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 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.

A NEW TOP TEN

Amazing and beautiful. I didnt want it to end. One of the very best in history.

Great Narrator!!

Loved this story because I come from an old logging family - felt a definite connection.

Great story, hard to follow

I had to listen to it twice to begin to understand the first half of the story. I'm going to listen to it a third time, but that will have to wait. It will be worth it, though. The narrator was great, no fatigue there like I sometimes experience with long stories.

Raw and captivating

This is a very visual story which was performed especially well. The only problem I had with it is the over-abundance of profane language. Other than that this is a good story that is believable and interesting.

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.