard put to find a more stirring use of their time than listening to this truly grand tale.

Fantastic audio! Story is a bit wondering!

If the story was about 25% shorter I would have enjoyed it more! The audio version was great! I liked it better then the book itself!

Massive. Magnificent.

Breathtaking. Kesey was a true genius. Not an easy read but this book deserves much greater love and renown.

Kesey writes Oregon like King writes Maine

Where does Sometimes a Great Notion rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's hard to say. I have listened to over 100 audio books, perhaps more. My first experience with them was when I was a little girl back in the 60's and they were on LP records. So of course nothing can compete with the stories like The Little Match Girl and The Tin Soldier read by a master, male voice I could play on my little record player in the privacy of my bedroom at the age of five, and weep without being teased by my older brothers and sisters. The LP had sound effects too!Sometimes A Great Notion is a wonderful, earthy story of a Oregonian logging family that is dysfunctional. The father is judgmental and runs his family like his business...under a saw, as in cutting words, being blunt. Union strikers try and intimidate the family into stopping their non--union, independently owned logging business for the season and that isn't going to happen. The seasonal help is intimated and refuses to work for the family, so the prodigal, hippie, little brother comes home to help. You would think his father was grateful to have anyone help, nope, he has to get his judgements in like barbed fish hooks, and both men, really father and both sons are hard headed. The women smooth things over.I had always loved the film adaption of this book with Henry Fonda and Paul Newman. There is a scene of the brotherinlaw getting trapped under a log in the water. Paul Newman tries over and over again to start a large chain saw. Both men thinking they have all the time in the world--help will eventually come. The water starts to rise and the log rolls a bit on the brotherinlaw, laying him back into the water, up to his chin, then his nose, then he is under water. Paul keeps giving him mouth to mouth and you know that Paul's character will do this all night. His brotherinlaw is such a loving and joy filled father and husband--always with a joke to try and keep peace between father (Fonda) and his two sons. He starts to laugh under water and Paul is yelling at him to stop, but it makes him laugh more...and he drowns. The tone of the film turned dark from there. I hadn't read the book and this author also wrote One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (I did read and have it in a leather bound copy I love it that much), so when I saw Sometimes A Great Notion was on Audible, I had to hear it. I couldn't wait to read it.

Which scene was your favorite?

All the descriptions of the coast, forest and river in such rich detail. I was born and raised in Oregon. A stone's throw from Lincoln City. My family made weekend day trips to every inch of the coast and camping along the Santiam River every summer. My father, brothers and husband grew up hunting and fishing too many places I can list here. Kesey knows the areas well.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I highly recommend the film by the same name

Any additional comments?

If you've read One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and loved it, you will likely love this book too.

Great Epic Piece

Any additional comments?

So glad I discovered this "sleeper" of an epic story...had never read it but found the character and area descriptions very thorough...especially liked the ending...quite different for a novel from the 60's. This author is a masterful story teller and should be much better known in his field than he is...it is indeed a classic. Started to watch the movie based on this but it was bland compared to the book and I didn't finish it...the book says it all.

An American Masterpiece

I read the book twice, and this was my third go around as an audible, which I thoroughly enjoyed. A wonderfully way to reread (listen) to previously read books, though nothing (to me) replaces the experience of physically hold a book and reading it.

The story is big, vast, like coast to coast America during post Korean War, pre Vietnam war era. Hank is lovable and yet easy to hate, same goes for all characters besides Joe Ben who is just a good soul all the time. The rain, the river, the rain, endless rain, the logs, the union, the strike, the dogs, vengeance, betrayal, the Oregon forest, music, jazz, blues, country, tough rough brawny men fighting each other, fighting themselves, and nature!

Hope I get another shot at this masterpiece!

4 Stars to the narration.

Grab a root and dig!

Kesey's best work I think, you can feel the dripping ferns and cold air as the loggers face the early morning work.
Depth of character IMHO doesn't get any better.
Stechschulte is great and adds to the quality of this work.