One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

By: Ken Kesey

Narrated by: Ken Kesey

Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of the most electrifying, most admired novels of our time. Set in the bleak confines of a state mental hospital and narrated by a half-Indian patient named Chief Bromden, it's the story of a titanic battle of wills between two unforgettable characters.

On one side is Big Nurse, who rules her ward with iron discipline. On the other is Randle Patrick McMurphy, a lustful, brawling, life-loving new inmate who refuses to knuckle under to Big Nurse's soul-destroying methods. In the end, McMurphy pays the ultimate price for his defiance, but not before the rebellious spirit has shown Chief Bromden the way to reclaim his future.

©1962 Ken Kesey (P)1993 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"A glittering parable of good and evil." (The New York Times Book Review)
"A roar of protest against middlebrow society's Rules and the Rulers who enforce them." (Time)

Great Book

Interesting and captivating story and the author's interpretation makes it that much more interesting. After hearing the book, I had to see the movie, yeah, the book is far better. The interview with Ken Kesey is a very enjoyable addition to the download.

Always A Rollercoaster

There is so much to love about this book. The characters are rich and vibrant, and the story never grows any less powerful over time.
We should all be so lucky as to have our lives narrated by Big Chief.
God bless Ken Kesey.

great!

really great. narration was good. had some sound effects that didn't quite make sense. but really good book. definitely wild though not for the faint of heart

Movie was better

Thought movie script more subtle and understated. The characters in movie also were more believable. And it has Jack!

Abridged, but by the Author

Only 3 hours. Read by Ken Kesey. Also has a little interview at the end!

Amazing.

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

This is my first audiobook—and a good one at that—which entices me to further pursue audiobooks in general.

What was one of the most memorable moments of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest?

The moment when McMurphy first entered the story.

Which scene was your favorite?

The fight scene because of its purpose, and overall development to the plot.

If you could rename One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, what would you call it?

"McMurphy and the Maniacs"

Any additional comments?

No.

yes yes yes

a must read. the part at the end is enlightening to the stuff the CIA did in the past that not enough people talk about. ken is key to opening parts of the mind you may not know exist.

Did I really get the abridged version?

Geez, 3 hours is hardly more than a short story. Well, it's a powerful little book, but clearly the work of a young man. Part of the continuum in counterculture literature that began in the 1940s and had its zenith in the 1960s before petering out into new age pablum on one side and left wing diatribes on the other. This book was written with all the sincerity and passion of its times. I suppose it's essential reading to anyone who wants to get the full flavor of that era, but it's only one slice of the whole picture. Probably it should be read at different times of ones life because I guarantee you will see it differently at 20 than you will at 50.

Couldn't wait to get back in the car!

This was a great story and I really enjoyed listening to the narrator.

If You Enjoyed the Movie, You'll Enjoy This

I really appreciated hearing the story told through the author's voice, and through the eyes of the Native American character. Really lovely turns of phrases mixed in with the more raw and gruff language. This book is a reflection of the time it was written in and the attitudes of the hippie generation.